What Is Calabacitas?
In Spanish, calabacitas means zucchini. But there’s definitely more than just zucchini in this dish. This super flavorful side dish with so many flavors, textures, and vibrant colors is both vegan and gluten-free. You’d never guess it was ‘missing’ anything because it’s so filling. Although most people would consider this calabacitas recipe a side dish, I consider it practically a meal because it keeps me full for hours from all the veggies. Because it’s also a warm side dish, it has a comfort-food vibe to it, although it holds great at room temp or can be served chilled. Just wait until you see the volume of food this recipe makes! It makes an easy six hearty servings and it also holds well at room temperature, so it’s perfect for parties, picnics, and potlucks.
Ingredients for Calabacitas
In my version of Mexican calabacitas, there’s a mixture of:
Olive Oil Onions Red and orange bell peppers Zucchini Fire-roasted green chiles Corn Cherry tomatoes Cumin Oregano Salt and pepper Lime Juice Cayenne pepper, optional – The cayenne doesn’t make the dish spicy, but rather flavors a very large skillet of vegetables so that they’re not bland. \
Note: All ingredients amounts are listed in the recipe card section when you keep scrolling down.
Ingredient Substitutions
Like so many recipes that use similar ingredients to this one, you can easily doctor this recipe up and adapt it suit your needs. Suggestions include:
Use poblano chiles or green bell peppers Add garlic Add jalapeños Add avocado Add black or garbanzo beans Use regular tomatoes, Roma, or heirloom rather than cherry or grape Add cheese at the end such as cotija or shredded pepper Jack Garnish with cilantro
How to Make Calabacitas
This Mexican calabacitas recipe is so very easy to make!
More Mexican Side Dish Recipes:
Mexican Street Corn Coleslaw – 🌽🥬🌶️🧅 Grilled corn, red and green cabbage, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro, chili powder, and lime juice come together in this EASY side dish that’s packed with the flavor of traditional elotes! In the freezer: Store airtight for up to 3 months, noting that the texture of the vegetables will be softer upon thawing. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Creamy Mexican Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad — A healthy EASY salad that’s ready in 15 minutes and so flavorful!! Corn, zucchini, cilantro, queso fresco and more are tossed in a DELISH creamy lime sauce!! Grilled Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad — An EASY corn salad with black beans, zucchini, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, and more!! So much Mexican-inspired FLAVOR in every bite of this family favorite recipe that’s sure to be a hit!! Skinny Mexican Bean and Corn Salad – Two kinds of beans, juicy corn, tomatoes, peppers, and more tossed in a light chili-lime-cumin vinaigrette! Healthy, easy, ready in 5 minutes, and loaded with flavor! Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette – Everything tastes better with avocado! Easy, healthy and tons of flavor! Avocado Black Bean Mexican Salad – EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and there’s so much FLAVOR from the lime-cumin-chili vinaigrette!! Great for lunch or a meatless Monday dinner! Accidentally vegan, gluten-free, HEALTHY, and DELISH!! Originally posted May 20, 2020 and republished June 23, 2023 with updated text.
