When I was a child, we kept a small garden in the backyard of our home in urban, congested Oakland, California. Every summer, we'd harvest tomatoes, summer squash, and corn — ingredients my mom would transform into calabacitas, a quintessential Mexican home-cooked dish. It's the kind of simple recipe that, while beloved by eaters of all ages, never ends up on restaurant menus. Instead, it's a staple on family dinner tables, especially when summer produce is at its peak. My parents made it for me, their parents made it for them, and on and on, back before anyone can remember.
Calabacitas is a humble side consisting of sautéed zucchini, corn, onion, peppers, and tomatoes tossed with cheese. Well, sort of. My mother, a venerated home chef who's made countless iterations of calabacitas, tells me that it's difficult to generalize: "All Mexicans make calabacitas. Everybody has their own version."
Cooking for someone who can't stand the heat? Omit the peppers. In a garlicky mood? Chop some up and stir it in. When I was a teen vegan, my mom would even make me calabacitas sans cheese, which is still utterly delicious. The beauty of this side is that it's endlessly adaptable.
To make her version, my mother starts by dicing a quarter of a yellow onion and a seeded jalapeño. If she's cooking for her heat-sensitive grandkids, she doesn't bother with the pepper.
She heats a few glugs of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sautés the onion and jalapeño until softened and fragrant. Next comes the diced zucchini, which she cooks until just tender before stirring in fresh corn and diced tomatoes. Canned tomatoes and canned or frozen corn work here if you don't have fresh veggies.
She seasons everything simply with salt and pepper, but you can also throw in whatever fresh herbs you want to use up. My mother then finishes the dish with an optional dollop of Mexican crema. Then she adds about eight ounces of shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese, letting it melt into the warm vegetables. The result is a fiber-rich, meat-free side that can accompany anything from skirt steak to roasted salmon.
These days, I'm the one standing at the stove making calabacitas for a new generation — I recently whipped up the dish while my 2-year-old daughter was busy painting spirals onto sheets of construction paper. My kid is objectively too young to appreciate the tradition. Still, I hope that she eventually remembers the scent of squash sizzling on the stove the way I recall my mom's kitchen in the '90s. And maybe, many years from now, if my child ends up with a bounty of summer produce, she'll make calabacitas for someone she loves.
Calabacitas (Mexican Zucchini With Corn & Cheese)
Author: Diana Valenzuela
Cook Time: 15 min
Calories: 175
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 min
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (or enough to lightly coat the pan)
- ¼ yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed (or about 1 ½ cups frozen or canned corn)
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh herbs, such as cilantro or oregano (optional)
- 1–2 tablespoons Mexican crema (optional)
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño (if using) and cook until softened and fragrant, about 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini and cook until just tender, about 5–7 minutes.
- Add the corn and tomatoes. Cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through and the tomatoes begin to soften.
- Season generously with salt and pepper. If using fresh herbs, stir them in now.
- Add the Mexican crema, if using, and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the vegetables. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cheese is melted and gooey, about 2–3 minutes.
- Serve warm as a side dish with grilled meats, tacos, beans, rice, or warm tortillas.
