How to Make Crema de Chayote (Creamy Chayote Soup)
This delicious crema de chayote recipe is my Mexican spin on butternut squash soup. With its creamy blend of tender chayote squash and savory seasonings, it’s the perfect Mexican soup for chilly days.
I’ve always been intrigued by chayotes – the mysterious green fruits that my great Grandma Macky used to grow in her backyard.
FUN FACT: Chayotes are technically fruits, but act much like vegetables in that they are only mildly sweet and somewhat bland. They reach their full flavor potential when sautéed with olive oil, butter, onion and garlic. Next time you’re walking through the produce aisle at your local market (near the summer squash or fresh chile peppers), give them a try! You can always start with my sopa de chayote recipe below.
WHAT IS CREMA DE CHAYOTE?
Crema de chayote is a silky, creamy soup made from chayote squash, a mild-flavored, nutrient-packed vegetable popular in Mexican kitchens. Because its flavor is so mild, I cook it with butter, onion, and garlic to create a comforting and hearty soup that’s perfect for any season.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Mexican roots: Chayote was a staple food in Aztec and Mayan diets.
- Nutritious and delicious: Chayote squash is packed with vitamins and minerals, and its mild flavor is perfect in this chayote soup recipe.
- Versatile: I’ve served my crema de chayote as a side dish, a main course, and as an appetizer.
- Easy to make: With simple ingredients and an easy-to-follow recipe, even a novice cook can make a delicious batch of sopa de chayote!
FUN FACT: In Mexico’s trajineras de Xochimilco, vendors steam the chayote and serve it sliced with butter, mayonnaise, crumbled cheese, lime juice, and chile salt, similar to an elote or esquite.
WHAT IS A CHAYOTE?
- Chayote is a fruit, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking.
- It is pear-shaped, light green in color, and has a very mild flavor.
- You can eat chayote cooked or raw; it’s a great source of vitamin C and fiber, too!
- I prepare chayote it in a variety of ways including sautéed, boiled, roasted, stir-fried, or pureed. It’s great in soups, stews, and salads.
WHAT DOES CHAYOTE SQUASH TASTE LIKE?
Its subtle flavor reminds me of a mix between a green apple, potato, and zucchini.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHAYOTE
- Digestive health: Chayote’s high fiber content keeps your digestive system on track, promoting regularity and nourishing good gut bacteria.
- Nutrient-rich: Chayote is loaded with vitamins and minerals including vitamin C (boosts your immune system and keep your skin glowing), folate (supports healthy cell growth), and potassium (helps keep your heart healthy and your blood pressure in check).
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chayote squash
- Potato
- Dry chili flakes, optional
- Chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- Salt, or powdered chicken bullion
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA FOR THIS RECIPE
Large Cast-Iron Enameled Skillet with Lid
I like using my biggest stainless steel pan (it’s about 4-inches deep and 14-inches in diameter) or my large dutch oven for this recipe. VIEW PRODUCT
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Sauté ingredients
- In a large skillet, sauté butter, olive oil, onion, and garlic on medium heat until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add chayotes, potato, and optional chili flakes. Mix, cover and cook until chayote becomes tender (about 30 minutes).
2. Blend ingredients
- Working in batches, process ingredients in a blender on medium setting until smooth, about 30 to 60 seconds.
3. Continue to cook
- Return mixture to pot and stir in chicken broth until it reaches desired consistency. Add salt (or powdered chicken bullion) and simmer on low heat for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Serve and enjoy
- Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped chives and chili flakes or fresh pomegranate seeds and pine nuts.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make chayote soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Is chayote soup healthy?
Yes! Chayote is low in calories, packed with fiber, and a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. It’s a fantastic addition to a balanced diet.
Does crema de chayote taste sweet or savory?
It’s savory. While chayote has a subtle natural sweetness, the onion, garlic, butter, and broth I use in this recipe help balance its sweetness.
Can I make crema de chayote vegan?
Absolutely! Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to keep it 100% vegan. Also, you can substitute the butter in this recipe with olive oil.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
- To store chayote soup, let it cool and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, use a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 60-second intervals in the microwave. You can also reheat it in a small pot on the stove.
WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH CHAYOTE SOUP?
- Protein: Serve the soup with some chicken, fish, or your favorite vegetarian protein.
- Bread: Make it a meal and serve the soup with a slice of crispy bread or some crackers for dipping.
- Crunch: Add different garnishes and textures to the soup by topping it with croutons, toasted pine nuts or seeds, or crispy bacon.
- Spice: If you like additional spice, sprinkle with black pepper, chili flakes or drizzle with your favorite salsa macha.
Be sure to check out my post on Thanksgiving side dishes with a Mexican twist!
LOOKING FOR MORE SOUP RECIPES?
CREMA DE CHAYOTE (CREAMY CHAYOTE SOUP)
Equipment
- Soup bowls
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil for vegan option
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves diced
- 8 chayote squash rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1 potato peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or other dry red pepper flakes, optional
- 8 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth) varies based on desired soup consistency
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt or to taste
OPTIONAL GARNISHES
- pomegranate arils
- pine nuts toasted
- chives chipped
- Aleppo pepper flakes or other dry red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Sauté ingredients. In a large skillet, sauté butter, olive oil, onion, and garlic on medium heat until onion becomes translucent. Next, add chayotes, potato, and chili flakes. Reduce heat to low, mix, cover and cook until chayote becomes tender and releases some of its juices (about 30-45 minutes). Let cool slightly.
- Blend ingredients. Working in batches, process ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chayotes contain a lot of water, therefore you should be able to puree this without liquids, but if necessary, add chicken broth to get the blender going.
- Continue to cook. Return mixture to pot and stir in chicken broth until it reaches desired consistency. Add salt (or powdered chicken bullion) and simmer on low flame for 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped chives and chili flakes or fresh pomegranate seeds and pine nuts (or any of your favorite soup toppings!).
A Note from Lola
VARIATIONS ON THIS RECIPE
There are many variations of this chayote soup recipe that you can try.- Add other vegetables such as corn, carrots or celery.
- Experiment with different toppings such as toasted pine nuts or pomegranates, fried sage, chopped cilantro, or homemade croutons.
- Substitute chicken broth with evaporated milk, or half broth, half evaporated milk, or add 1/2 cup of heavy cream for a richer soup.
- Make it vegetarian / vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and olive oil instead of butter.
Nutrition
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love. This commission is an agreement between Lola’s Cocina and retailers, with no extra cost to readers.
Originally published on January 28, 2014 // Photography (hero shots only): Cacey McReavy
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
I’m making this soup for the third time now. It’s so tasty and freezes/reheats well.
Alice, this makes me so happy! It’s such a great way to use chayotes. I recently popped a chayote into the oven wrapped in foil and it’s delicious right out of the oven.
if you not peel is the prickly skin okay to eat
Hi,Lilian. I used to peel the chayote for this soup recipe but realized that peeling it is not necessary so now I leave it on because it gets soft when cooked and then it’s blended.
This was amazing. I added a couple bay leaves and doubled the onions, and it came out so delicious. Thank you!
Oh, great to hear about the bay leaves. I’ll have to try that. And I feel like you can never go wrong with more sautéed onion or garlic – especially in soup recipes. Thanks for sharing!
This is such a great chayote recipe! I never know what to do with them and this creamy soup comes out delicious. It’s a great side dish or sometimes I toast good sourdough bread and make it a meal!
It’s perfect for fall weather. Chayotes have such a subtle flavor that it’s perfect for a soup that doesn’t overpower.
This was absolutely amazing! I added Badia’s Everything Mushroom seasoning at the end. Total keeper!
So happy to hear that you liked it. And that mushroom seasoning sounds like it would add great flavor – thank you for sharing. I’ll try it next time.
Such a great idea for chayotes!