Calabacitas
Zucchini, corn, and tomato simmered with cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 Zucchini
- 200 g Corn kernels
- 2 Tomato
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 100 g Queso fresco
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- ¾ tsp Salt
Method
- Dice the zucchini, tomato, onion, and garlic.
- Soften the onion and garlic in oil, then add the zucchini, corn, and tomato.
- Simmer until the zucchini is just tender, then season.
- Crumble queso fresco over and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Calabacitas
Calabacitas is a homey Mexican vegetable dish whose name simply means little squash, built around zucchini simmered with corn and tomato. It is a staple of everyday home cooking across Mexico and the American Southwest, valued for turning a few summer vegetables into a satisfying, gently saucy side. What defines it is the sweet, mild combination of tender squash and corn brought together by a light tomato base and finished with fresh cheese.
This version keeps things quick and clean: onion and garlic are softened in oil to build a savory base before the zucchini, corn, and tomato go in to simmer just until the squash is tender, so it stays bright rather than collapsing. Crumbled queso fresco melts slightly over the top, adding a milky, salty tang that rounds out the vegetables' sweetness. Vegetarian, high in volume, and light on calories, calabacitas makes an easy weeknight side in about twenty-five minutes, and pairs naturally with rice, warm tortillas, or grilled meats as part of a larger Mexican meal.
Calabacitas: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Calabacitas?
A serving has about 238 calories — 9.3g protein, 20.5g carbs, 14.1g fat, 4.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Calabacitas gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Calabacitas has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Calabacitas dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Queso fresco. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Calabacitas take to make?
About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 15 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Calabacitas make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.