Are you on the hunt for Chayote squash recipes? Then, look no further! I've curated a collection of some of the easiest and most delicious recipes featuring chayotes.
Chayotes are incredibly versatile; you'll learn to use them in soups, stir-fries, roasts, and ferment and pickle them!
What are chayotes?
Also known as Chocho, mirliton squash, and vegetable pear. Chayotes are a type of summer squash native to central Mexico. It's primarily used in Mexican and Latin American cuisine, but many cultures have learned to utilize this versatile vegetable.
What does it taste like?
They have a flavor described as a fusion of apple and cucumber. It's neutral, refreshing, and has a crunchy texture.
Where to buy?
The best chayotes are harvested between November and January. They're available at Western and Asian grocery stores.
This Chayote Soup is both soothing and tasty. It's made with simple ingredients, is easy to make, and is nutritious!
Chayote soup is one of my favorite chayote squash recipes. Tender chayote chunks are simmered in a flavorful Chinese-style broth.
Serve with warm rice and freshly ground black pepper for a simple, comforting meal you'll never get sick of.
This simple side dish recipe combines thinly sliced chayote with butter, shallots, and garlic.
Serve it plain, or add a garnish of chopped fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, or bacon crisped and crumbled to the dish.
Fish, seafood, meat, and poultry all go well with this sautéed chayote side dish. It works well as a main course for a vegetarian meal as well.
Try this Vietnamese Chayote Squash with Beef for a quick, savory treat that only takes 45 minutes to prepare!
Thinly sliced beef is caramelized with crunchy chayote squash, onion, and oyster sauce. It's straightforward to make and a great way to use leftover steak.
It's a low-cost and low-maintenance recipe with only a few ingredients. Serve this versatile dish with rice, noodles, or on its own for a tasty meal.
If you love Indian flavors, then you'll love this recipe!
Chayote is cooked in a spicy pan with cumin, salt, and Kashmiri chili. It's excellent as a taco filling or a side dish for any meal. And if you're conscious about your calories, this is a fantastic option for those looking to lose weight.
A single serving is only 54 calories!
This Indian-style chayote recipe is rich, comforting, and nutritious. It's also completely vegetarian.
I suggest grinding your own spices for the best flavor. Pre-ground spices tend to lose their potency over time.
To enhance the dish's taste, reserve a small amount, about ¼ teaspoon, and sprinkle it over the curry at the end. The cooking process can sometimes diminish the spices' punch, so this final touch helps to keep the flavors vibrant!
This crispy, spicy, refreshing chayote kimchi is a great side dish for rice and soup. You can serve it on the side with anything and eat it like a pickle.
It has the same sour and spicy flavor as regular kimchi but with an incredible crunch. If you have a lot of chayotes available, give this recipe a try!
This traditional Vietnamese soup (canh su su nau tom bam) is made with chayotes and minced shrimp. Because the shrimp is minced, there's no need to worry about dry or overcooked shrimp!
Serve this wholesome soup with steamed rice for a complete Vietnamese family meal.
This is a simple stir fry made with sliced chayote, minced pork, and shrimp. It's super flavorful and highly nutritious.
It uses a unique technique by adding a cup of broth, which turns this stir fry into a cross between soup and stir-fry.
This is one of the most unique chayote squash recipes I've seen. Give it a try!
This recipe features chayote with shallots, garlic, and mint! It's a savory dish but with a refreshing note from the mint. Make sure you lightly cook the chayote so it retains its signature crunchiness.
This side dish goes well with fish or meat and is a savory appetizer. Serve it hot as a tasty side dish to your meal.
If you love curry, then you'll love this chayote curry recipe. This comforting curry is made with Caribbean curry powder, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper, and allspice.
It's a fragrant curry that's simple to prepare and ready in only 30 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights!
It is best served on a cold autumn/winter night to warm up your body.
This recipe is genius and one of the most unique chayote squash recipes you'll ever cook! It features sliced chayotes, breaded with chicharron pork rinds, and deep-fried.
The chayotes are wonderfully crisp and take on a savory and umami flavor from the pork rinds.
The recipe site also features some fun sauces for dipping in.
I highly recommend these Chayote fritters! They're beautifully seasoned, soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside.
The key to getting the right texture is shredding the chayotes and squeezing them in cheesecloth to remove their excess moisture. This results in crispy and golden brown chayote fritters.
Creamy Chayote soup? Sign me up! This soup is perfect for eating during cold autumn and winter evenings.
The creamy base contains onions, corn, poblano peppers, and Mexican crema. Don't worry if you don't have Mexican crema; you can substitute it with heavy cream!
The chayote is added in chunks to give the soup more variety in texture.
In this recipe, the fresh crunch of chayote is combined with Honeycrisp apples and drizzled with a vinaigrette dressing made of ground Dijon mustard, horseradish, and honey.
Like most summer salads, this recipe is super quick to prepare. If you're fast with the knife, it'll be ready in 10 minutes!
Perfect for making a quick side dish for a more complicated main course.
This is another Indian-style chayote recipe. It pairs well with eggs for breakfast and has hints of earth, spice, and floral flavor.
For the best results, focus on achieving a tender crisp texture.
Cook the chayote over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. The key is to find that ideal balance where the chayote retains a slight crunch while fully cooked. Taste along the way and you'll get it right!
16. Pickled Chayote
This recipe for pickled chayote squash is unique. I've never encountered pickled chayote before, but I'm completely sold on it. The pickling liquid is straightforward, with white vinegar, sugar, garlic, and onions.
Use rubber gloves when preparing this recipe, as raw chayotes can cause discomfort for some people's skin. If you want crunchier pickles, add the chayotes to the pickling liquid after the liquid has cooled down.
Here's another pickled chayote recipe for you. It features crispy chayotes and carrots pickled in a basic Vietnamese-style pickling liquid. It's a fun variation on the more common Vietnamese Carrot and Radish Pickles.
The pickles are ready in one hour, but let them marinate for at least 24 hours for optimal flavor. Serve it as you would any other Vietnamese pickle.
Try it in sandwiches (banh mi) or as a side dish to help cut through richness in the main course.
This side dish prepared in the South Indian style is called "chow chow poriyal." Chayote is used in this recipe, and it's spiced with coconut. It's simple and quick to prepare.
This recipe makes a tadka from various spices and mixes it with diced chayote and coconut. The resulting dish is incredibly fragrant and earthy.
This chayote recipe features chayotes breaded in spiced panko breading. Serve it with a delicious avocado salsa that adds richness and brightness.
This recipe is baked in the oven, but if you want a more indulgent recipe, try deep-frying or popping them in the air-fryer.
Cook them at 350F and only briefly until golden brown and crisp.
Try Roasted Chayote Squash with Herbs, a delicious side dish.
It may take a little longer to roast, but the result is worth the wait.
Simply dice the chayote into 1-inch pieces, toss with olive oil, herbs, and onions, and roast for 40-45 minutes! It's cooked with minimal ingredients to allow the subtle flavor of the chayotes to come through.
Serve it as an alternative to roasted potatoes at your next family dinner!
Did you enjoy these chayote squash recipes? Be sure to check out the other delicious recipes on this blog.
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