I've been munching on these Calabacitas for the past couple weeks -- have you made this dish yet? It's loaded with flavor and it's a great curveball if your kitchen routine is getting predictable. Please give it a go!
Calabacitas is one of the most satisfying dishes you'll come across 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 alluring aspects of Mexican cooking -- fresh, healthy ingredients combining into something completely unique (and tasty).
How To Make Calabacitas
Nothing processed. No bottled sauces. Just loads of fresh veggies.
Here's what we're starting with:
2 zucchini
3 plum tomatoes
1 small onion
3 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno
2 cups corn
That's about 1.5 lbs. worth of zucchini, but feel free to add in any other squash favorites you have on hand.
First things first, get those tomatoes roasting!
I usually plop them in a 400F oven. They typically need about 20-30 minutes to fully roast, but it's okay to just grab them when you need them for this recipe.
Finely chop the onion and get it sweating in some oil over medium heat.
Let it cook until it's starting to brown, approx. 7-10 minutes. The brown spots are caramelized bits of onion and they add some real flava to the dish.
Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and let it cook for 30 seconds or so.
At this point I usually take a couple spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture and add it to a blender where it will wait patiently for the roasted tomatoes.
Add the chopped zucchini to the pan along with:
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano What is Mexican oregano?
Don't worry if you don't have Mexican oregano as it won't make or break the dish. I would probably just omit it before substituting regular oregano. More info on Mexican oregano.
As the zucchini cooks for a couple minutes you'll 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 spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture in the blender.
Combine and take a taste. Keep adding slivers of the jalapeno until it tastes right to you. I used a huge jalapeno for this batch and only needed half of it. You can substitute serrano for jalapeno if you want.
Add the blended tomato mixture to the saucepan and give it a good stir to coat the zucchini.
It will only need a couple more minutes in the simmering tomato sauce. Let it cook until it softens a bit but is still firm, somewhere around 7-8 minutes total did the job for this batch. It won't hurt it to cook longer but it tends to get a little mushy if overcooked.
If the pan seems low on liquid you can always add 1/2 cup stock or water, but I had plenty of liquid from the tomatoes for this batch.
I used a can of corn for this batch -- if doing that just add it in at the end as it won't take long to warm up. If using fresh corn kernels you can add them in when you add the zucchini -- 2 cups worth will do the job.
Be sure to give a final taste for seasoning, adding more salt if you want. I added another generous pinch to this batch.
Hello Calabacitas!
Hopefully you're surprised at 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 the Calabacitas as a filling for tacos, burritos, or enchiladas, but for now just try it all by its lonesome. It's remarkably satisfying and you really don't need much else for a meal.
Cotija cheese and freshly chopped cilantro are worthy garnishes, but you can consider them optional.
Okay, let me know if you have any questions about these Calabacitas as they are a real treat. The zucchini really responds to these flavors so I recommend starting with that, but keep in mind that you can get creative with the squash type.
P.S. If you want to turn this into a soup, see Easy Calabacitas Soup.
Buen Provecho.
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Calabacitas
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. zucchini or squash (I used 2 larger zucchinis)
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 2 cups corn kernels (I used a single can)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper
- Cotija cheese (optional)
- freshly chopped cilantro (optional)
- olive oil
Instructions
- Give the tomatoes a good rinse and let them roast in a 400F oven for 20 minutes or until you need them. I usually de-stem the tomatoes knowing that any juices leftover in the roasting pan will be used.
- Finely chop a small onion and get it cooking in some oil over medium heat. Let it cook until it's starting to brown, approx. 7-10 minutes. Add three minced garlic cloves and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Take a couple spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture from the pan and add it to the blender -- this will eventually be combined with the roasted tomatoes.
- Give the zucchinis a good rinse and cut them up into 1/4" sized pieces -- be sure to cut off the ends of the zucchinis and discard. Add the chopped zucchini to the onion-garlic mixture in the pan, along with 3/4 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano. Stir well and let it saute for a couple minutes as you put the tomato mixture together.
- Rinse the jalapeno and chop it up into quarters, discarding the stem. Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender along with 1/4 of the jalapeno. (There should also be a couple spoonfuls of the onion-garlic mixture in the blender.) Combine well and take a taste. Add additional slivers of the jalapeno until the heat tastes right to you. I used a larger jalapeno for this batch and only needed about half of it.
- Add the tomato mixture back to the saucepan and let the zucchini simmer in it 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 using canned corn you can add it in now as it doesn't need much time to heat up. If using fresh corn kernels you can add them in when you add the zucchini. (I usually drain and rinse canned corn but this is optional.)
- Take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch.
- Serve immediately with your choice of garnish. Cotija cheese and freshly chopped cilantro are good options.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where they will keep for a few days.
Notes
Our latest post is a batch of this awesome Chicken Chile Verde:
Still hungry?!
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cheryl
this looks so yummy! i'm going to make this today for my family today. thanks for sharing 🙂
Lindsay
Since so simple, surprisingly DELICIOUS dish that is easily vegan without sacrificing any flavor:D This is in the regular rotation for the fam, especially since you can enjoy it as is or add other things (beans or tri-color quinoa like we did most recently which was equally scrumptious) or throw it in a tortilla to mix it up, and I think I fall more in love with it every time we make it! Your videos are invaluable, as well. Thank you!
Patrick
Hey thanks much Lindsay, I'm so glad it's a hit with the fam! And thanks for mentioning the quinoa as I'm hoping to experiment with that combo soon. Cheers.
Cindy H
Love this as a fresh and filling side for tacos or on its own as a main dish! So easy, so fresh and inexpensive to make!
Patrick
Thanks Cindy! Yeah easy being the key word 🙂
Tom Kintner
I make something similar to this recipe. I found that caramelizing the corn really enhances the flavor.
Patrick
Ahh good to know, thanks for mentioning this tip Tom!
Maria Luz
The real deal! Thanks!
Patrick
Thanks Maria!
Deborah Lewis
THANK YOU for this recipe. It is so nice seeing recipes for calabacitas that are REAL calabacitas. Almost every restaurant we go to, they call some kind of succotash "calabacitas." My mom always gets upset, haha! Having said that, my mom's recipe is even simpler! It's from an old New Mexican cook book that she has had since she was in high school (she grew up in a Spanish village in New Mexico). All it contains is: garlic; onion; zucchini; corn; hatch green chili; salt & pepper. It may seem super simple, but it is so good and I love adding it to burritos. Also, just want to say your chipotle refried black beans are TO DIE FOR. I normally make my beans in an instant pot in huge batches, but your recipe is like a delicacy. I would eat it with huevos rancheros DAILY.
Patrick
Ahh great thanks much for the feedback Deborah! Would love to try some Hatch Calabacitas, putting that one on the to-do list. So glad you are finding some keeper recipes on my site. Cheers.
Leslie
I made this today using the mexican light green zucchini squash. It was delicious! Seasoning is perfect. Your photos and videos are so helpful. Thank you for sharing
Patrick
Ahh good to know, thanks much for your note Leslie!
Carolyn Blake
I just made this for my family, using your recipe exactly. It was inhaled by all at the table. Such simple ingredients yet very rich flavor. I used Vidalia sweet onion and that added a natural sweetness. Thank you!
Patrick
Hey thanks for letting me know Carolyn, so glad it was a hit with the fam! Cheers.
Cristina
I make this often, too! I like to add chipotle pepper for the spice. I eat it in tacos with corn tortilla, and like you, also garnish it with cilantro and cotija cheese. I have also tried it with queso fresco.
You can also make this dish and add rajas poblanas and crema mexicana to make it a little creamier.
Thanks for sharing!
Patrick
Ahh nice thanks much for your tips Cristina, would love to try this recipe with chipotles 🙂
Jenny
yum!
Patrick
🙂