Aarón Sanchez cooks Calabacitas Con Queso - Home & Family

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and adds a cheesy flavor.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is often less expensive.

Start by making a pesto with garlic, jalapeño, and toasted pepitas.

Remove seeds from jalapeño if you want to reduce heat.

Toast pepitas in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until they start popping.

Add salt and olive oil to the mixture and blend until smooth.

Incorporate fresh basil and cilantro, including the stems for added flavor.

Add more olive oil to achieve desired consistency in the pesto.

Set the pesto aside and prepare the vegetables.

Heat a spoonful of rendered bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat.

Add diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the skillet and sauté until softened.

Add diced tomatoes and chopped zucchini to the skillet and season with kosher salt.

Cook the vegetables for about 5 to 6 minutes until they are tender and have a nice sear.

Plate the vegetables and top with the prepared pesto and crumbled queso cotija.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary