Cheesy Mexican Squash (Calabacitas)
Cheesy Mexican Squash, or Calabacitas, is a simple stovetop recipe that uses yellow squash, zucchini and corn. It’s creamy, cheesy and just a bit spicy! Ready in 15 minutes.
As a food blogger, there are two questions I get ALL of the time. The first, “What can I do with ground beef besides spaghetti and hamburgers?” The second, ” What the heck can I do with all of this squash?” The first question I’ve addressed through recipes like this Easy Goulash, Korean Burgers and Beef Tostadas.
The second question about how to use up squash I’ve left largely unaddressed. Until now! This Cheesy Mexican Squash recipe uses up a TON of zucchini or yellow squash. Plus, it’s cheesy, creamy and delicious, so your family will actually eat it!
“This was sooo good. Should have snapped a pic before we ate it. Subbed red bell pepper for jalapeño & used a mix of cojack, fresh parm, & mozzarella cause that is what I had.”
Gail
Cheesy Mexican Squash, or Calabacitas, are made on the stove top and ready in about 15 minutes. These Mexican squashes are just a *bit* spicy, thanks to the addition of fresh chopped jalapeno. If you have a spice averse family member, just leave the jalapeno pepper out! You can always douse your individual servings with hot sauce once cooked.
FYI- Calabacitas means “little squash” in Spanish! And, calabacita means zucchini. Something to teach your family while they eat this dish!
The type of cheese that you choose to top your Calabacitas with isn’t too important, but I recommend using Colby Jack or Cheddar if available. Both types of cheese will add good flavor to your dish!
This Cheesy Mexican Squash is a versatile dish! It can be used as a side dish for nearly any protein. OR, you can use it as a vehicle for leftover protein! Just slice up chicken, steak, shrimp, pulled pork or even ham and serve it right on top of the squash. Totally delicious!
Recipe Substitutions and Additions:
Like any dish, you’re free to make this Cheesy Mexican Squash your own! Here are some suggestions:
- Add diced tomatoes 4-5 minutes before finishing the dish.
- Substitute poblano or your favorite bell pepper for the jalapeno!
- Sprinkle the top of the cooked Calabacitas with cotija cheese and/or cilantro.
Cheesy Mexican Squash (Calabacitas)
Need to use up zucchini or yellow squash? This Cheesy Mexican Squash recipe is the best way to do it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium zucchini squash, cubed
- 2 medium yellow squash, cubed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (10 ounces) corn, drained
- ⅓ cup half and half
- ½ cup Colby jack cheese, shredded
For topping:
- fresh cilantro
- Colby jack cheese or cotija cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sauté squash and onion in butter for 3-4 minutes.
- Add jalapeno pepper and garlic, then sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to burn.
- Add salt, pepper, corn and half and half. Stir to combine.
- Sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove skillet from burner.
- Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover skillet for 2-4 minutes and allow to rest until cheese melts.
- Serve warm. Optionally, sprinkle with more cheese (queso fresco is great) or cilantro!
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 101Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 18mgSodium 229mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 5g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app and may be incorrect.
Need more squash recipes? Try these out!
This was sooo good. Should have snapped a pic before we ate it. Subbed red bell pepper for jalapeño & used a mix of cojack, fresh parm, & mozzarella cause that is what I had.
Gail, I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for letting me know!
Just fyi nowhere in the directions does it say add the onion that is listed in the ingredients. I put it in with the squash. Thanks!
You did the right thing! Thanks for catching that for me, I’ve got it fixed!
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Does this work with frozen squash and zucchini?
Hi Whitney! Yes it should. The only thing I’d worry about is the water content coming off the frozen veggies.
I used 3 yellow squash to make this. I wish recipes would stop saying small, medium, large since size is subjective. Just tell us how many cups or pounds. I left out the jalapeños. I didn’t have half and half so used half heavy cream and half milk. My daughter wanted a complete meal so I added 1 pound cooked ground beef to make it a 1 pan meal. I increased the milk mixture to 1 cup because my 12″ cast iron skillet was full to the top and I didn’t think 1/3 cup liquid would be sufficient. It was perfect. The dish was a huge hit and definitely a keeper.
Does this reheat okay? I’m probably the only the only one that will eat it in my house, so I’ll be eating it for a few days.
Yes! I think it reheats pretty well! I will sometimes add a bit of liquid to help the cheese loosen!
We have a ton of squash & I wanted a second recipe for calabacitas that was different from my primary one. I made a few changes that worked great.
– Ditched jalapeno as we don’t like hot.
– Used frozen corn instead of canned which tasted a bit fresher, but canned is okay.
– The half & half did not add any flavor, just more calories, and the squash renders so much water that the cream was lost in it.
– Being lactose-intolerant the Colby jack cheese is a non-starter for me, but sharp cheddar I can tolerate well and I think it added more flavor too.
Thanks for a terrific recipe. I highly recommend it!
This was great! We really enjoyed this combination of fresh vegetables. The half and half provided just the right amount of sweetness – but not too much! I used Mexican blended cheese and, of course, added a bit more than the recipe called for. It was a good move. Next time, I might add a pinch of cumin. I love that I can tweak this recipe, if I want.
Hi Libba! More cheese is ALWAYS a good idea! 🙂 I love the idea of adding a bit of cumin I’m going to try that next time!