Peruvian · lunch, dinner
Locro de Zapallo (Peruvian Squash and Bean Stew)
Video by MIKUYMAN COCINA on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Squash, potatoes, peas and fava beans give each serve about 16 g of fibre and 18 g of protein, more than a day's vitamin A, and only about 10 g of fat.
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Ingredients 11
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the diced onion over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook 3 minutes more, stirring now and then. 0:12
- Add the squash, the huacatay sprig, the corn and the potatoes. Stir well, cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes; the squash breaks down into a thick sauce. 1:32
- Remove the huacatay sprig, add the peas and the shelled fava beans, cover and cook 10 minutes more. 2:21
- Stir in the queso fresco with the chopped parsley and a little chopped huacatay. Turn off the heat, cover and rest 5 minutes before serving. 3:19
Tip. Serves 4–6. The video plates it with white rice and a fried egg, the usual Peruvian way. No huacatay? Use coriander or leave it out. Farmer's cheese or feta can replace queso fresco (both saltier).
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 57%
- Protein 20%
- Fat 23%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 39% of the 55 g of net carbs come from the potatoes. To cut carbs, try cauliflower, celeriac or turnip instead.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin A High115%
1038 µg a serve, mostly from pumpkin or squash (90%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin C High77%
69 mg a serve, mostly from pumpkin or squash (36%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B6 High49%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from potatoes (40%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Folate High44%
177 µg a serve, mostly from fresh green peas (30%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium High37%
154 mg a serve, mostly from pumpkin or squash (31%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin K High35%
42 µg a serve, mostly from fresh green peas (52%). 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.
Potassium High34%
1600 mg a serve, mostly from potatoes (38%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Iron High28%
5.1 mg a serve, mostly from fresh green peas (25%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc High26%
2.9 mg a serve, mostly from fresh green peas (35%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Calcium High21%
278 mg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (51%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin E Source19%
2.9 mg a serve, mostly from pumpkin or squash (75%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Omega-3 Source19%
0.3 g a serve, mostly from fresh fava beans (50%). 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 B12 Source18%
0.4 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (100%). 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.
Selenium Source16%
9 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (53%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
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Vitamin D3%
0.7 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (100%). 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 MIKUYMAN COCINA; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.