Calabacitas

🌻 Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 can sweet corn, drained
• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

👨‍🍳 Directions

1. 1
   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3–4 minutes until softened.
2. 2
   Add diced zucchini and yellow squash. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
3. 3
   Stir in corn and tomato sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes.
4. 4
   Add chicken bouillon and heavy cream. Stir to combine.
5. 5
   Simmer on low heat for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables. Serve as a side dish or over rice!

🌿 Health Benefits

Calabacitas is a nutrient-rich dish packed with vitamins C and A from zucchini, squash, and tomato sauce. These antioxidants support immune health and reduce inflammation. Corn adds fiber and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. This dish is naturally low in calories and high in vegetables, making it a wonderfully healthy side or main.

📚 History

Calabacitas — meaning “little squashes” in Spanish — has deep roots in Mexican and Southwestern Indigenous cooking. Squash, corn, and beans were the “Three Sisters” of Indigenous North American agriculture, cultivated together for thousands of years. Spanish colonizers introduced dairy and new cooking techniques, which were blended into the dish over time. Today calabacitas is a beloved staple of Mexican and New Mexican home cooking, celebrated for its simplicity and vibrant flavors.

❓ Quiz