18 Chayote Squash Recipes To Enjoy This Underrated Vegetable (2024)

There are so many ways to cook and enjoy chayote squash, and all the inspiration you need is right here in one place. Check out this chayote recipe collection to find your next favorite.

18 Chayote Squash Recipes To Enjoy This Underrated Vegetable (1)

Whether you’re familiar with it or new to chayote (aka mirliton or choko), looking at the amazing variety of ways to prepare it is a great way to inspire some delicious home cooking.

It’s absolutely delicious when simply prepared – just swap it in anywhere you’d use summer squash! But it’s also a fun way to bring Asian, Mexican, and Indian recipes to your kitchen for a little exploration of world flavors.

Whether you prefer it sauteed, stuffed, raw, or grilled, this recipe collection has a ton of ideas to help inspire your cooking. Chayote will quickly become a favorite vegetable in your house.

How to Choose & Prepare Chayote Squash

The first step to having great chayote flavor is by having good-quality vegetables that are ready to cook. Check out these tips to know that you’re choosing, prepping, and storing it as well as you can.

  • They should be firm but not rock hard, green, and free from any blemishes.
  • Choose squash that is heavy for its size.
  • There’s no need to peel or remove the seeds. Both are edible, so it comes down to personal preference.
  • Chayote will last in the fridge for several weeks. Keep them wrapped, or stored in a bag or container to prevent drying out.

With these tips and the collection of delicious chayote squash recipes below to help inspire you, I’m positive you’ll be ready to try out as many as you can. I hope you enjoy both the internationally inspired and classic preparations below.

1. Pickled Chayote Salad with Apple and Radishes

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This chayote salad is layered with flavors and textures to create a side dish that can be served warm or cold. With crisp apple, tender chayote, pickled onions, and salty feta, it’s a fresh and delicious salad perfect alongside any dinner.

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

2. Chayote Hash

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To make this stir-fry chayote hash is just what you need to get your creative juices flowing. Diced chayote squash tossed with herbs & spices is hearty YUM!

Recipe by: Taste of Yummy

3. Chayote Tuna Salad

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Light and refreshing this chayote tuna salad recipe is the perfect summer salad recipe to make.

Recipe by: Latina Mom Meals

4. Sayur Lodeh (Vegetables in Coconut Milk)

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Sayur Lodeh is a well-known Indonesian dish originated from Java and made of various of vegetables including chayote. It is a perfect side dish to accompany rice or lontong/ketupat.

Recipe by: What To Cook Today

5. Cinnamon Chayote Pie

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Cinnamon Chayote Pie makes a fabulous tropical-climate dessert. You won’t believe how it tastes like Grandma’s apple pie. Gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free.

Recipe by: Poppy’s Wild Kitchen

6. Chayote Chili Salad

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This is a quick, easy, and delicious Asian-inspired salad. Chayote is a fairly neutral tasting vegetable and readily takes on the flavors of the dressing. Here that is garlic, ginger, sesame, soy, and chili.

Recipe by: Primal Wellness

7. Ginisang Sayote

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This ginisang sayote recipe is a simple vegetable dish that is super tasty! Made with chayote and ground pork sauteed in garlic and onion that goes great with steamed rice.

Recipe by: Amiable Foods

8. Chinese Stir-Fried Chayote

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This stir-fried chayote is a great side dish for dinners. Dried shrimp adds great umami flavor to the dish.

Recipe by: Healthy Nibbles

9. Keto Mock Apple Crumble

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Enjoy this Keto mock apple crumble and you’ll never even miss the apples! It’s made with Chayote squash as a Low Carb substitute for apples and topped with a gluten-free streusel crumble.

Recipe by: Keto Cooking Christian

10. Jicama Chayote Mango Salad

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Impress your guests with this crunchy, fresh and easy-to-prepare Jicama Chayote Mango Salad. This salad is nutritious, not expensive to prepare and makes a wonderful side!

Recipe by: Fresh is Real

11. Creamy Chayote Gratin

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This creamy gratin uses an often overlooked vegetable – Chayote squash!

Recipe by: Garlic & Zest

12. Fiesta Veggie Enchiladas

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Fiesta veggie enchiladas featuring corn, peppers, and the underutilized, easy-to-find fresh chayote.

Recipe by: Natural Comfort Kitchen

13. Vietnamese Chayote Squash with Beef

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Thinly sliced beef caramelized with crunchy chayote squash, onion, and oyster sauce makes for a delicious, easy, and nutritious side dish.

Recipe by: Balance With Jess

14. Beef Picadillo de Chayote

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This ground beef picadillo de chayote is a healthy recipe from Costa Rica that combines lean ground beef, squash, cilantro, corn and red pepper for a quick meal or a healthy side dish.

Recipe by: Pura Vida Moms

15. Jamaican Chocho (Chayote) Curry

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This Jamaican Chocho (Chayote) Curry recipe is an aromatic curry, easy to prepare and cook in minutes, the ultimate comfort dish made with the Caribbean curry powder, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper, allspice.

Recipe by: Healthier Steps

16. Spicy Baked Stuffed Chayote

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This low carb spicy stuffed chayote is a delicious vegetarian dish that can be served as a light lunch or even a side dish.

Recipe by: Keto Vegetarian Recipes

17. Low Carb Keto Apple Pie with Chayote Squash

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The best low carb Keto Apple Pie you’ll ever make! Tastes just like an authentic apple pie, except it uses chayote squash instead of apples. This mock apple pie recipe uses a keto cream cheese pie crust and sugar free “apple” pie filling.

Recipe by: My PCOS Kitchen

18. Chayote in Spiced Syrup

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Chayote has a mild taste that makes it is so versatile, going easily from a flavorful savory dish to this delectable dulce de tayota (chayote in spiced syrup).

Recipe by: Dominican Cooking

18 Chayote Squash Recipes To Enjoy This Underrated Vegetable (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to eat chayote everyday? ›

Chayote is a mild-tasting squash with a crisp texture that's low in calories yet high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protective plant compounds. Regularly consuming chayote may provide several health benefits, from improving the body's antioxidant defenses to lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

What are the side effects of chayote? ›

Chayote is high in fiber, which can be beneficial for digestion but may also lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, including bloating, gas, and diarrhea in some people, especially if consumed in excess.

Do you peel chayote before eating? ›

Chayote skin is edible, though most cooks prefer to remove it with a peeler. Rinse peeled chayotes under cold running water to remove the sticky sap that is just below the skin before using. Halve chayote lengthwise, and pop out the seed.

Are you supposed to peel chayote? ›

The skin of chayote can be eaten if it is tender. Test it before you cook it. The furrowed skin of mature chayote can be covered with small hair-like spines and should be peeled before eating or cooking. The flesh of the chayote will remain firm if the skin is left on during cooking.

Is chayote high in sugar? ›

Chayote is a low-glycemic food. The glycemic load of a single cup serving is estimated to range between one and two, regardless of whether it is cooked or raw. A low glycemic food is digested and metabolized slowly and therefore raises blood sugar at a slower rate than foods with higher glycemic indexes.

Is chayote good for weight loss? ›

Chayote may help prevent obesity.

Chayote squash is a low-calorie food, and this alone makes it a good choice for snacking or eating if you're watching your weight. In addition, there is some evidence the shoots of the chayote plant may help reduce fat tissue and regulate fat content around the liver.

What is the English name for chayote? ›

The chayote goes by many names: “custard marrow,” “vegetable pear” and “mirliton” — the latter used extensively in Louisiana. Others call it “christophine,” “choko,” “iskut,” “mango squash,” “xuxu” and “machuchu.” The vines of the chayote plant are durable but flexible, and are used in the making of hats and baskets.

Why does chayote cause numbness? ›

The skin can be removed before or after cooking. If peeling when raw, wear gloves or peel under running water, as the squash will release a small amount of sticky latex-based sap that could cause light numbness or irritation.

Can I eat raw chayote? ›

Although botanically classified as fruits, chayote squashes are prepared like vegetables. Every part of the squash can be eaten, including its skin, flesh, and seeds. You can consume it raw or cooked. When served raw, it makes a great addition to smoothies, slaws, and salads.

Why do you rub chayote? ›

You can either divide it in half, or slice off a small, 1 inch-thick piece at the tip. Rub the cut sides of the sayote together to draw out the sap. A white foam should form around the edges and on the surface of the sayote. Once you get all of the sap out, rinse it off with running water.

What are the common diseases of chayote? ›

Early downy mildew attacks often kills chayote before reaching maturity. Common diseases in the tropics include Mycovellosiela cucurbiticola, and Ascochyta phaseolorum. These diseases are common during the rainy season and persist until harvest.

Can diabetics eat chayote? ›

Studies have also found that chemical compounds in chayote can help to increase insulin sensitivity. This helps people with type 2 diabetes better control their blood sugar levels. Eating chayote can lead to significant reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress, processes that have harmful effects on body cells.

Is chayote a super food? ›

People searching for Chayote recipes has gone through the roof of late and with good reason too, this nutritious little fruit is a rich source of dietary fibre, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C and choline. Basically, it's good for your skin, your immune system and your nervous system all at once.

What does a chayote taste like? ›

Chayote, also known as mirliton squash or vegetable pear because of its pear-like shape and size, is pale green on the outside, with white flesh on the inside. It's crunchy and mild "with a slightly sweet taste and light notes of cucumber," according to Specialty Produce.

Can chayote squash be eaten raw? ›

Although botanically classified as fruits, chayote squashes are prepared like vegetables. Every part of the squash can be eaten, including its skin, flesh, and seeds. You can consume it raw or cooked. When served raw, it makes a great addition to smoothies, slaws, and salads.

How is chayote eaten? ›

In some Asian countries, chayote is often boiled and paired with meat in soup. In Mexico, chayote is sometimes served in a traditional mole sauce or are dried and made into jams and sweets. Parts of Latin America use chayote in sweeter dishes, where it's stewed with sweetened syrup like a pumpkin.

How do you know when chayote is ripe? ›

Light green is the color you want it to be, but sometimes they can range from dark green to white. Avoid chayotes that are multi-colored – that's a sign of aging. Chayotes that appear white means they're overly ripe. Finally, choose chayotes that are small in size.

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