Okoy is something I've tested more times than I can count, and the version that finally got it right uses cornstarch or potato starch in the batter instead of straight flour. That one swap is what gives you the lacy, crispy edges that make these fritters so good. Add kalabasa, sweet potato, carrots, and shrimp, and you've got a snack that disappears off the plate before it even cools down.
These are classic Filipino street food - the kind you'd buy wrapped in newspaper from a roadside vendor. But they're just as easy to make at home, and honestly they taste better fresh from your own pan. erve them hot with my favorite vinegar dipping sauce for the tangy, garlicky finish that makes every crunchy bite even better.
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What Is Okoy?
Okoy (also spelled ukoy) is a classic Filipino fritter made from shredded vegetables and small shrimp, mixed into a thin batter and deep-fried until crispy. It's a popular street food and merienda snack all over the Philippines, usually served with a sharp, spiced vinegar dipping sauce called sawsawan.
Different regions make it slightly differently. Some use togue (bean sprouts), some use green papaya, some keep the shrimp whole with the heads on for extra flavor. This version uses kalabasa, sweet potato, and carrots for a fritter that's colorful, slightly sweet, and crispy all the way through.
Why You'll Love This
- Crispy, not greasy - The cornstarch batter is what makes the difference
- Ready in 30 minutes - Mix, scoop, fry, done
- Budget-friendly - Simple vegetables and a handful of shrimp go a long way
- Great for merienda or a side dish - Works any time of day
- No special equipment needed - Just a pan, some oil, and a ladle
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Cornstarch or potato starch is the most important ingredient in this recipe. It's what makes the batter light and gives the edges that lacy, shatteringly crisp texture. Regular flour alone makes for a thicker, doughier fritter. You can use all cornstarch, or a mix of cornstarch and a small amount of all-purpose flour like this recipe calls for.
- Cold water is not optional. Cold batter hits hot oil and the temperature contrast helps create that crisp exterior quickly. Room temperature or warm water works against you here.
- Annatto powder gives the fritters their signature golden-orange color and a very mild earthy flavor. It's what makes okoy look like okoy. You can find it at any Filipino or Asian grocery store.
- Kalabasa is Filipino squash, similar to kabocha or butternut. It adds a natural sweetness and a little color. Sweet potato does the same job and adds to that slightly sweet, savory balance in every bite.
- Shrimp - Small shrimp work best here because they distribute throughout the fritter. If you have larger shrimp, slice it into two or just chop them into smaller pieces before mixing into the batter.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitution and Additions
- Vegetables: Add bean sprouts, shredded green papaya, cabbage, zucchini, or green onions.
- Kalabasa substitute: Use kabocha squash, butternut squash, or extra sweet potato.
- Sweet potato substitute: Use regular potato, but squeeze out the moisture well.
- Shrimp substitute: Use chopped larger shrimp, small whole shrimp, or leave it out for vegetable okoy.
- Cornstarch substitute: Potato starch works great and gives an extra crispy texture.
- Annatto substitute: Skip it if needed, or use a tiny pinch of paprika or turmeric for color.
- Beef powder substitute: Use chicken powder, shrimp powder, garlic powder, or extra salt.
- Cold water upgrade: Use cold sparkling water or beer for an even lighter, crispier batter.
- Spicy option: Add chopped Thai chili, siling labuyo, or chili flakes to the batter.
How to Make Okoy
Step 1: Prep the vegetables. Peel and shred the kalabasa, sweet potato, and carrots using the coarse side of a box grater or a julienne peeler. Thinly slice the yellow onion. Pat everything dry with a paper towel. Moisture is the enemy of crispy fritters, so do not skip this step. Sprinkle a little cornstarch over the vegetables so the batter clings better later.
Step 2: Make the batter In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, black pepper, salt, annatto powder, and beef powder. Pour in the cold water and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thin, almost like a loose pancake batter.
Step 3: Combine Add the shredded vegetables, sliced onion, and shrimp into the batter. Toss everything together until well coated. The vegetables should be evenly distributed through the batter, not clumped in one spot.
Step 4: Heat the oil Pour enough oil into a deep pan or wok to submerge at least half of the fritter. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches around 350°F. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small bit of batter in. It should sizzle immediately and float to the top.
Step 5: Fry the okoy Using a ladle or large spoon, scoop about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the vegetable mixture and carefully lower it into the hot oil. Gently flatten with the back of your ladle. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crispy. Don't crowd the pan. Fry in batches.
Step 6: Drain and serve Transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately with spiced vinegar for dipping.
Sawsawan (Dipping Sauce)
Okoy without vinegar dip is technically still okoy, but you'd be missing the best part. The sharp, slightly spicy vinegar cuts through the richness of the fried batter perfectly. I have a full Filipino sawsawan recipe you can use with okoy, grilled meat, fried fish, and pretty much anything crispy.
Basic Sawsawan for Okoy:
- ½ cup white cane vinegar or coconut vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small red chili, sliced (siling labuyo if you can find it)
- Salt to taste
- Optional: 1 tablespoon fish sauce for depth
Mix everything together and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the garlic softens in the vinegar.
How to Get Them Extra Crispy
Getting crispy okoy is about a few things working together.
- Dry your vegetables. Shredded kalabasa, sweet potato, and carrots hold a lot of moisture. After shredding, squeeze out as much liquid as you can with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels before adding to the batter. Wet vegetables steam inside the fritter and prevent crisping.
- Use cold water in the batter. This is one of those small things that actually matters. Cold batter in hot oil creates a faster set on the exterior, which means crispier edges.
- Don't make the fritters too thick. Thinner fritters cook through faster and get crispier. Aim for about ½ inch thick when you flatten them in the oil.
- Fry at the right temperature. Too low and the fritters absorb oil and turn greasy. Too high and the outside burns before the inside cooks. 350°F is the sweet spot. If the oil gets too hot between batches, let it cool down slightly before the next round.
- Don't cover the fritters after frying. Covering traps steam and softens the crust. Let them rest on a wire rack, not a flat plate, so air circulates underneath.
Variations
Togue okoy - Swap out the kalabasa and use bean sprouts as the base. This is a popular version in many parts of the Philippines and it fries up even crispier.
All-shrimp okoy - Use small whole shrimp with the shells on. The shells fry up crispy and add a lot of flavor. It's a traditional way to serve it and worth trying if you can find the right size shrimp.
Vegetable only - Skip the shrimp entirely for a vegetarian version. Add a little extra salt and a pinch of garlic powder to the batter to compensate for the flavor.
Spicy okoy - Mix finely chopped bird's eye chili directly into the batter for heat in every bite.
Extra-golden color - Add a little more annatto powder to deepen the color. It won't change the flavor significantly but makes the fritters look even more vibrant.
Filipino fritter cooking has so much variety. My easy pork binagoongan with eggplant and these okoy together make a full Filipino spread that takes under an hour.
What to Serve With Okoy
Okoy is traditionally a merienda (afternoon snack), but it works just as well as a side dish with rice.
- Steamed white rice - Classic pairing. The vinegar dip works with rice too.
- Garlic fried rice - If you're making this for a full meal, sinangag alongside okoy is a solid combination.
- Sinigang - A bowl of sour tamarind soup and okoy on the side is a full Filipino comfort meal. My sinigang na baboy is a good place to start.
- Spiced vinegar - Always. Non-negotiable.
Storage
Okoy is best eaten immediately. The crispiness fades quickly once they cool down, and refrigerating them makes them soft.
If you have leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes or in a hot oven at 400°F for about 8 minutes. Do not microwave, it will make them soggy.
Make-ahead tip: You can mix the dry batter ingredients and shred the vegetables ahead of time and store them separately. Combine with cold water and fry when ready. The batter doesn't store well once mixed.
Recipe FAQs
They're the same dish. Okoy and ukoy are just regional or stylistic variations in spelling. You'll see both used interchangeably across the Philippines and in Filipino recipes online.
Yes. An all-cornstarch batter gives you a slightly crispier, more delicate result. The small amount of flour in this recipe adds a little body to the batter. Either works. Some cooks also use potato starch, which behaves similarly to cornstarch.
A few things could be going on. Your oil might not be hot enough, your vegetables might have too much moisture in them, or your batter might be too thick. Make sure you're drying the shredded vegetables well, using cold water in the batter, and frying at around 350°F.
You can, but the results won't be as crispy. Deep frying submerges the fritter so all sides cook simultaneously. Shallow frying works in a pinch, just make sure you're using enough oil to come up at least halfway on the fritter, and flip carefully.
Absolutely. Just leave the shrimp out and add a pinch of garlic powder or extra salt to the batter. The vegetable fritters stand on their own.
More Filipino Recipes You'll Love
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Crispy Okoy (Vegetable Fritters with Shrimp)
Equipment
- shredding peeler
- large mixing bowl
- deep skillet
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 cup shredded kalabasa
- 2 cup shredded sweet potato
- 2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 pound small shrimp peeled and chopped if large
Batter
- 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon annatto powder
- 1 teaspoon beef powder
- 1 cup cold water
- Cooking oil for deep frying
For the Sawsawan
- ½ cup white cane vinegar or coconut vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small red chili sliced
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce optional
Instructions
- Peel and shred the kalabasa, sweet potato, and carrots. Thinly slice the onion. Pat or squeeze the vegetables dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, flour, black pepper, salt, annatto powder, and beef powder.
- Pour in the cold water and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thin and loose.
- Add the shredded vegetables, onion, and shrimp. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F.
- Scoop ¼ to ⅓ cup of the mixture with a ladle. Carefully lower into the hot oil and gently flatten.
- Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
- Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Mix the sawsawan ingredients in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Serve okoy hot with the vinegar dipping sauce.
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Notes
- Use cold water for a crispier batter.
- Dry the shredded vegetables well so the fritters don’t turn soggy.
- Don’t crowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop.
- A wire rack keeps the bottoms crisp better than paper towels alone.
- Best served fresh, but leftovers can be reheated in the air fryer at 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Do not microwave leftovers unless you enjoy sadness and soft fritters.
