Guacamole is more art than science. It’s all about tasting as you go and making adjustments to the spice level, salt, and lime. So once you’ve mastered that, it’s fun to play with new ingredients. Enter calabacitas guacamole…
What the heck is “calabacitas”?
Calabacitas Con Queso meets Guacamole
“Calabacitas” is a summer squash mixture popular in New Mexico and Texas that features summer ingredients like sauteed corn, yellow squash, bell pepper, and onion.
Cheesy, squashy guacamole is a revelation in flavor, temperature, and texture. Want to know the best part?
This vegetable loaded guac counts as a meal.
3 Steps – How to Make Calabacitas Guacamole
- make basic guacamole
- roast or saute calabacitas with cheese
- fold the guac with the calabacitas
Normally, I don’t like to tinker with a really good thing. Guacamole is one of those really good things. That being said, I think there’s a certain fun factor of adding more color.
Are you making this guac as part of a Mexican themed dinner? If so, consider this green chile chicken crock pot recipe or this pork pozole verde.
Authentic Guacamole Mortar and Pestle
Do you own a mortar and pestle?
It’s my favorite way to make guacamole. Experience has taught me that there are good and bad ways to use this tool.
Tip: Add your ingredients 1 at a time, starting with onion and jalapeno. Add a pinch of salt layer by layer. Be sure to add the avocado last. Avoid over-pounding your guac – chunky and thick is the way to go.
Cooking Methods: Roasting or Stove Top
Roast the squash in the oven if working with winter varieties or absolutely do this step in a saute pan if working with summer squash. A summer squash is any thin-skinned squash where the peel is edible – your zucchini, yellow squash, or Mexican squash varieties.
Calabacitas Guacamole
Ingredients
- 2 summer squashes large dice
- 1 bell pepper large dice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2/3 cup queso oaxaca or mozzarella shredded
- 1 shallot small dice (1/3 cup)
- 1/2 jalapeno minced (with seeds)
- 1 1/2 limes juiced
- 1/3 cups cilantro chopped
- 2 ripe avocados
- salt for seasoning
Instructions
- To roast, preheat oven to 400° or Saute over medium heat. Toss squash and bell pepper with olive oil and sprinkle with salt (optional: add extra onion or corn if you wish). Roast/Saute for 10 minutes until sizzling and soft. Sprinkle cheese on top and set aside.
- Mash each ingredients in order just slightly to release juices: onion with 1/2 tsp salt, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and avocado. Do not over-mash the avocado. Fold in the squash and cheese. Season with salt and adjust to taste (extra lime or jalapeno as needed). Serve fresh.
Notes
Nutrition
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Thank you for being here! Did you make this recipe? Click on the star rating or leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how you got on. Connect with me @thefrayedapron on Instagram or Pinterest.
How to Prevent Guacamole from Turning Brown
Guacamole can be saved but will turn gray where it is exposed to oxygen. This can be unappetizing, so I like to use a spoon to remove the top layer before serving.
Cover your guacamole with plastic wrap and slices of lime to prevent oxidation and browning.
