Table of contents
Vegan Picadillo de Chayote Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 chayote squashes, cut into cubes
- 1/2 can sweet corn, drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/8 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/8 cup cilantro, finely diced
- 1/8 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegetable bullion base
Instructions:
Drizzle the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and saute until the onion is transparent. Add the chayote cubes and cook, covered, until just tender. Stir this mixture frequently, since the chayote has a tendency to burn on the bottom of the pan.
While chayote is cooking, stir the vegetable bullion base into the water until combined. Add the water and bouillon mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the corn and salt, heating thoroughly. The water-bouillion solution should gradually cook down and get absorbed by the vegetables.
About 1 minute before the picadillo is done, stir in the cilantro. (This way, you will maintain the fresh flavor of raw cilantro.) Cool and serve your vegan picadillo as desired.
About This Costa Rican Vegan Picadillo de Chayote Recipe
A homemade picadillo is Costa Rican comfort food at its finest! Coming from the verb picar, to cut, a picadillo is a hearty diced vegetable hash and a restaurant menu staple.
One of my favorite types of picadillo involves chayote, a green summer squash with a delicate flavor similar to cucumber. Chayote picadillos are often served with beef or in a light cream sauce, but can easily be made vegan by swapping out the meat and dairy elements.
I love this vegan picadillo de chayote for its savory vegetable broth and abundance of fresh produce– it’s a really quick and healthful way to get some veggies into your diet, and is completely vegan and gluten-free!
Picadillos are traditionally served as part of a casado, a Costa Rican dish consisting of rice, black beans, plantains, and salad. In this case, with the addition of the picadillo de chayote, it could be a whole vegan meal!
Related Recipes You’ll Love:
Check out these other Costa Rica-inspired picadillos!
- Ground Beef Picadillo de Chayote
- Green Bean and Carrot Picadillo
- Picadillo de Papa
Substitutions
In place of the canned corn, you can use fresh corn on the cob– it requires a little more effort, but is super tasty!
Picadillo de chayote is typically made with a ground meat, like beef or turkey. These are great add-ins for any non-vegan friends that might be joining you for a meal.
Variations
You can add boiled potatoes to this recipe for a little extra substance. Prepare the potatoes according to this recipe, omitting the chicken stock cubes, and then toss them into your vegan picadillo de chayote.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the picadillo either warm or cooled with authentic Costa Rican white rice and Costa Rican black beans. Depending on your preference, it can either be a side dish or a main course.
You can also serve your vegan picadillo as a gallo by placing a bit of the picadillo in the middle of a homemade corn tortilla and eating it with a cup of coffee or agua dulce as a snack– perfectly Pura Vida!
FAQ
1.) What is chayote called in English? – Chayote is also known as Mirliton squash, and sometimes choko. The chayote squash itself comes from Latin America, but can usually be found in specialty grocery stores stateside.
2.) What are the health benefits of chayote? – Chayote is packed with vitamins and minerals, including potassium and magnesium. It’s also recognized for its antioxidant levels and is thought to have anti-cancer properties.
3.) Can you eat chayote squash raw? – Yes! Chayote can be consumed raw, though it’s generally sauteed or steamed.
Printable Recipe
Costa Rican Estofado
The traditional Costa Rican oxtail dish is braised and then bathed in a sauce of tomatoes, carrots, and onions for a savory and hearty stew.
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs Beef tail
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 14 oz cans diced tomato or the equivalent of fresh tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion, quartered
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 TB ketchup
- 3 TB soy sauce
- 3 TB Salsa Lizano (optional)
- 1 TB sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the oxtail into a pressure cooker and add 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 large chunk each of yellow onion, garlic, cilantro, and red pepper. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- If you are using a crockpot you can cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. For stovetop- bring to a boil and cook until very tender.
- While the beef tail is cooking, combine tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic, ketchup, soy sauce, Lizano and sugar into the blender. Add 2 cups of beef broth from the cooked oxtail. Blend until smooth.
- Meanwhile, remove oxtail from the pressure cooker and cut into 1 inch thick slices. Cover the meat in the sauce and heat thoroughly.
- Serve with white rice or arroz arreglado. This dish is also sometimes part of a Costa Rican casado dish.
Pin it!
