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You are here: Home » Vegetarian

Chayote Salad

Published: Aug 11, 2016 · Updated: Aug 21, 2019 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

From time to time, I receive emails asking me if people in Mexico ever eat salads, and the answer is yes, we do eat salads.  Besides the famous “Cesar Salad”, there are other salads that we prepare, but they’re usually very simple in ingredients, the reason being that we already add a lot of vegetables to our main dishes. We have Chayote salad, Nopales salad, squash salad, watercress salad, and the popular Christmas salad, just to name a few.

Chayote Salad Recipe

Chayote salad recipe | Mexican Recipes

When I was growing up, a salad consisted of a mix of lettuce or shredded cabbage with tomato, onion, cucumber, radishes and a drizzle of olive oil and lime juice to top it off.  There were no bread croutons or any other add-on. And besides the rice and main dish, we would also eat seasonal steamed vegetables as a side dish.

chayote salad recipe | Ingredients

Chayotes are also added to many stews (like the well-liked Caldo de Res and Caldo de Pollo), cooked on their own in a tomato sauce, and also battered fried and served on top of a rich tomato sauce.

How to make Chayote Salad

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

chayote salad recipe | step by step instructions with photos of the process.

DIRECTIONS:

  • Place chayotes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat until they are soft and a knife can be inserted easily. This process will take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the chayotes and how tender they are. Usually, larger chayotes take longer to cook. (Please check the ingredients list below)
  • While the chayotes are cooking, mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Before adding the oregano to the dressing, crush the oregano with the tips of your fingers. Add the oregano to the dressing along with the onion and mix.  Taste and add more salt if needed, based on your personal taste.
  • Once the chayotes are cooked, gently remove from the saucepan using cooking tongs and drain. Now, with the help of a vegetable peeler, remove the peel. Cut the chayote into cubes or slices.
  • Place the chayotes on a serving plate and drizzle with the dressing. You can serve this salad either cold or warm. As I mentioned above, you can also add some Queso Fresco cubes to the salad. Enjoy!
chayote salad recipe | Authentic Mexican Recipes

Provecho!

Mely Martínez,

Leave a comment and share your experience with the recipe. Have you tried Chayotes?

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Chayote Salad

Mely Martínez
Chayote Salad Recipe | Chayotes are also added to many stews (like the well-liked Caldo de Res and Caldo de Pollo), cooked on their own in a tomato sauce, and also battered fried and served on top of a rich tomato sauce.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Side dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 127 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 chayotes large
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon mild vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon oregano Mexicano
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ white or red onion cut into thin slices or chopped

Optional:

  • ½ cup Mexican Queso Fresco cut into cubes

Instructions
 

  • Place chayotes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat until they are soft and a knife can be inserted easily. This process will take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the chayotes and how tender they are. Usually, larger chayotes take longer to cook.
  • While the chayotes are cooking, mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Before adding the oregano to the dressing, crush the oregano with the tips of your fingers. Add the oregano to the dressing along with the onion and mix. Taste and add more salt if needed, based on your personal taste.
  • Once the chayotes are cooked, gently remove from the saucepan using cooking tongs and drain. Now, with the help of a vegetable peeler, remove the peel. Cut the chayote into cubes or slices.
  • Place the chayotes on a serving plate and drizzle with the dressing. You can serve this salad either cold or warm. As I mentioned above, you can also add some Queso Fresco cubes to the salad. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 450mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 5.6mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike sandezz

    May 29, 2018 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    I was first introduced to chayotes in Nicaragua in soups then I also put it in Filipino sour soup called sinigang. Now I'm trying your recipe for salad so far taste good thank you

    Reply
  2. converzion

    April 15, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    5 stars
    I love all things Mexico and all things salad. I usually put chayote in soup, but I've been experimenting with slaws, using the raw chayote cut into matchsticks. I never thought to cook it first, this is a great idea for warm salads. Right now I have chayote (raw) and just barely ripe mango, thin red onion, cilantro, lime juice, serrano chile and salt as needed. Good with mariscos, on its own as botanas / antojitos... where's the chelada?!! I wish they had cantinas here like they do in Mexico!

    Reply
  3. Quigley & Yaya

    April 14, 2017 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    I'd like to see more Chayote dishes. I was introduced to this vegetable in Guadalajara, when I spend the summer of 1996 there. I love chayote, but don't know many ways to prepare it. My summer hostess made it with a cream sauce.

    Reply
  4. Fabiola Blogger

    August 18, 2016 at 2:12 am

    5 stars
    I'm making this tomorrow! 😀 I love chayotes! Have you tried puré de chayotes? It's delicious.

    Reply

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ABOUT ME

Mexico in my kitchen | Mely Martinez

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.

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