Mexican · lunch, dinner, side
Calabacitas a la Mexicana
Video by Jauja Cocina Mexicana on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan if you leave out the mexican crema and queso fresco or panela
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free if you leave out the mexican crema and queso fresco or panela
- Nut-free
Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Over a kilo of zucchini and tomato for four, cooked in a tablespoon of oil: each serve is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folate. The cheese and crema are optional, so it is easily vegan.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 11
Method
Tap a time to watch that step on YouTube.
- Trim the zucchini and cut into 1 cm cubes. Finely chop the onion, garlic, tomatoes, chillies and epazote. 0:35
- Heat a little oil in a wide pot and cook the onion over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic for just a minute so it doesn't turn bitter. 1:21
- Add the tomatoes, chillies and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until half broken down. 1:51
- Stir in the zucchini, corn, epazote and the rest of the salt. Cover and cook over medium-low for about 20 minutes, until tender but still al dente. 2:19
- Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another 20 minutes so the zucchini finish cooking in their own heat without falling apart. Serve warm with crumbled queso fresco or panela, and a little crema if you like. 2:55
Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). Coriander can stand in for epazote. For a lighter plate skip the crema or use a spoon of Greek yoghurt. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 36%
- Protein 15%
- Fat 49%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin C High65%
59 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (57%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B6 High34%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (52%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Omega-3 High30%
0.5 g a serve, mostly from oil (65%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin K High21%
25 µg a serve, mostly from ripe roma tomatoes (40%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate High21%
84 µg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (54%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Potassium High20%
940 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (52%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium Source15%
64 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (53%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin A Source15%
131 µg a serve, mostly from ripe roma tomatoes (40%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Zinc Source14%
1.6 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (36%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin E Source12%
1.8 mg a serve, mostly from ripe roma tomatoes (38%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B12 Source11%
0.3 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco or panela (94%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Calcium Source10%
132 mg a serve, mostly from queso fresco or panela (56%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Show the other 3
Iron9%
1.5 mg a serve, mostly from long zucchini (49%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Selenium6%
3.3 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco or panela (69%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco or panela (57%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Jauja Cocina Mexicana; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.