I’ve been munching on these Calabacitas for the last two weeks – have you made this dish yet? It’s packed with flavor and is a great curveball if your kitchen routine becomes predictable. Please try it!
Calabacitas are one of the most satisfying dishes you’ll encounter in Mexican cuisine – and that’s coming from a stubborn carnivore!
It’s a vegetarian dish that roughly translates as “zucchini,” but you can use all types of squash in this recipe and still get stellar results.
It’s also a worthy ambassador for one of the most fascinating aspects of Mexican cuisine: fresh, healthy ingredients that combine into something completely unique (and tasty).
How to prepare calabacitas
Nothing elaborate. No bottled sauces. Just lots of fresh veggies.
Here’s what we’re starting with:
2 courgettes
3 cherry tomatoes
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno
2 cups corn
I’m about 1.5 lbs. worth of zucchini, but feel free to add more squash favorites you have at hand.
First, get those tomatoes roasted!
I usually put them in a 400F oven. They typically need about 20-30 minutes to fully roast, but it’s fine to take them as you need them for this recipe.
Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a drizzle of oil over medium heat.
Allow to cook until starting to brown, approx. 7-10 minutes. The brown flecks are bits of caramelized onion and add some real flavor flavor on the plate.
Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
At this point I usually take a couple of tablespoons of the onion and garlic mixture and put it in the blender where it will patiently wait for the roasted tomatoes.
Add the courgettes cut into pieces into the pan along with:
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano What is Mexican oregano?
Don’t worry if you don’t have Mexican oregano because it won’t make or break the dish. I would probably omit it before substituting regular oregano. More information on Mexican oregano.
While the zucchini cooks for a couple of minutes you will have time to blend the tomato mixture and get the heat level to your liking.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender along with 1/4 of the jalapeno. There should already be a couple of tablespoons of the onion and garlic mixture in the blender.
Combine and taste. Keep adding jalapeno flakes until it tastes right to you. I used a huge jalapeno for this batch and only needed half of it. If you want you can replace the serrano with jalapeno.
Add the blended tomato mixture to the saucepan and stir well to coat the zucchini.
A couple more minutes in the boiling tomato sauce will suffice. Let cook until softened a bit but still firm, about 7-8 minutes total did the job for this batch. Cooking it longer won’t hurt it, but it tends to get a little soggy if overcooked.
If the pan seems low on liquid, you can always add 1/2 cup broth or water, but for this batch I got a lot of liquid from the tomatoes.
I used a can of corn for this batch – if you make this, add it at the end as it won’t take long to heat up. If you use fresh corn kernels you can add them when you add the zucchini – 2 cups will do the job.
Remember to give the seasoning a final taste, adding more salt if you want. I added another generous pinch to this batch.
Hello Calabacitas!
I hope you’re surprised by how much flavor you can get from such a simple ingredient list – I usually am and that’s what keeps me coming back to this dish.
And yes, you can use Calabacitas as a filling for tacos, burritos, or enchiladas, but for now, try it all on its own. It’s amazingly satisfying and you really don’t need much else for a meal.
Cotija cheese and chopped fresh cilantro are worthy on the side, but you can consider them optional.
Ok, let me know if you have any questions about these Calabacitas because they are a real treat. Zucchini really responds to these flavors, so I recommend starting with that, but keep in mind that you can get creative with the type of squash.
PS If you want to turn it into a soup, see Easy calabacitas soup.
Enjoy.
Do you want the latest recipe? Click on your favorite among these options and follow me: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube.
Pumpkins
This vegetarian Calabacitas recipe is perfect for all the stubborn carnivores out there! Lots of flavors made with healthy, fresh ingredients – yum!!
Press
Pin
Evaluate
Portions: 4
Calories: 118kcal
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. courgettes or pumpkin (I used 2 larger courgettes)
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno
- 3 cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups corn kernels (I used a single can)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper
- Cotija cheese (optional)
- chopped fresh coriander (optional)
- olive oil
Instructions
-
Rinse the tomatoes well and let them roast in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes or until needed. I usually stem the tomatoes knowing that any sauce left in the pan will be used.
-
Finely chop a small onion and brown it in a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Allow to cook until starting to brown, approx. 7-10 minutes. Add three minced garlic cloves and cook for 30-60 seconds.
-
Take a couple of tablespoons of the onion and garlic mixture from the pan and add it to the blender – it will eventually combine with the roasted tomatoes.
-
Rinse the zucchini well and cut into 1/4 inch pieces – be sure to cut off the ends of the zucchini and discard. Add the chopped zucchini to the onion and garlic mixture in the pan, along with 3/4 4 teaspoons salt, freshly cracked black pepper and 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano. Mix well and let it brown for a couple of minutes while you add the tomato mixture.
-
Rinse the jalapeno and cut it into quarters, removing the stem. Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender along with 1/4 of the jalapeno. (There should also be a couple tablespoons of the onion-garlic mixture in the blender.) Mix well and taste. Add additional jalapeno flakes until the heat tastes just right to you. I used a larger jalapeno for this batch and only needed about half as much.
-
Add the tomato mixture to the saucepan and let the zucchini simmer for a couple more minutes or until the zucchini is tender but still a little firm (this batch cooked for a total of 7-8 minutes). If you use canned corn you can add it now because it doesn’t need much time to heat up. If you use fresh corn kernels you can add them together with the courgettes. (I usually drain and rinse the canned corn, but this is optional.)
-
Give one last taste for the seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch.
-
Serve immediately with your favorite side dish. Cotija cheese and chopped fresh cilantro are good options.
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep for a few days.
Notes
If the pan seems like it needs a little more liquid after adding the tomato mixture, feel free to add 1/2 cup broth or water.
If you want to turn this dish into a soup, see Easy Calabacitas Soup.
Our latest post is a batch of this amazing Green Chile Chicken:
Are you still hungry?!
Do you want to receive Mexican Please recipes via email when they are published? Sign up below to subscribe. All recipes are spam-free.
Thanks for signing up!
