• Log In
    • ASK ABQ – Submit a Question
    • Submit a Photo
    • Submit a Story
    • Community Photos
    • About Us
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Trending
    • PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony
    • 4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Neighborhood Journal Neighborhood Journal
    Login
    • Northeast
      1. 87109
      2. 87111
      3. 87113
      4. 87122
      5. View All

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      Important spring semester dates at Albuquerque Public Schools

      January 9, 2023

      Ice Wolves win one, lose one to Lone Star Brahmas

      January 9, 2023

      Matheson Park Elementary School GreatSchools rating, student enrollment and reviews

      January 9, 2023

      Photos and video of the La Cueva vs. Eldorado metro tournament basketball game

      January 6, 2023
    • Northwest
      1. 87114
      2. 87120
      3. View All

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      Beautiful Ranch Style Home just listed in Western Meadow Subdivision!

      January 30, 2023

      APD investigating crash involving wrong way driver on Unser

      January 30, 2023

      Everybody knows your name at Whiptail

      January 17, 2023
    • Galleries
      1. Northwest Galleries
      2. Northeast Galleries
      3. View All

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

      February 3, 2023

      4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

      January 31, 2023

      This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

      January 31, 2023

      Check out this Multi Family Property in the heart of Rio Rancho

      January 31, 2023

      PHOTOS: Sandia Mountains provide hiking, views and peace of mind for outdoor enthusiasts

      January 4, 2023

      Wonderful things happened in 2022 at middle and elementary schools in NE ABQ

      December 28, 2022

      Albuquerque caught on camera: A 2022 photo review of the year’s top stories east of the Rio Grande

      December 28, 2022

      The best of 2022 at Albuquerque Academy: A year in review

      December 27, 2022
    • Real Estate
    • Submit a Photo
    • Newsletter
    Neighborhood Journal Neighborhood Journal
    Home » New Mexico calabacitas make the perfect side dish for any holiday meal
    Entertainment

    New Mexico calabacitas make the perfect side dish for any holiday meal

    Scott AlbrightBy Scott AlbrightDecember 21, 2022Updated:December 22, 2022No Comments2 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    New Mexico calabacitas make the perfect side dish for any holiday meal. Traditionally, the dish is served without ground beef, but a little extra protein adds more flavor and will help satisfy those with endless pits inside their bellies.

    Calabcitas are a great dish year-round, especially when fresh garden-grown zucchini or squash is available, but it also adds a little zing to a Christmas ham, Thanksgiving turkey or any holiday meal. Many New Mexicans will already have most of the ingredients needed in their kitchen. If not, be sure to grab these items on your next trip to the supermarket:

    Ingredients

    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1 cubed zucchini and/or squash
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ ground black pepper
    • ¼ tsp garlic powder
    • 1 can drained corn
    • 4-6 ounces fresh chopped green chile
    • ½-1 pound lean ground beef (optional)
    • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

    Making calabacitas is simple and should only take 15-20 minutes to cook when including the ground beef. The vegetables will caramelize in about the same amount of time it takes to brown the meat. Green chile is also optional for calabacitas but should be added when making it New Mexico style.

    Before turning on the stove, do all the prep work first, including cubing the zucchini or squash and peeling and chopping the green chile.

    Instructions

    1. Heat oil in a medium skillet on medium heat.
    2. Add onions and sauté.
    3. Brown ground beef in a separate pan while onions are sauteing (optional).
    4. Mix zucchini/squash with onions and continue to sauté.
    5. When the zucchini gets soft, add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook about 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are caramelized.
    6. Stir in green chile until it is hot and then add corn.
    7. Add caramelized vegetables to drained ground beef and stir occasionally until the flavors are mixed well.
    8. Turn off heat and place calabacitas in a serving dish.
    9. Add more seasonings and cheese if desired.
    10. Enjoy!
    calabacitas holiday meals New Mexican food recipes
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Scott Albright
    • Twitter

    Scott covers hyper-local news in the La Cueva High School area of Albuquerque. He previously worked for The Independent newspaper in Edgewood, NM and has published work in the Alibi, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Taos News, Big Island Chronicle, and Hawaii 24/7.

    Get Local News Delivered to Your Inbox

    Related Posts

    Cherry Hills Library January special programs include craft supply exchange and backyard chicken keeping

    January 5, 2023

    You can find nature, art and comedy in NW ABQ this weekend

    January 5, 2023

    There’s fun for the whole family in NE Albuquerque this weekend

    January 5, 2023
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Follow us for more
    • Looking for the perfect New Mexican side dish for your holiday meal? Try the simple calabacitas recipe found on the website in our bio. Or you can copy the link below:
 https://buff.ly/3PUIj3t 
#NewMexicanCuisine #sidedish #simplerecipes #holidaytreat
    • It was a shock earlier this month when La Cueva ended Volcano Vista girls basketball undefeated streak. Tuesday night, the Hawks go revenge on the Bears, and we were there to get photo and video. View the Galleries page on the website in our bio or copy the link below:
https://buff.ly/3BRrhNJ 
#VolcanoVista #LaCueva #Albuquerque #basketball #NewMexicoAthletics
    • A former Lobo is guiding the next generation of Albuquerque athletes with what he calls the "Miami attitude." See the story by visiting the website in our bio or copying the link below
https://buff.ly/3Vh5NRy 
@UNM @UNMLOBOS @UNMLoboFB @frontline_elite_training #MiamiAttitude #Albuquerque
    • Vandalizing Grinches couldn't keep this NW ABQ neighborhood down. Instead, it ended up bringing neighbors together. See the story by visiting the website in our bio or copying the link below
https://buff.ly/3WAHNtF 
#NWABQ #Albuquerque #comingtogether #neighborhoodspirit #ChristmasSpirit #HolidayLights #VentanaRanch @VentanaRanch
    • Enjoy the cross-country skiing trails in the Sandias? There's a group that you can thank for maintaining them. Read all about it by visiting the link in our bio.
#SandiaPeak #Albuquerque #wintersports #thegreatoutdoors #skiingseason
    • Have you seen Santa yet? If not, there's still time. See where and when you can visit him this week in Albuquerque by visiting the link in our bio
#Albuquerque #SantaClaus #Christmas

    Follow Us!

    Tweets by NeighborhoodJo2
    About Us
    About Us

    The Neighborhood Journal aims to help residents be well informed about their neighborhood and feel more connected to their neighbors and community.

    Email Us: info@neighborhoodjournal.com
    Contact: +1-505-823-7200

    7777 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque

    PRIVACY POLICY

    Editor's Picks

    PHOTOS: Hundreds of Eagles soar at honor roll ceremony

    February 3, 2023

    4,300 SQ FT Dream Home in North Valley For Sale

    January 31, 2023

    This immaculate Rio Rancho home qualifies for 3.25% VA loan!

    January 31, 2023
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Submit a Photo
    • Submit a Story
    © 2023 Neighborhood Journal. Website by Half Pixel.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Continue with Facebook
    Continue with Google
    Lost password?