Three Kinds of Squash on the Mexican Table
The word “squash” covers a lot of ground in Mexican cooking. Different plants fill different roles, and a market stall may offer several side by side. A useful way to sort them is into three groups: tender summer squash, chayote, and mature winter squash.
Calabacitas are small, young green squash, usually similar to zucchini. Many Mexican cooks use a rounded, pale-green type often sold as calabacita criolla or calabacita redonda, though ordinary zucchini works in the same dishes. They have thin skins, mild flavor and a texture that softens quickly in a pan.
Chayote is a different plant altogether, a pear-shaped fruit with pale green skin that may be smooth or spiny. Its flesh is crisp, watery and very mild, a bit like a cross between cucumber and a firm squash. The single flat seed in the center is edible too.
Calabaza de Castilla and related mature squashes are large and thick-fleshed, with orange interiors. They are cooked into savory stews and simmered with piloncillo sugar and cinnamon for a sweet dish. The sweet version, often served around Day of the Dead, is covered in other articles on seasonal food.
A Crop With Deep Roots
Squash is one of the oldest cultivated plants of the Americas. It is traditionally grown with corn and beans, and the milpa system is the usual context for it. The large leaves shade the soil, and the fruit stores well, so it has long served as a dependable food through lean months. Chayote, by contrast, grows as a climbing vine and is typically cultivated on trellises, which is why it appears in markets nearly all year.
Calabacitas a la Mexicana
The best-known squash dish is a saute of young squash with corn kernels. It is a home-style staple and varies from kitchen to kitchen, but the basic pattern is consistent:
- Onion and garlic softened in a little oil or lard.
- Chopped tomato, and often a green chile such as poblano or serrano.
- Diced squash added next, with corn kernels, fresh or frozen.
- A short, covered simmer in the vegetables’ own juices.
Many versions finish with cheese, such as queso fresco crumbled on top, or a spoonful of cream. Others skip dairy entirely and keep the dish light. Some cooks add roasted poblano strips, which gives a smoky flavor. The result is soft but not mushy: squash cooked a few minutes too long turns watery, so it is added late and watched closely.
The dish is eaten as a side, as a taco filling, or spooned into a quesadilla. Because it uses a few inexpensive ingredients and cooks quickly, it appears often in everyday meals.
Cooking Chayote
Chayote is more forgiving. It is usually peeled, which can leave a slightly sticky residue on the hands, so some cooks rinse it under running water or wear gloves. The seed is either removed or left in. Common uses include:
- Boiled until tender and dressed with salt, lime and chile.
- Added to broths and meat stews, where it soaks up the flavor around it.
- Stuffed with cheese or meat and baked.
- Sauteed in the same style as calabacitas.
Because the flavor is so gentle, chayote acts as a base for other seasonings. It also holds its shape better than zucchini in long-cooked pots. Several vegetable-rich dishes, including mole de olla, often include it.
Flowers, Vines and Seeds
The squash plant is eaten from several sides. The orange blossoms, called flor de calabaza, are cooked with onion and chile into quesadillas, soups and fillings. They are delicate and are usually cooked briefly, with the green sepals and stamens removed. Tender vine tips and young leaves are sometimes cooked as greens.
The seeds of certain squash varieties are toasted and ground, forming the base of a pipian sauce. Pumpkin seeds, called pepitas, are also eaten as a snack, salted or with lime and chile.
Choosing and Storing
For calabacitas, small and firm is better: they should feel heavy for their size with unblemished skin, because large ones tend to have more seeds and a woodier texture. Chayote should be firm and free of soft spots. Winter squash keeps well in a cool, dry place for weeks, while summer squash does best in the refrigerator and is used within a few days.
Variation Across Regions
No single recipe is the correct one. Some cooks add epazote, others prefer cumin and oregano. In some regions the dish includes beans, in others green peas. The corn may be fresh from the cob in season or frozen the rest of the year. What stays constant is the idea: a short, simple cooking of tender vegetables with ingredients that were often growing near each other in the same field.