Salsa de Calabaza (Salsa de Aguacate sin Aguacate)

Salsa de calabaza is a flavorful and creamy zucchini-based salsa that’s perfect for enhancing your next meal. Whether you use it as a topping for tacos, a dip for chips, or a sauce to pair with meat, salsa de calabaza is a versatile and healthy alternative to your everyday salsa.

What is Salsa de Calabaza?

Salsa de calabaza is a traditional Mexican salsa made from zucchini (calabaza or calabazita in Spanish). Unlike the usual all-tomato salsas, this salsa uses zucchini squash as the primary ingredient, which gives it a rich, slightly sweet, and velvety texture.

It is typically flavored with ingredients like tomatillos, garlic, onion, and chili peppers, creating a beautiful balance of earthy and smoky flavors.

Salsa de Aguacate sin Aguacate

Salsa de Calabaza is a great way to make an avocado-based salsa without the avocados (Salsa de Aguacate sin Aguacate). If you don’t have avocados on hand or are looking for a more affordable alternative, using zucchini squash gives the salsa a thick, slightly sweet and creamy texture, mimicking avocado. Try this Salsa de Calabaza recipe on your tacos!

Why You’ll Love Zucchini Salsa

• Spicy, Creamy, and a Little bit Sweet: The combination of zucchini with the smokiness of roasted chiles and the richness of garlic and onion creates a salsa that’s full bodied and full of flavor. It’s sweet, savory, and spicy all at once, making it an exciting addition to your meal.
• Healthy and Nutritious: Zucchini is packed with vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid. It’s high in fiber and antioxidants making this Salsa de Calabaza full of nutrients.
• Versatile and Easy to Make: You can use salsa de calabaza on a wide range of dishes—tacos, grilled meats, quesadillas, or even scrambled eggs. Plus, it’s super simple to make and doesn’t require a long list of ingredients.

How to Make Salsa de Calabaza: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini
• 5 tomatillos
• 1/4 onion, roughly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 serrano chiles
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1/2 tsp Salt, plus more to taste

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Tomatillos

Wash the tomatillos and place them in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the tomatillos until they become soft and darker in color, 10-15 minutes. Remove them from the water and place in a blender before they lose their shape and the skins break.

Step 2: Saute the Zucchini and Chilis

While the tomatillos are cooking, wash the zucchini and serranos, then peel the garlic cloves and roughly slice the quarter onion. Slice the serranos in half length wise and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and then into thirds. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the garlic, onion, serranos and zucchini. Saute them, stirring frequently, until they become softer and begin to brown at the edges.

Step 3: Blend the Ingredients

In a blender or food processor, combine the sautéed zucchini, serranos, onion and garlic with the tomatillos. Add the cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Use the pulse function on your processor or blender to combine the ingredients into a smooth salsa. Taste your salsa and add more salt to your liking.

1. Serve: Serve your salsa de calabaza with your favorite dishes! It’s perfect for tacos, grilled meats, or as a dip for chips.

Tips for the Best Salsa de Calabaza

• Adjust the heat: You can control the level of spiciness in your salsa by adjusting the number of chiles and the type of pepper you use. If you prefer a milder salsa, try using only one jalapeño chile. If you like more spice, try using 4 or more serranos!
• Caramelize the aromatics: When you saute the zucchini, don’t rush! Keep the pan on medium heat and stir frequently. You want the sugars in the vegetables to caramelize but be careful not to burn them.
• Storage: This zucchini salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to Serve Salsa de Calabaza

Here are a few ideas for serving your salsa de calabaza:

• Tacos: Use it as a topping for carnitas, grilled chicken, or even roasted veggies in your tacos.
• Grilled Meats: It pairs perfectly with meats like steak, chicken, or pork.
• Quesadillas: Spread it on top of these Quesadillas Mexicanas with Fresh Masa for a delicious meal or snack.
• Eggs: Spoon it over scrambled eggs, a breakfast burrito or one of my favorites, egg tacos!
• Tamales: Use it as a topping for fresh, hot tamales. Once you’ve covered it in salsa, add a dollop of Mexican crema to finish.

Calabaza Recipes

Looking for more calabaza recipes? If you have a garden, or know someone who does, you may be familiar with the problem of having too many, very large zucchinis (my mom is always gifting us huge squash in the summertime)!

Here are some of our other favorite calabaza recipes to add to your meal rotation.

• This Albondigas Soup is a delicious and comforting way to incorporate zucchini into your next dinner.
• Or try this 5-Ingredient Zucchini Pasta for a perfect summertime meal.
• Ina Garten’s Roast Vegetable Lasagna is an all-time favorite in our house!

Salsa de Calabaza Will Be Your New Favorite Salsa

Salsa de calabaza is a versatile, delicious, and healthy Mexican salsa that’s easy to make and bursting with flavor. Making salsa from zucchini is an affordable way to get the creaminess of Salsa de Aguacate but without the fuss or added cost. Give it a try in your kitchen and let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear from you.

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