Dinengdeng of Northern Luzon is also a type of sinabawang gulay, although it differs in that it does not use garlic.

It is cooked with a variety of vegetables with onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger in a broth seasoned with seafood stock or patis.

The vegetables normally used in sinabawang gulay include okra, calabaza, eggplant, yardlong beans, bitter melon, calabash, chayote, green papaya, and taro tubers, among many others.

Regional variations of the dish may also contain dried fish, shrimp, mussels or clams.

[5][6] Sinabawang gulay is similar to tinola and related dishes, except it does not use meat.