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Locro de zapallo for toddlers
12m+ · Peru's creamy pumpkin stew with potato, corn and peas, mild and lightly cheesy, over rice
Locro de zapallo is the golden pumpkin stew of Lima's home kitchens and menú lunch spots, eaten on weekdays with white rice and, for adults, a fried egg and ají on the side. For toddlers from 12 months it is cooked without any ají, the pumpkin is simmered until it melts into a sauce, and just a little crumbled fresh cheese is stirred in, so it is sweet, creamy and easy to mash. It contains milk; there is no gluten, egg, nuts or soya. Queso fresco is often made with animal rennet, so for a vegetarian bowl choose one labelled vegetarian, or use a little paneer, and always a pasteurised cheese. Chef's tip: cut half the pumpkin small so it dissolves into the sauce and the rest larger so it keeps some shape.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 12 months+.
- Allergens: contains milk. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ onionfinely chopped
- 1 garlic clovecrushed
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- 14 oz pumpkin or butternut squash (zapallo macre)peeled and diced
- 1 potatoabout 150 g, peeled and diced
- 1 cup water
- 2 ⅛ oz sweetcorn kernels
- 1 ¾ oz peas
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 ⅜ oz pasteurised queso fresco (vegetarian) or paneercrumbled
- 5 ½ oz cooked white riceto serve
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan over a medium–low heat and cook ½ onion for 6–7 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden but not brown. Add 1 garlic clove and ¼ tsp dried oregano and cook for 1 minute.
8 minStep 2: Add 14 oz pumpkin or butternut squash (zapallo macre) and 1 potato and stir to coat in the onion, then pour in 1 cup water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is collapsing and the potato is tender.
15 minStep 3: Add 2 ⅛ oz sweetcorn kernels and 1 ¾ oz peas and simmer, uncovered, for 6–8 minutes, stirring and pressing the pumpkin against the side of the pan, until it thickens into a creamy, chunky stew.
8 minStep 4: Stir in ¼ cup whole milk and 1 ⅜ oz pasteurised queso fresco (vegetarian) or paneer and heat gently for 2 minutes, until the cheese softens. Don't let it boil hard, or the milk can split.
2 minStep 5: Common mistake: leaving corn and peas whole for the youngest toddlers. Their skins can be hard to manage, so mash the stew well with a potato masher, squashing every pea and kernel.
Step 6: Serve warm over 5 ½ oz cooked white rice, mashed together. Adults can add salt, ají amarillo and a fried egg to their own plates.
Step 7: Cool any leftovers quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in small portions for up to 1 month. Reheat only once, until piping hot all the way through, then let it cool to warm before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does locro de zapallo for toddlers take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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