Sautéed white squash with ground turkey and shrimp or Ginisang Upo as Filipinos call it, is a dish I had a lot as a child. Growing up, my mom cooked Filipino food 95% of the time and most of her dishes were simple, quick and required minimal ingredients. We didn’t have a lot growing up and lived very simply but a home-cooked meal was always something my brother and I could count on having every single night for dinner.
This sautéed white squash (“ginisang upo“) recipe is one I crave often and anytime I see the white squash at my local Asian market, I always pick one up!
Sautéed White Squash with Ground Turkey and Shrimp (“Ginisang Upo”) Recipe!
Ginisang Upo is a nutritious and healthy recipe that can be whipped up on a busy weekday. It’s faster than takeout and only takes 20 minutes to make. It is best served with white rice.
Here is a picture of what the white squash looks like. You can find this in the produce section of your local asian market. The skin is pretty thick so to peel, cut off the ends of the squash first, then stand it up and run a sharp knife along the sides removing the green peel. Then you’ll need to cut it in half and remove the small seeds and fibers from the middle…..similar to how you would cut a cantaloupe.
As you can see the upo I got at the market was huuuuuge! But they’re not all like this. haha! You can get a couple of smaller ones if you like and make this recipe the same way. You really can’t mess this recipe up.
How To Make Sautéed White Squash with Ground Turkey and Shrimp (“Ginisang Upo”)
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, peel the squash (upo) by running your knife down the side removing the hard green skin. Cut the upo in half and remove the seeds. The best way to do this is to scoop it out using a spoon the way you do a cantaloupe.
- Cut the upo and set it aside.
- Mince the garlic, dice the onion and season the shrimp and with salt and pepper.
- Heat up your large skillet to medium heat and add the avocado oil to the pan.
- Sauté the garlic and onion and add the ground turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the upo and put the lid on the pan. If it gets dry, add 1/2 a cup of water or chicken broth. Let it cook with the lid on for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and move everything to one side and cook the shrimp on the other side. This will be fast, about 1-2 minutes for the shrimp to cook.
- Add the fish sauce and mix all the ingredients well.
- Ginisang Upo is best eaten with plain white rice.
More Filipino Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Adobo
- Chicken Tinola
- Beef Caldereta
- Pork Mungo
- Pansit Canton
Equipment
- Large Wok
- Wooden Slotted Spoon
- Chef's Knife
- Large Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 Large Upo also known as "bottle gourd". You can find this in the produce section of any Asian market.
- 1/2 lb Organic Lean Ground Turkey
- 10 Large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 Large onion, diced
- 5 Cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup Organic chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Avocado oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Peel the Upo and cut it in half. You'll need to remove the soft cushiony stuff in the middle, simiar to what you do with a cantaloupe. The best way to to do this is to run a sharp knife along the edges and then scrape it off with a spoon. Then cut it in half again and slice horizontally, about 2-3 inches in length. Set it aside.
- On medium heat, add the avocado oil in a sauté pan and add the garlic and onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly, making sure the garlic doesnt burn.
- Add the ground turkey and cook until brown.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to stir. Add the chicken broth, cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Upo and season some more with salt and pepper and stir.
- Set the Upo and ground turkey to one side of the pan and add the shrimp on the other side. Put the lid back on and let the shrimp cook for 2 minutes (shrimp will cook really fast!).
- Add the fish sauce and mix really well.
- Serve with steamed white Jasmin rice.