Calabacitas with Potatoes, Corn, and Summer Squash
Sneak Preview: This colorful calabacitas recipe combines summer squash, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and green chiles in one easy skillet dish. Serve as a side—or wrap in a tortilla with cheese for a simple veggie taco.
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When do you crave real food? For me, it’s after a long vacation. After several days of fast food, I crave something fresh from the garden.
Bring on the vegetables! Salad! Color! Anything but fried food and sandwiches, right?
When I see yellow squash, zucchini, and sweet corn in the store, I start salivating for “
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Calabacitas with Potatoes, Corn, and Summer Squash
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips That Make a Difference
• Use fresh corn if you can—microwaving it in the husk keeps it juicy and flavorful, and the kernels slice off in beautiful chunks after an ice water bath.
• To avoid mushy squash, don’t overcook. Stop when it’s just tender—carryover heat will finish the job.
• If using okra, add it with the squash so it has time to soften without disappearing into the mix.
Calabacitas with Potatoes, Corn, and Summer Squash
Video
Ingredients
- 3 ears (390 g) fresh corn husks and silks removed
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) vegetable oil
- 2 medium (300 g) potatoes (peeling optional)
- ½ cup (26 g) chopped onion, fresh or frozen
- 3 medium (588 g) yellow or zucchini squash
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (124 g) small Roma tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup (37 g) green chiles, chopped (optional) canned or fresh roasted
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried OR 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, basil. or oregano chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook corn: Wrap 3 ears (390 g) fresh corn in plastic wrap; microwave on HIGH 4–5 minutes. Remove husks, cool in cold water, and set aside.
- Brown potatoes: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (14 g) vegetable oil. Add 2 medium (300 g) potatoes; brown on all sides. Cover and cook until just tender.
- Add onion: Stir in ½ cup (26 g) chopped onion, fresh or frozen ; cook until soft.
- Cook squash: Quarter and cube 3 medium (588 g) yellow or zucchini squash. Add to skillet with 1-2 garlic cloves, minced; cover and cook until slightly soft.
- Add tomatoes and chiles: Stir in 2 (124 g) small Roma tomatoes, diced and ¼ cup (37 g) green chiles, chopped (optional); cook 1 minute. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper and spices of choice (I like oregano or basil).
- Add corn: Cut kernels from cobs in large chunks; gently fold into vegetables. Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
- Watching your carbs? Leave the potatoes out or replace them with mushrooms.
- I love the look of chunks of corn so it’s worth it to me to use fresh, but frozen corn can be used instead.
- Sometimes I add about 1 cup of fresh or frozen sliced okra along with the squash. Changes the character a bit, but it’s oh so delicious!
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQ
Yes. Cook as directed, then reheat gently in a skillet or microwave before serving. It holds up well for a day or two in the fridge.
Not ideal—squash and potatoes tend to soften too much. It’s best eaten fresh or refrigerated short term.
Try mushrooms, sweet potatoes, or skip them for a lower-carb version.
Not unless you add spicy green chiles or extra seasoning. You can easily adjust the heat to your taste.
Final Thoughts
We love to use this veggie mixture as a filling for soft tacos, particularly with leftovers. Add your choice of cheese (cotija cheese, Cheddar cheese, or Monterrey Jack cheese) to a soft flour tortilla and the warm veggies. See the video for more details.
More Vegetable Sides
- Broccoli Rice Casserole with No Soup
- Green Chili and Yellow Squash Dressing made with Leftover Cornbread
- How To Make Espinaca
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
instructions are incorrect – dicing the potatos and zucchini leads to a mushy dish
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for writing. I have clarified the appropriate size for the veggies in the recipe. The process pictures in the post show the correct size. No matter what size you use, watch the squash closely so they aren’t overcooked.
I don’t like cooking in plastic . I’ve learned to leave the husk and silk in place, microwave whole corn husk and all for about about 4 to 6 minutes. I usually do 2 at a time.
then cut corn above stalk and squeeze the corn cob out. it comes out beautiful. no silk. all clean never touched by anyone. hot and ready to eat or to now use in this awesome recipe.
Hi Lorraine,
I’m glad you left this comment. I do my fresh corn the same way and wrote about it in this post about wearing surgical gloves in the kitchen. Gloves make it so much easier to handle the corn when it’s hot.
Delicious as written! We used the last of our garden veggies (zucchini, yellow squash, potato, tomato and garlic, along with herbs listed) as a season finale!
Hi PJ,
So glad you enjoy this simple recipe. I agree. What a great season finale!
This looks yummy, Paula. This is one of adaptable recipes I really enjoy. Thanks for sharing. By the way, I made the pork tenderloin for Valentine’s day. We loved it, but I think I overdid it on the raspberry chipotle sauce. I got a bit of indigestion, but I have reflux occasionally, and I think I just ate too much. It was so good, and my husband thought so, too. I may use a different glaze next time, or even leave the glaze off entirely. We are not Texans, so maybe we are just wimps! LOL I will definitely be making it again.
Hi Becky,
Sorry about the indigestion. Chipotle is pretty powerful. 🙂 I recently picked up some blueberry chipotle sauce. Can’t wait to try it.
p.s. I used to be a wimp when I first got to Texas. Got over it pretty quickly although I still can’t go as spicy as some native Texans.
i made this tonight and absolutely loved it. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
I don’t particularly like vegetables, but I love this recipe. I made it again last night with the first of my homegrown squash and it was terrific. I can’t wait to have homegrown tomatoes to add in. I cut the amount of potatoes in half and add mushrooms. I am going to make wraps for lunch this week. Thank you for posting it.
I made this yesterday; it was mouth watering delicious. Thank you for posting it.
Tried this recipe and absolutely loved it. It is delicious hot, room temperature, freshly made, and left over. I could actually eat the whole thing at one sitting. The chilies seem to make a sort of sauce. This is my newest favorite dish. I made it for the third time tonight and plan to have it for breakfast in the morning. May try it with the tortilla shell for breakfast.
we find simple pleasure in bowls of green chile mashed potatoes with cheese and calabacitas.
I love your blog and recipe selections – there are so many things I’ve never heard of before! What a treat – and that opening photo is magazine quality – truly! We are so late with everything up here (plant/veggie-wise)…. hurry up squash!!! I want to try this one!
I make this all the time but I’ve never heard of calabacitas with half and half or any kind of milk.
A very tasty way to eat veggies.
Mimi
We are overtaken with squash and chilies in Texas right now, so this is a perfect recipe! Luv the addition of potatoes… Would not have thought of that!
My daughters and I luv your blog! Please check us out – you made the list of 15 bloggers we just found and want to recommend!
Thanx for a great blog!
Mmmm that looks good 🙂 so bright and delicious!
looks so colourful!
All of my favorite veggies in a tortilla what could be better! Photos are lovely great post.
So colourful
I am going to try this recipe and was thinking of adding sweet potatoes instead or regular potatoes and chicken. what do you think?
Hi Ron,
How nice to hear from you!
I haven’t tried either sweet potatoes or chicken, so can’t say with any certainty. The sweet potatoes might get mashed up in the excitement of all the veggies. Maybe not. ??♀️ I would probably like this with grilled chicken. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
This looks so very good! It is amazing to me that I ever choose less healthy foods when vegetables and natural foods are so vibrant and colorful. I am going to have fun playing with this recipe to find my favorite combinations.
I’ve never heard of calabacitas, but they look delicious. I’d love to try these.
I love calabacitas! I’d never really been able to replicate my grandmother’s recipe until I realized she added a splash of crema or heavy cream right before serving them! That was her secret ingredient. I like your idea of adding potatoes to the mix. xogabriela
Oh yes, I had forgotten that the original recipe I started with years ago called for a couple of tablespoons of milk. Fell out of the habit. Cream would be even better. Taking note.
It’s 6:20 in the morning, and I’m drooling over your veggie taco. I have got to try this!
This photo is absolutely beautiful!!! I can almost reach into my computer screen and have a taste. I have never heard of calabacitas and neither has my spell check. Tee hee! Can’t wait to try this one. The flavors will be so great together and I love the idea of making it a meal of a veggie taco. You are sooooooo creative. Keep it coming Romaine. I really enjoy your site. Oh by the way, I love your new picture.