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This calabacitas recipe is a popular Mexican dish that can be used to fill tacos or as a side dish in place of beans and rice. Mexican squash is cooked until tender, and mixed with corn, onion, tomatoes, spicy peppers, and savory seasonings. Serve it at summer barbecues, potlucks, and more.
Table of Contents
💚 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Versatile: This Mexican squash recipe works as a side dish, a light meal, or a delicious taco filling.
- Healthy: Since it’s quite vegetable-forward and low in calories, everyone can enjoy this simple, light, and healthy dish.
- Easy: Calabacitas is a quick and easy recipe that requires very little expertise in the kitchen. It’s not hard to make delicious food for your friends and family.
- Diet-friendly: Not only is this recipe vegan and gluten-free, but it can also be made without oil. It’s ideal for a wide range of dietary needs and preferences.
If you like this calabacitas recipe, you’ll love our ensalada de nopales, roasted chili corn salsa, and squash blossom quesadillas.
🎃 What is calabacitas?
Calabacitas, meaning “little squash,” refers to several types of squash, like zucchini or yellow squash. In Mexican cuisine, there is also a calabacitas recipe.
Typically, the main components are tender squash, sweet corn, savory onions, juicy tomatoes, spicy chilies, and umami-rich cheese. It’s the perfect combination of textures, flavors, and colors. Plus, garlic adds a full-bodied and aromatic element.
You can enhance the flavors even further by adding toppings like fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco or vegan cotija cheese, or hot sauce.
Calabacitas recipes work as a side dish, a main, or a filling for tacos and burritos, which is our personal favorite. Serve this light, refreshing, and simple meal for backyard barbecues, potlucks, or even a quick weeknight dinner.
📜 History
Calabaza (squash) has been cultivated around the Oaxaca region since nearly 10,000 years ago. It has since evolved into many varieties, shapes, and flavors.
Calabacitas recipes were first brought to life in the 16th century, and they were popular amongst both Indigenous and Spanish populations. Due to the simplicity, nutritional benefits, and available ingredients, calabacitas became a staple recipe that spread all across the country.
In modern versions, there are now variations of calabacitas with different cheese, meat, vegetables, and sauces. This dish is one of the most nutritious Mexican recipes still commonly consumed today, especially if the cheese is kept to a minimum!
🌱 Is calabacitas vegan?
With the addition of cheese, many calabacitas recipes are vegetarian. However, there are also some versions that include chicken or pork (calabacitas con puerco).
To make a vegan calabacitas recipe, swap in dairy-free mozzarella for dairy-based cheese. If you don’t like plant-based cheese, skip it completely for an even healthier dish!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Olive oil: To add richness to the calabacitas recipe. We typically go for olive oil, but you can use avocado oil or water for an oil-free version.
- Onion & garlic: Both ingredients are often found at the start of Mexican recipes for savoriness. We recommend fresh, but you can use onion and garlic powder in a pinch.
- Jalapeños: For a little kick! If you are sensitive to spice, use poblano peppers or green bell pepper. To turn the heat up, try serrano peppers.
- Calabacitas: Creates the bulk of the recipe, providing a sweet and tender flavor in each bite. You can use zucchini, Mexican squash, yellow squash, or any type of summer squash available near you.
- Corn: Adds bursts of sweet flavor and fiber to this calabacitas recipe. Use fresh corn for the most intense flavors, but frozen or canned also work.
- Roma tomatoes: For a zesty, vibrant, and juicy taste. Roma tomatoes are the ideal choice since they have low water content, but you can also use cherry tomatoes.
- Spices: Mexican oregano and cumin create herbaceous and earthy flavors, while salt and pepper enhance the other ingredients. If you don’t have access to Mexican oregano, try marjoram.
- Vegan mozzarella: For a rich, creamy, and umami element. Add any meltable cheese you prefer, or omit it completely.
- Queso fresco: Garnish your calabacitas recipe with vegan queso fresco. You can also try queso cotija or skip this topping.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make calabacitas
Step 1: Cook the onions
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add in the onions and cook them for a few minutes, or until they are turning translucent.
Step 2: Add vegetables and spices
Add the jalapeño, garlic, squash, corn, tomatoes, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to just over low, cover the pan, and cook the mixture until the squash is tender.
Step 3: Mix in the cheese
Add the vegan mozzarella shreds and cook with the lid on for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Or, leave the cheese out for a lighter version.
Step 4: Garnish and serve
For an extra pop of savory flavor, top the calabacitas with vegan queso fresco or queso cotija. Serve it warm as a side dish, in tacos, or as a light meal. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this calabacitas recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below.
🌮 How to serve calabacitas
- Filling: Serve this calabacitas recipe as a filling inside flour or corn tortillas.
- Side dish: Pair it alongside dishes like enchiladas rojas and tacos de canasta.
- A light snack: Eat it as a light snack between meals, and pair it with an ice-cold horchata or refreshing cantarito.
To switch up the flavors, try topping your dish with a squeeze of lime, avocado, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, and vegan Mexican crema. Or, bulk it up with some cooked white rice.
🌡️ Storage & reheating
This calabacitas recipe makes for great leftovers, so don’t be afraid to prep a large batch! Follow these easy storage instructions to keep it fresh:
- Fridge: Calabacitas will last up to 5 days in the fridge. For optimal storage, use airtight glass containers.
- Freezer: Once cooled, transfer your calabacitas recipe to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat some again, thaw the container in your fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat calabacitas in a pan over medium-low for about 4-5 minutes, or until everything is warm.
♻️ Variations
- Skip the cheese: If you’re looking to make this Mexican squash recipe cheaper or healthier, don’t include the cheese. It’s delicious either way!
- Adjust the spice: If you prefer less spice, opt for green bell pepper. Alternatively, use serrano peppers to turn up the heat.
- Use different seasonings: Instead of Mexican oregano and cumin, try smoked paprika, cayenne, ancho chile powder, or bay leaves.
- Try more vegetables: In addition to the vegetables listed in this calabacitas recipe, you can try red onions, green beans, spinach, or peas.
- Protein: Add some chickpeas or shredded vegan chicken for an extra burst of protein and fiber.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use any summer squash: If you can’t find Mexican squash, replace it with any variety of summer squash available to you (yellow or green zucchini, pattypan, globe, crookneck, etc).
- Cut the veggies evenly: Cut the calabactias and other vegetables into even, bite-size pieces to ensure everything cooks consistently.
- Use a large skillet: Using a large skillet prevents the vegetables from overcrowding and ensures they properly cook.
- Cook in stages: Since the onions take longer to soften, make sure to add them into the skillet before the other veggies.
- Cook with a lid: Covering the pan helps trap the steam, which steams the vegetables more quickly. Plus, it perfectly melts the cheese at the end.
- Don’t cook too long: You want the squash and other vegetables to be tender yet still vibrant and structured. Keep a close eye on everything as it cooks.
💬 FAQ
If you want to add more protein to your calabacitas recipe, mix in cooked chickpeas or lentils at the end (making a dish more similar to three sisters).
While they are both summer squash varieties, the two are not the same. Mexican squash has pale green skin and tastes slightly sweeter than its darker green cousin. These are minor differences, so you can easily use both varieties in your calabacitas recipe.
Since a quintessential characteristic of all summer squashes is their thin, tender skin, you do not need to peel them before consumption.
Yes, you can use any type of summer squash you would like since Mexican squash is sometimes hard to find outside of Mexico.
Either fresh corn or frozen corn works perfectly in this calabacitas recipe.
Yes, you can omit the cheese for a lighter and lower calorie version of this Mexican squash recipe.
🍴 More side dishes
If you enjoyed this calabacitas recipe, check out some more flavorful side dishes and snacks like these:
- Air fryer zucchini: Another equally delicious way to serve zucchini.
- Aguachile verde: Fresh oyster mushrooms marinated in a spicy, zesty, and citrusy broth.
- Ensalada de nopales: Fresh, crunchy, and zesty cactus salad.
- Tostilocos: A spicy, crunchy, and crazy snack.
Best Calabacitas Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Grater
- Chef's knife & cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large white onion, diced
- 1 large jalapeño, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds Mexican squash, sliced into quarters
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ⅔ cup vegan mozzarella, shredded
Toppings optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in onions and cook for about 3 minutes, or until translucent.
- Add jalapeño, garlic, squash, corn, tomatoes, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to just over low, cover, and cook for ~8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender.
- Add in vegan mozzarella shreds, and cook with the lid on for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
- Top with vegan queso fresco or queso cotija. Serve warm as a side dish, on tacos, or as a light meal. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use any summer squash: If you can’t find Mexican squash, replace it with any variety of summer squash available to you (yellow or green zucchini, pattypan, globe, crookneck, etc).
- Cut the veggies evenly: Cut the calabactias and other vegetables into even, bite-size pieces to ensure everything cooks consistently.
- Use a large skillet: Using a large skillet prevents the vegetables from overcrowding and ensures they properly cook.
- Cook in stages: Since the onions take longer to soften, make sure to add them into the skillet before the other veggies.
- Cook with a lid: Covering the pan helps trap the steam, which steams the vegetables more quickly. Plus, it perfectly melts the cheese at the end.
- Don’t cook too long: You want the squash and other vegetables to be tender yet still vibrant and structured. Keep a close eye on everything as it cooks.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
