ABOUT this recipe
This soup is one of those that you try, and it makes you feel good. It’s super easy to make, packed with veggies and served with cheese and corn chips. This calabacitas, corn, and tomato soup is a vegan Mexican soup, and soon, it will be your favorite.
Zucchini (calabacita) and corn are among Mexico’s most common vegetable combinations. This vegetable combination is everywhere, from tacos, meat stews, salads, and many of the typical Mexican antojitos.
This calabacita, corn, and tomato soup is classic in all Mexican families. It is the typical recipe passed from generation to generation and often does not have a formal recipe. Each family has its version, and they all taste delicious.
What are calabacitas?
Calabacita means little squash, and some people know it as Mexican squash. Calabacitas are mild in flavor and vary from baby to large. They have pale green and thin skin. They have somewhat the same form as zucchini but are a bit sweeter in taste. Feel free to substitute with zucchini if you do not find calabacitas.
Ingredients
- Calabacitas: substitute calabacitas for zucchini or yellow summer squash.
- Corn: use frozen or fresh corn
- Garlic and onion
- Vegetable broth or water
- Vegetable milk or crema
- Herbs, fresh cilantro, and dried Mexican oregano.
- To serve, corn chips and melty cheese.
HOW TO MAKE calabacitas, Elote (CORN), and tomato SOUP?
In this video that I posted on Instagram, I show you how to make this vegan soup step by step. Start by sautéing the onion in a stockpot or a 5-qt Dutch oven over medium heat with a little oil and a pinch of salt. Then add the minced garlic, sauté for a few more minutes, and add the tomato.
When the tomato changes color and falls apart, it is time to add the water or vegetable broth, calabacitas (zucchini), corn, and herbs. Add a pinch of salt again, cover, and let the vegetables cook. They will be ready very quickly, which is another of the wonders of this soup.
Add the milk and turn the heat off when the zucchini is cooked but still holds its shape. It is better if the calabacitas are al dente than overcooked; you want this soup to be still beautiful.
During my time in cooking school, one of my teachers always emphasized the importance of “seasoning by layers.” It truly makes a difference when we add salt gradually throughout the cooking process rather than dumping it all in at the end.
The basic concept is that salt enhances the flavors of the ingredients. By adding a little salt each time we add an ingredient, the final dish will be exceptional.
HOW TO SERVE MEXICAN ZUCCHINI SOUP
The soup is served in a soup bowl. First, serve a ladle or two of boiling hot soup. Serve about half of the bowl, then add a handful of corn chips and the grated cheese, and at the end, finish with a then I put in one last ladle.
When you put that last ladle in, and the soup is hot, the cheese will melt, and you will have the perfect vegan Mexican soup.
Mexican Zucchini, Corn and Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 diced tomatoes
- 4 calabacitas or zucchini diced
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water
- 3 sprigs of cilantro
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup vegetable milk
For serving
- grated cheese
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Start by sautéing the onion in a stockpot with the oil and a pinch of salt, then add the minced garlic, sauté for 1-2 more minutes and add the tomato.
- When the tomato begins to change in color and begins to fall apart, it is time to add the water or vegetable broth, the zucchini, the corn and the herbs. Add a pinch of salt again, cover and let the vegetables cook.
- When the calabacitas are cooked, turn off the heat and add the milk. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- To serve, fill a bowl halfway, then add the corn chips, grated cheese, and finish with another ladle of soup to melt the cheese.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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