How to cook ginisang repolyo: The ultimate giniling ground pork recipe
If you want to have a tasty meal but don’t have the time to cook, then ginisang repolyo is the perfect recipe for all busy people out there. It’s an ideal lunch or dinner for those who love savory veggie and meat dishes.
This is a no-nonsense recipe that involves sauteing all of the ingredients. It includes cabbage (can be napa cabbage), bell peppers, carrots, and even meat, such as chicken, pork, or beef.
Traditionally, Filipino ginisang repolyo was a vegetable dish. But this recipe includes tasty pork slices for added protein.
Since it has a short cooking time and hearty ingredients, ginisang repolyo will make the perfect family lunch.
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Ginisang repolyo recipe (cabbage & pork)
Ingredients
- 1 head repolyo (cabbage) core removed and sliced thinly
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- ½ lb ground pork shredded
- 16 oz tofu sliced and fried until golden brown
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 stalks green onions cut into 1-inch long pieces
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp oil (I use olive oil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Over medium heat, saute garlic in a wok or large skillet until light brown.
- Add onions and saute until translucent.
- Add ground pork and saute for 3 minutes or until there are no more red parts showing.
- Season with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper. Mix well.
- Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until pork is tender.
- Remove cover and add the cabbage and carrots. Stir until combined well.
- Add fish sauce and oyster sauce. Continue stirring until well distributed.
- Cover and simmer for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.
- Add tofu and green onions. Mix until well incorporated with other ingredients.
- Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice.
Nutrition
Check out YouTuber Amielyn Galicia’s video on making ginisang repolyo:
Cooking tips
The process is similar to making stir fry. The ingredients must be sauteed, but not overcooked.
For this simple and delicious meal, you can use any cooking oil, but olive oil gives it a pleasant taste and is healthier.
When you make the sauteed cabbage, be sure not to overcook it. When cabbage is overcooked, it releases a sulfurous odor, and it can be unpleasant. Stir-fried cabbage can be hard to get right, but it takes some practice.
Be sure that the liquids reduce before adding the tofu. The tofu should be added last because it can absorb the flavors of the sauce and become too salty.
Also check out our ginising upo recipe
Substitutions & variations
You can also add shrimp to this recipe. Just be sure to take off the shells before including them in the mix. Fried fish is also another option, and if you like seafood but want something fancier, you can even add squid balls (takoyaki).
This recipe calls for pork, but you can also use chicken, beef, or even mushrooms as your main protein source. Even corned beef can work for this recipe!
For those of you who are health-conscious or vegans, you can actually skip the meat ingredients in this ginisang repolyo recipe (or learn to make ginisang munggo Filipino mung bean stew recipe) and instead, use known meat substitutes, such as tofu or mushrooms. That way, you can just prepare it meatless!
If you want a more watery consistency, you can add water or chicken broth. Just be sure to taste it before adding more seasoning, as the broth might already be salty.
If you want your ginisang repolyo to have a bit more of a kick, then you can add some chili peppers or even use hot sauce. Just be sure to adjust the amount of fish sauce and oyster sauce that you’re going to use since these 2 ingredients are already quite salty.
For the other non-meat ingredients, red bell pepper will add a crunch to the dish and also up its nutritional value, while the carrots, on the other hand, lend sweetness to the dish.
You should add carrots, but you can also add other vegetables like string beans, snow peas, or even bok choy.
When it comes to cabbage, really any cabbage will do. My favorite varieties include pechay, napa cabbage, savoy cabbage, and bok choy. Sauteed cabbage is also a great way to use up wilted cabbage.
As for the oil for sauteing, you can substitute it with butter. If you want an even healthier substitute, then you can also use vegetable broth.
You can also add more broth if you don’t want it to be too dry.
How to serve and eat
This can be served with rice or can be eaten as a standalone dish. Steamed rice is the best way to go, as it’ll help tone down the strong flavors of the dish.
If you want, you can also add a fried egg on top. It’ll not only make it more filling, but also more visually appealing.
You can also serve it with soy sauce and a dash of sugar as a side dip to bring more flavor to the dish.
Other serving options include grilled meat and vegetables. Alternatively, you can combine it with Filipino dishes like adobo or sinigang.
How to store
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, as long as they’re in an airtight container.
To reheat, simply cook in a pan over medium heat until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave.
If you want, you can also freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Similar dishes
If you like this dish, then you’ll also enjoy other Filipino dishes, such as Filipino corned beef and cabbage, as well as Filipino pancit bihon.
Nilagang baka is a Filipino cabbage soup with beef. It also has fish sauce, which gives it a special taste.
You might also like other cabbage recipes such as sauerkraut and kimchi, which aren’t Filipino recipes. Or you can just make yourself a good old stir-fried cabbage dish.
Cabbage is a popular ingredient in many cuisines around the world. In addition to ginisang repolyo, some of the most popular dishes include stuffed cabbage, cabbage rolls, and coleslaw.
FAQs
What other vegetables can I add to ginisang repolyo?
You can add any vegetables that you like! Common additions include potatoes, green beans, and bell peppers.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to adding vegetables. Just make sure that they’re chopped into bite-sized pieces so that they’ll cook evenly.
What does “repolyo” mean?
“Repolyo” is the Filipino word for “cabbage”.
Can I make this dish vegan?
Yes, you can make this dish vegan by simply omitting the pork and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Skip the fish sauce and oyster sauce as well, or use vegan versions of these condiments. Soy sauce is another option.
Is ginisang repolyo healthy?
Yes, this dish is relatively healthy. Cabbage is a good source of vitamins and minerals, and it’s low in calories.
Pork is also a good source of protein, but it’s high in fat. You can use lean pork to make this dish healthier, or you can use a different type of protein.
Fish or shrimp are good options, as they’re low in fat and high in protein. You can also use tofu if you want.
Whip up some Filipino cabbage soup
Ginisang repolyo is a popular Filipino dish that consists of cabbage and other vegetables that are cooked in broth. It’s often served for lunch and dinner or eaten as a comfort food.
It’s truly one of the easiest Filipino dishes to make, and it’s also one of the most versatile. You can add any vegetables you like, and you can also switch up the protein.
Whether you’re looking for a dish to serve for weekday meals or you’re in the mood for something comforting, ginisang repolyo is a great option.
Like cabbage? Check out this Filipino bulalo recipe with beef shank and cabbage
If you want to learn more about ginisang repolyo, then check out this article.
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.
