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A classic Southwestern dish featuring tender zucchini, yellow squash, sweet corn, and green chiles in a savory, cheesy sauce. It's a quick, flavorful, and versatile side dish perfect for any meal, ready in under 30 minutes.
For 4 servings
Sauté Aromatics
Cook Vegetables
Add Seasonings and Simmer
A classic Southwestern dish featuring tender zucchini, yellow squash, sweet corn, and green chiles in a savory, cheesy sauce. It's a quick, flavorful, and versatile side dish perfect for any meal, ready in under 30 minutes.
This southwest recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 310.45 calories per serving with 12.86g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for side or lunch or dinner.
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Melt Cheese
Garnish and Serve
Add 1 pound of cooked ground beef, chorizo, or shredded chicken to make it a hearty main course. Stir it in during step 3.
Omit the cheese or use a plant-based cheese substitute. To add creaminess, stir in 1/4 cup of cashew cream at the end of cooking.
Incorporate other vegetables like chopped bell peppers (any color), mushrooms, or diced potatoes. Add heartier vegetables with the onions.
For a richer, creamier texture, stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream, sour cream, or Mexican crema just before adding the cheese.
Loaded with vegetables, this dish provides essential vitamins like Vitamin A and C, which support immune function and skin health.
The combination of zucchini, squash, and corn offers a significant amount of dietary fiber, which aids digestion, promotes satiety, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Zucchini and tomatoes have high water content, contributing to your daily hydration needs and helping to maintain bodily functions.
Low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and rich in potassium from the tomatoes, this dish can support cardiovascular health by helping to manage blood pressure.
One serving (about 1 cup) of this Vegetable Calabacitas contains approximately 220-250 calories, depending on the specific ingredients and amount of cheese used.
Yes, it's a very healthy dish. It's packed with vegetables like zucchini, squash, corn, and tomatoes, providing a good source of fiber, vitamins (like Vitamin C and A), and minerals. It's relatively low in calories and can easily be adapted to be low-fat or vegan.
Absolutely. To make it vegan, simply omit the Monterey Jack cheese or replace it with your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese. The dish is delicious even without the cheese.
Calabacitas is incredibly versatile. Serve it as a side dish with grilled chicken, steak, or fish. It's also excellent as a filling for tacos or burritos, or served over rice or quinoa as a vegetarian main course.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Yes, you can. Use about 2 cups of diced fresh Roma tomatoes. You may need to add a splash of water or vegetable broth if the mixture seems too dry, as canned tomatoes have more liquid.
This recipe goes great with these complete meals
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