Calabacitas con Queso
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Country of Origin
Mexico
Description
A comforting vegetable side dish featuring diced tender Mexican zucchini sautéed with sweet corn, tomatoes, onions, and melted mild melting cheese (queso Oaxaca or panela).
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served hot in a bowl or on a plate, garnished with fresh cilantro. Eaten as a vegetable side with warm corn tortillas.
Ingredients
3 medium Mexican zucchini (or dark green zucchini), diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño or poblano pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 cup queso Oaxaca, panela, or Monterey Jack, shredded or cubed
1/4 cup Mexican crema
Salt and pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic, and diced jalapeño/poblano pepper; cook for 4 minutes until onion softens.
Add Tomatoes & Corn: Add diced tomatoes and corn kernels. Cook stirring for 3–4 minutes until tomatoes break down slightly.
Add Zucchini: Stir in diced zucchini. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6–8 minutes until zucchini is tender-crisp.
Stir in Crema & Season: Uncover, season with salt and black pepper, and stir in Mexican crema.
Melt Cheese: Top with shredded cheese, turn off heat, cover for 2 minutes until cheese melts completely, and serve warm.
Optional
Pork Pork Addition: Add 1/2 cup diced cooked pork or bacon at step 1 for a savory meat-infused version.
Cooking Tips
Don't Overcook Zucchini: Cook zucchini covered just until tender-crisp so cubes retain structure without turning mushy.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)
Calories: ~220 kcal
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 340mg
Total Carbohydrates: 16g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 9g
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