Marifer’s Calabacita or Mexican Squash for Delicioso Vegetarian

This calabacita or Mexican squash sautéd with red bell peppers, tomatoes and corn is one of the dishes Marifer Rodriguez, a Texas college student majoring in industrial design, most looked forward to during childhood visits to her grandmother in Mexico. “It always tasted so good,” she remembers.

Mexican squash looks a lot like the zucchini we are used to seeing in U.S. grocery stores, but is typically lighter in color, plumper and milder in flavor. The pale-green vegetable is also a tad sweeter, making it an extra delicioso filling for tortillas and tostadas.

Now that Marifer has started cooking for herself at college, she tracked down the family recipe and loves to make this calabacita for herself and her roommates. She tells Familia Kitchen that she has discovered that taking the extra time and effort to fix her favorite Mexican traditional dishes makes eating the final product all the more satisfying.

Marifer also loves the way biting into this dish reminds her of being with her family, which helps whenever she gets a little bit homesick. Marifer has made this recipe a star of her weekly cooking rotation, and says she especially enjoys eating it on a chilly day. Although it takes a little longer to make than some of her other go-tos (like quesadillas), she likes that she can make it in big batches and have dinner ready for the next few days.

Calabacitas are ideal for people following a plant-based diet, especially when accompanied by other healthy sides to make a full meal, says Marifer, who is a vegetarian. Her grandmother, Blanca González (whom she calls Tita), traditionally served her calabacitas with refried beans, rice and tortillas, which she loves, but Marifer has lately been enjoying it on tostadas. She likes to add a layer of refried beans and top the tostada with sliced avocado to make the dish extra filling — and ready to take with her as she walks out the door, on her way to class.

Visit Familia Kitchen for more Healthy & Delicioso weeknight recipes and abuela-approved Mexican recipes! If you would like to join our Familia Kitchen community of home cooks, submit a recipe here!

Ready to Make Marifer’s Calabacita Family Recipe?

Marifer’s Calabacita or Mexican Squash for Delicioso Vegetarian

Recipe by Marifer Rodriguez

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2/3 cup onion, diced

• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

• 5 cups calabacita (Mexican squash), diced

• 1/2 tomato, diced

• 2/3 cup corn kernels

• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

• Place a large saucepan on the stovetop, set to medium-high. Add the olive oil.
• Add the diced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Stir in the diced calabacita. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Continue to stir as it cooks for 12 to 15 minutes. When the squash is fully cooked and feels tender, it is done.
• Stir in the corn and turn off the heat. The warmth of the saucepan will be enough for the corn to cook.

  • 

• Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed. Serve on tostadas, with your favorite garnishes. Marifer likes to add refried beans and avocado slices.

Notes

• Marifer recommends this dish for vegetarians (like herself) looking for a plant-based main dish to serve alongside rice and beans.