Peruvian Squash Stew (Locro de Zapallo)
Locro de zapallo Say it: LOH-kroh deh sah-PAH-yoh
Locro de zapallo is a classic of Peruvian home cooking, an old Andean squash stew that simmers pumpkin with potato, corn and peas until everything turns soft and sweet. A sofrito of onion, garlic and ají amarillo gives it gentle heat, while milk and crumbled fresh cheese add creaminess at the end. Huacatay, the fragrant black mint, lends its herbal note. It is eaten all year round, most often at lunch with rice, and it is thick enough to eat with a spoon and hearty enough to be the whole meal.
Peruvian Squash Stew (Locro de Zapallo)
Locro de zapallo
Pronounced LOH-kroh deh sah-PAH-yoh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the stew
To finish
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and ají amarillo paste and cook for 2 minutes more, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.
Add the squash, potatoes, corn, water or stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potato is tender and the squash mashes easily against the side of the pot.
Press about a quarter of the squash and potato against the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the broth, leaving the rest in pleasant chunks.
Stir in the peas and cook for 5 minutes, until they are bright green and tender.
Lower the heat right down, pour in the milk and stir in the crumbled cheese. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it boil, so the cheese stays soft.
Taste and adjust the salt, then stir in the huacatay. Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes, until the stew settles and thickens a little before serving.
Regional variants
In the Andes the stew is often made with zapallo macre and fresh choclo and may include broad beans or lima beans; on the coast, cooks sometimes blend part of the squash for a smoother, creamier body. A little more ají amarillo paste turns it noticeably hotter.
Cook's notes
- Use a dense, dry-fleshed squash such as butternut, kabocha or Peruvian zapallo macre; a watery pumpkin gives a thin, pale stew.
- Keep the milk and cheese off a hard boil so the dairy does not split and the cheese stays in soft pockets rather than stringing.
- The stew thickens as it stands; loosen it with a splash of stock or milk when you reheat it.
Serve with
Steamed white rice or crusty bread, and a glass of chicha morada or cold water.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes for 2 months; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or stock.
