Young and tender chayote can be served finely sliced raw in salads, or it can be served puréed, or diced in soups or stews, or sautéed, steamed, boiled, stir-fried, deep-fried, and baked.
Chayote has a mild cucumber- to apple-like flavor and crunch and can be prepared just as you would a summer squash.
The mild flavor of chayote allows it to be served alone with just butter or cream or to be spiced up with assertive seasonings such as lime juice, cinnamon, or nutmeg. Add sugar or brown sugar and chayote can be served as a dessert.
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.
How to prep chayote for cooking
- 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. You can peel chayote before or after cooking, but if you peel it before it may secrete a sticky substance that might irritate your skin. This substance disappears during cooking.
- To peel chayote before cooking, wear gloves or oil your hands or peel under running water.
- Chayote is not fully ripe until it starts to germinate, then a sprout will emerge from the stone and grow out through the stem end. Overripe chayote is used in Creole-style dishes.
- If chayote over-ripens, scoop out the flesh, remove the seed, mash the flesh with cheese or meat and re-stuff it for baking.
- Chayote can be served as you would summer squash raw or cooked. Chayote can replace summer squash in most recipes.
- Serve it young, tender, and raw added to salads. Peel, core, finely slice, and serve with a light vinaigrette.
- Cut raw into julienne strips and add to coleslaw-type salad.
- Add sugar or lime juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg to serve as a dessert.
- Cook chayote like you would cucumber or zucchini. Serve it puréed in cream, steamed and sliced in a light salad, or sautéed with butter and herbs to appreciate its delicacy.
- Serve simply cooked still slightly crisp. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for boiling or steaming.
- Add to soups, stews, stir-fries, marinades, pickles, and chutneys. Remove the outer skin to sauté or deep-fry.
- Blend with seafood or ham in soup, stir-fry, casserole, or fried.
- Cook topped with a sauce au gratin.
- Split, stuff, and bake like acorn squash. The empty skin can be partially cooked before re-stuffing. Stuff with fillings such as seafood, ham, pork, ginger, and scallions.
- Half and stuff with raisins, nuts, brown sugar, and eggs.
- Young chayote shoots can be eaten like asparagus.
- The chayote seed can be cooked and has a taste somewhere between lima bean and almond.
- Chayote can be partnered with chicken, chiles, cilantro, corn, ham, lime, onions, seafood, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.
- Chayote is a good source of potassium and contains vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B, copper, and magnesium.
- Chayote is low in calories, about 40 per cup.
How to choose chayote
- Select chayote that is small, firm—but not too hard–and unblemished. Very hard-skinned chayote can be fibrous. Smaller chayote will be tender.
- Avoid fruits that are sticky or discolored.
How to Prepare Chayote Squash for Cooking
FAQ
Can you eat chayote with skin?
Why is chayote sticky?
How do you peel chayote squash?
You can use a swivel peeler, Y peeler, a peeling knife, and my favorite, the electric peeler. The easiest way to peel chayote squash that has soft skin is with an electric peeler. You will further have to clean the skin that has grown into the squash, but the job is done perfectly for the most part.
how do I prepare yellow squash?
Roasted (or Baked) – Cut in half, slice or cut into pieces. Brush with olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 400-degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Throw some other veggies on there to make a delicious roasted vegetable medley. Sautéed – Slice or cut into smaller pieces and sauté in butter over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Season with salt or seasoning (see ideas below). Grilled – Cut into thick slices or wedges. Brush with vegetable oil and grill for 5 minutes per side or until tender. Season with salt with each turn. Air Fried – Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Air fry at 375-degrees for 8 minutes, flipping half-way through. Season more after flipping if needed.
How to cook chayote squash?
Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, until fragrant. Add the sliced chayote squash, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes more, until the chayote is fork tender. Drizzle with the lemon juice, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Can You peel chayote before cooking?
The flesh of the chayote will remain firm if the skin is left on during cooking. You can peel chayote before or after cooking, but if you peel it before it may secrete a sticky substance that might irritate your skin. This substance disappears during cooking. To peel chayote before cooking, wear gloves or oil your hands or peel under running water.