Try this easy okoy kalabasa recipe for the best Filipino squash fritters. Made with kalabasa or kabocha squash, squash okoy is delicious even without shrimp or meat.
(Check out this delicious recipe collection for more pumpkin and squash recipes. It has everything from breakfast to dinner to dessert.)
If you love squash you will love okoy (sometimes ukoy) or Filipino squash fritters. Definitely a delicious break from the usual soup and pie.
Unlike the more popular lumpia and turon, okoy is simply dipped in batter and fried, not wrapped.
This is my uncle’s tried-and-tested okoy kalabasa recipe. In Nueva Ecija where he’s from, okoy is also called karamba and yes, this dish will make you want to dance!
Let’s get to it.
Why you’ll love kalabasa fritters
- Easy to make. You just need to combine the ingredients, fry, and enjoy!
- No meat. It doesn’t have meat but it’s still so tasty and filling.
- Customizable. Good news is, you can add meat, shrimp and other authentic okoy ingredients if you like. Simply add to the batter, adjust your spices to taste, and fry until the meat is cooked through.
(If you love Pinoy okoy, you’ll enjoy air fryer fried squash too!)
How to make okoy kalabasa
This okoy kalabasa recipe without shrimp is simple and straightforward to make.
Ingredients of okoy kalabasa
This simple okoy kalabasa recipe also uses simple ingredients like flour, cornstarch, egg and spices. You can find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
A few things to note:
- Fish sauce (patis) — you can find fish sauce in Asian stores and on Amazon. Most people don’t like it because it smells fishy (thus the name) but it’s really one of the key ingredients in Asian cooking. You know that flavor you just can’t put your finger on? Most likely fish sauce! If it’s not available, you can just increase the salt to taste.
- Kabocha squash — also called a Japanese pumpkin. Ideally, you’ll want to use kabocha for the most authentic okoy kalabasa but if you can’t find one, substitute with a similarly sweet-tasting squash.
Step-by-step photos
In a medium bowl, prep the okoy batter by stirring flour, cornstarch, egg, water, fish sauce, minced garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
Add kabocha squash, carrots and green onions. Stir until well combined.
Put about a cup of oil (or enough oil to submerge the fritters) in a large skillet and once it’s hot enough, scoop about a heaping ¼ cup okoy batter into the oil, flatten slightly and fry on medium heat until the bottom turns a light golden brown. Flip and fry until the other side is golden brown too.
Put the fried fritters on a tray lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve immediately.
The secret to perfect okoy
Easy, right? Here are more tips for perfect okoy kalabasa every time.
- Cut your vegetables into same-size pieces. This helps them cook evenly.
- Deep fry your fritters for the crispiest texture. And make sure your oil is hot enough before you start cooking.
- Don’t crowd your pan. If your skillet is large enough, you can fry 2 fritters at a time. I wouldn’t go more than 2 though.
- Drain the excess oil from the cooked okoy so they don’t get soggy. You can use a strainer or place the okoy on a paper towel.
- Okoy is best enjoyed immediately. If you have leftovers, pop into an oven toaster to get back some of that crispiness.
Recipe FAQs
Kabocha squash is squat and sweet and the kind of squash most common in the Philippines. It’s called kalabasa in Filipino (pronounced exactly as it’s spelled).
Some people also call it a Japanese pumpkin, but here in North America it’s most commonly known as kabocha.
Read more about it here.
Okoy is usually enjoyed as a snack (merienda). You can find it sold as a street food, too.
Many Filipinos eat it with rice or as a side dish as well.
Filipinos dip okoy in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, red chili, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. There’s really no recipe for the dipping sauce as everything is done to taste.
My shortcut dipping sauce for lazy days: mix vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha.
The sweet, salty, crunchy vegetable okoy pairs extremely well with the sour, salty and chili sauce.
It’s best to enjoy okoy freshly cooked.
I don’t recommend freezing the batter as the vegetables will ice and once they thaw, the batter becomes too watery.
A better option might be to freeze the fritters themselves. Then just pop them quickly in the oven to make them crispy again.
More delicious Filipino recipes
Filipino cuisine is delicious and unlike no other. Here are other unique recipes you can try:
We love making this simple okoy recipe kalabasa. Easy to make, even easier to eat! We usually double the recipe so people can grab seconds.
It’s simple, vegetarian, delicious! Hope you enjoy it too.
Did you make this kalabasa okoy recipe? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest and YouTube.
Okoy Kalabasa Recipe (Kabocha Squash Fritters)
Ingredients
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup cold water
- 1 tbsp fish sauce see notes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup julienned kabocha squash
- ¼ cup julienned carrots
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir flour, cornstarch, egg, water, fish sauce, minced garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.½ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 large egg, ⅓ cup cold water, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper
- Add kabocha squash, carrots and green onions. Stir until well combined.1 cup julienned kabocha squash, ¼ cup julienned carrots, ¼ cup sliced green onions
- Put about a cup of oil (or enough oil to submerge the fritters) in a large skillet and once it's hot enough, scoop about a heaping ¼ cup okoy batter into the oil, flatten slightly and fry on medium heat until the bottom turns a light golden brown.oil
- Flip and fry until the other side is golden brown too.
- Put the fried fritters on a tray lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields 6 fritters for me, though it will depend on how big or small you make them.
- You can find fish sauce in Asian stores. Most people don’t like it because it smells fishy (thus the name) but it’s really one of the key ingredients in Asian cooking. You can opt to skip it though – just increase the salt to taste
- If your skillet is large enough, you can fry 2 fritters at a time. I wouldn’t go more than 2 though.
- The fritters tend to get soggy the longer they sit so best to serve immediately.
- See post for more tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Joanna
I don’t think we have kablocha squash in england, but I bet you can easily replace it with butternut squash. I only know how to make one thing out of a squash, and that’s soup. I might try these fritters, autumn came and we need some hearty delicious food.
Jolina
Hi Joanna! You can definitely sub butternut squash. Butternut squash is just going to be a little softer than kabocha.
Sharon
That looks delicious! I’m a huge fan of fritter and yes, I’m going to try making it with squash instead of little scrimps!
Jolina
Thanks Sharon! Would love to hear how it goes. Hope you like them!
Laura H
I love any kind of vegetable fritter so must try these out! I bet they are sweet 🙂
Jolina
Hi Laura! Yes, they are sweet 🙂 Hope you give it a try!
Lori Vachon
Definitely a nice alternative to zucchini fritter, they look great!
Brian
Never heard of these but they sound better than pumpkin pie!
Jolina
LOL! Maybe you can have these for a snack then pumpkin pie for dessert?
Amanda Love
I’ve never had anything like this before but I assume it tastes a little sweet and tangy. I’d love to make this as a snack for the kids but I assume it will also be perfect for lunch.
Jolina
Hi Amanda! Kabocha is a lot like butternut squash but firmer and sweeter when fried 🙂
Carrie
Yum! I love Fritters but have never hear of Kabocha squash before! However these look amazing! My favorite fritters are corn fritters!
Jolina
Hi Carrie! I’ve never made corn fritters, I should definitely try 🙂 Hope you like kabocha squash!
Bee
This looks so tasty it’s something I have to try. I hope mine will come out the same
Jolina
I’m sure you’ll do great Bee. Would love to hear how it goes 🙂
Sandra
These fritters look delicious! I’ve never had kabocha squash and now I want to find some so I can try this dish! Great recipe, Jolina!
Jolina
Thank you Sandra! You might be able to find kabocha squash at your local Walmart but they will be available in Asian supermarkets or sure. Hope you like the fritters!
Elizabeth O.
I love squash, there are so many things that you can do with it. I think this is a great dish especially if you like fritters with a twist! It’s quite easy to make as well.
Jolina
That’s so true! It’s very versatile 🙂 Hope you like these fritters!
Jolina
Thanks Melanie! Would love to hear how goes. Hope you like them!
Jolina
LOL I don’t think that’s the healthiest idea Danielle! But hey, how much money are we talking about hahaha! Hope you had a happy Monday!
Liz Mays
Ooh, these are really neat. I think I’d like them with some of that dip you whipped up.
Tania
I am such a huge fan of fritters and these look delicious. Definitely on my to do list!
Jolina
Me too! We actually did banana fritters with this but that was a disaster so maybe another time 🙂 Hope you try these Tania!
Dawn
Oh, how different!! Thanks for sharing this one, Jolina! They sound and look amazing and the dipping sauce suggestion of vinegar, soy and sriracha sounds perfect to me! Whatever the season, I’d gladly eat these. Bet these would be perfect for breakfast too with an egg!
Jolina
You are most welcome Dawn! It’s a common, traditional Filipino snack 🙂 And yeah, I bet it would be amazing with an egg on top eh? Yum!