Mexican Vegetable Sauté – Calabacitas with Black Beans

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This Mexican Vegetable Sauté is easy to put together in one pan. It’s a delicious and healthy meal that is a great way to use some of your summer garden produce.

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One of my favorite things about summer is the bounty of fresh produce. And one of my favorite cuisines is Mexican.

Several years ago, when I was still a vegetarian and not yet a vegan, I had delicious meal at a Mexican restaurant. It was called Calabacitas. I remember this dish having summer squash, corn, tomatoes, and a creamy cheese sauce. I thoroughly enjoyed that meal, and always looking for something else to do with zucchini, I set out to make a vegan version of it.

Calabacitas is the Spanish word for zucchini or squash. It translates as “little squash.”

There are many versions of calabacitas recipes, but all of them contain zucchini or summer squash. These recipes also usually contain onion, corn, peppers, sometimes tomatoes, and often meat. Sometimes it is served meatless as a vegetable side dish.

I chose to make mine a vegan main dish by adding black beans. Instead of a cream sauce, I chose to top my calabacitas with some vegan sour cream.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini or other summer squash
• Onion – yellow or white
• Red bell pepper
• Garlic
• Corn – I used frozen, but fresh or canned can also be used
• Tomatoes – I used canned diced tomatoes. Fresh peeled and diced tomatoes will also work.
• Black Beans – canned or cooked from dry
• Spices
• Lime juice

How to make this recipe

I love the ease of this recipe. Just dice a few vegetables, open a couple of cans, and start sautéing.

1. Start by dry sautéing the diced onion and the diced bell pepper in a large stainless steel skillet. Use small amounts of water to deglaze the pan and prevent the onion from sticking.
2. When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
3. Next add the zucchini, cilantro, and spices, and cook just until the zucchini begins to soften.
4. Then stir in the black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes. Simmer the mixture until it is heated through.

Finish by stirring in the juice of one lime, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the Mexican Vegetable Sauté over baked tortilla chips, and top with a fat free vegan sour cream and some chopped cilantro.

How to serve this recipe:

• Spoon it over some baked oil free tortilla chips
• Serve it with some brown rice or Mexican Rice
• Use as a burrito or taco filling using my Fat Free Tortillas or Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Top with some Vegan Sour Cream, some Cashew Cheese Sauce, or my Chipotle Mayo

How to store this recipe:

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 5 to 7 days. It can also be frozen in a Ziploc type freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Here are some other tasty Mexican dishes:

• Mexican Quinoa Bowl
• Black Bean & Grilled Vegetable Tacos
• Quinoa & Black Bean Enchiladas
• Cherry Tomato Salsa
• Tamale Pie
• Black Bean Dip
• Soy Curl Fajitas
• Vegan Taco Salad
• Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
• Vegan Tostadas

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Nutrition calculations are approximate.