That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this delicious calabacitas recipe. It might just become your new favorite side dish! Big taste of the American southwest.
What are Calabacitas?
Calabacitas is a vegetarian dish of summer squash prepared with corn and peppers. The name “calabacitas” translates to “little squash” from Spanish, and it is a very popular dish throughout New Mexico and southern Texas. The vegetables are typically sautéed until just softened, mixed with roasted peppers and seasonings, and often with a bit of cheese to finish it. It is a vegetarian dish, though you can add chicken or pork to round out the meal. Usually served as a side, it can also be served as a main dish with warmed tortillas or gorditas. Calabacitas are typically made with squash or zucchini or both, though the variety of squash used can vary from cook to cook. I am using yellow squash and some small zucchinis for this recipe. Turns out great every time. Let’s talk about how to make calabacitas, shall we? Remove from heat and place the roasted peppers into a paper bag or baggie for a few minutes. The heat will steam them and loosen the skins. Peel away the skins and roughly chop the peppers. Set them aside for now. Cook the Onion, Jalapeno and Garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onions and jalapeno pepper. Cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant. You can use more garlic, if you’d like. I love a lot of garlic. Stir. Stir in the chopped poblano peppers and chopped cilantro. Heat through and remove from heat. Garnish. Garnish with fresh cilantro, crumbly white cheese like queso fresco and red pepper flakes. Before removing the pan from the heat, simply reduce the heat. Stir in the Mexican crema and cotija cheese, melting the cheeses until it becomes creamy along with the chopped green chiles and cilantro over low heat. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. NOTE: This recipe was updated on 2/26/21 to include new information, photo and video. It was originally published on 6/22/20.
