Heart-Healthy Pinakbet
Transform your mealtime with our vibrant and nourishing Heart-Healthy Pinakbet, a vegetable-packed twist on the classic Filipino dish. This recipe swaps traditional cooking oils for a touch of olive oil and uses a low-sodium fermented shrimp paste or tamari to deliver bold umami flavors while keeping your heart happy. Packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like eggplant, bitter melon, squash, okra, and spinach, this guilt-free dish is brimming with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Perfectly simmered in fragrant aromatics like garlic, onion, and tomatoes, with a splash of peppery heat from fresh chili peppers, this one-pan meal is both satisfying and wholesome. Serve it alongside steamed brown rice or quinoa for a balanced, heart-smart plate full of Filipino-inspired goodness!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons fermented shrimp paste (bagoong), low-sodium or alternative like tamari
- 2 cups eggplant, cut into chunks
- 1 cup bitter melon, sliced
- 1 cup squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 cup string beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 cup okra, cut in halves
- 2 long green chili peppers
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Sauté garlic and onion until they become fragrant and the onion turns translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Add tomatoes to the pan and cook until they become soft and start to break down, around 5 minutes.
Pour in the water and stir in the low-sodium shrimp paste or tamari. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add eggplant, bitter melon, squash, string beans, okra, and chili peppers. Stir to mix the vegetables well.
Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Add spinach leaves and ground black pepper. Stir the mixture gently to incorporate the spinach.
Cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, though keep additional salt to a minimum for a heart-healthy dish.
Serve the pinakbet hot, as a main or side dish alongside steamed brown rice or quinoa for a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
560 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 17.4 g | 22% | |
| Saturated Fat | 2.5 g | 12% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.3 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 7 mg | 2% | |
| Sodium | 336 mg | 15% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 96.6 g | 35% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 34.4 g | 123% | |
| Total Sugars | 49.4 g | ||
| Protein | 21.8 g | 44% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 351 mg | 27% | |
| Iron | 8.7 mg | 48% | |
| Potassium | 4335 mg | 92% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
