Calabacitas con Queso is a vegetarian Mexican recipe made of squash and cheese. It’s a satisfying and tasty meal for Meatless Monday dinner, light lunch, or serve as a yummy side dish.

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Calabactias con Queso is one of my favorite dishes. It’s a sautéed vegetable side dish with melted queso panela that can double as a light lunch and hearty enough for dinner.

Table of Contents

1 What are Calabacitas?
2 Ingredients
3 How to Make It
4 Make it Cheesy
5 Storing and Reheating
- 5.1 Hungry for More?
6 Calabacitas con Queso

What are Calabacitas?

Calabacitas are a type of Mexican squash. Literal translation is little squash. The skin is lighter and softer than regular zucchini.

They grow all year long. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can substitute for Italian zucchini.

Some people call this dish “calabacitas.” You might also hear this dish referred to as “colache.”

Ingredients

Calabacitas
Fresh Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Serrano pepper
Panela cheese

Depending on your family’s taste, use a can of green chiles or roasted poblano pepper to bring down the heat level.

I don’t recommend substituting panela for queso fresco or queso cotija. Those other cheeses do not have the same texture or flavor profile. However, you can use IN ADDITION to panela.

Substitute for Panela Cheese: paneer, cheese curds, even tofu works well.

Other Ingredients You Can Add:

½ diced green bell pepper, ½ cup sweet corn, and spices like ½ teaspoon ground cumin or ½ teaspoon ground oregano.

How to Make It

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add calabacitas, the main ingredient.
Cook for a couple of minutes.

Stir occasionally so they won’t burn. That’s the secret to this flavorful Mexican side dish, using fresh vegetables.

For this calabacitas recipe, I diced the calabactias on the smaller side, requiring less cooking time. Bigger pieces will take longer to cook.

This squash is a popular ingredient in many Mexican recipes. Also see Camarones con Calabacitas , Calabacitas a la Mexicana , Calabacitas con Elote

Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cheese) to a large skillet.
Stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

I like to say that this is the Mexican version of succotash.

Very forgiving and allows for lots of substitutions and additions. You can add corn kernels, spinach, or green beans. You name it!

Adjust as you see fit. If you don’t like spicy food, omit the pepper. Serrano peppers are spicier than jalapenos.

Add the panela cheese.
Stir to combine, and turn the heat off.

Panela is a firm Mexican cheese. When the cheese melts, it gets a little squishy and yummy. Kinda like tofu but better!

Next time you’re making enchiladas, try this great vegetarian filling instead of chicken or cheese.

Make it Cheesy

For those of you who like ooey gooey melted cheese, try adding Oaxaca Cheese, Monterrey Jack, or Chihuahua cheese.

To use a melting cheese, cook as instructed above then add the cheese. Place a lid on the pot and let sit for a few minutes to let the cheese melt.

Storing and Reheating

This quick and healthy recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Or, place in the freezer for up to 4 months, preferably without the cheese.
To reheat, place in a pot on the stove for 4-5 minutes until heated through. Or place in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Calabacitas con Queso is an easy recipe that’s perfect as a main dish for Meatless Monday. Serve with rice, beans, and warm tortillas. Or, serve as a side dish to chile verde, carne asada, and more. Buen Provecho!