Calabacitas is a Mexican side dish made with yellow squash, zucchini, corn, onion, peppers, and cotija cheese. It's light, summery, and can be served with your favorite main course or on its own with tortillas.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Light and summery, with a hint of heat. Crumbled cotija cheese adds creaminess and salty flavor.
Made with fresh ingredients: Make use of that summer produce by using zucchini, yellow squash, corn, poblano pepper, and garlic.
Easy and quick: It's made in a single pan on the stovetop in 20 minutes.
Serves: 6 side dishes
Similar to: Mexican Roasted Vegetables and Mexican Zucchini Skillet
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Squash - The main ingredient of this recipe. You'll need two small yellow summer squash and two small zucchini. Feel free to use all summer squash or all zucchini if it's what you have on hand.
- Vegetable oil - Any neutral cooking oil works in this recipe, like canola oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Butter - Adds extra flavor to the dish. Can be substituted with more cooking oil if needed, or if you'd like to make the dish vegan friendly.
- Onion and garlic - These ingredients add flavor to your calabacitas. I don't recommend omitting either for best results.
- Poblano pepper - One poblano pepper can be substituted with two small jalapeno peppers or a 4 ounce can of drained green chiles. Half a bell pepper can be used if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Corn - Frozen, fresh, roasted, or canned corn will work in this recipe.
- Seasoning - Salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes enhance the flavor of the dish.
- Heavy cream and cotija cheese - These two ingredients are optional. To make this dish vegan, omit these two ingredients. The heavy cream creates a creamy sauce and cotija cheese is crumbled on top just before serving.
How to make calabacitas
- Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and poblano pepper, cooking until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
- Add corn, zucchini, squash, and seasoning. Cover and reduce heat to low. Steam for 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked to your liking.
- Add heavy cream and stir to combine, then top with cotija cheese before serving.
Variations
- Other veggies: Add more veggies like diced tomatoes, green beans, spinach, and mushrooms.
- Fresh herbs: garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for a pop of color.
- For less heat: substitute the poblano with a bell pepper.
- For more heat: include the seeds and membranes of your pepper, or use serrano or jalapeno peppers.
- Protein: add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, black beans, or cooked and shredded chicken towards the end of cooking.
Frequently asked questions
What does calabacitas mean?
Calabacitas translates to "zucchini" in English.
Why did my squash turn out soggy?
Squash turns out soggy from overcooking. Slice your vegetables into large chunks and don't cook for more than 6-8 minutes to prevent a soggy texture.
📖 Recipe
Calabacitas
Calabacitas is a Mexican side dish made with yellow squash, zucchini, corn, onion, peppers, and cotija cheese. It's light, summery, and can be served with your favorite main course or on its own with tortillas.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 138kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small zucchini, cubed
- 2 small summer squash, cubed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup heavy cream, optional
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add oil and butter. Once melted and hot, add onion and poblano pepper, cooking until onions begin to brown around the edges and soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Add corn, zucchini, squash, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes, stirring to incorporate. Cover, reduce heat to low, and steam for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until squash is softened to your liking (time depends on the size of your cubes).
- Remove lid and stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat, top with crumbled cotija cheese, and serve warm.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Corn: Frozen corn can be substituted with roasted, canned, or fresh corn.
- Veggies: Feel free to add your own favorite vegetables, like diced tomato, green beans, and mushrooms.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Squash will soften more upon reheating.
- Vegan? Butter can be substituted with additional oil, and cream and cheese can be omitted to make this recipe vegan.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
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