Chancletas de güisquil are a Guatemalan dish of cooked chayote, hollowed out and filled with its own pulp mixed with meat, egg, and breadcrumbs, then baked.
They owe their name to the elongated shape of the chayote halved lengthwise, resembling a small sandal (“chancleta”).
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Guatemalan Stuffed Baked Chayote
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 pieces
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 4 of güisquil (chayote squash)
- 250 g of ground beef (about 8.8 oz)
- 1 of onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 of egg
- 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup of grated cheese
- to taste of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chayote, boil the whole chayotes until tender.
- Cut and hollow, cut each chayote in half lengthwise and carefully hollow it out, reserving the pulp.
- Make the filling, cook the ground meat with the onion and garlic, and add the reserved chayote pulp, chopped.
- Combine, once warm, mix the filling with the egg and half the breadcrumbs.
- Fill, stuff each chayote half with the mixture, forming a mound.
- Top, sprinkle with the rest of the breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
- Bake, bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden on top.
- Serve, serve hot.
Tips for getting it right
- Hollowing out the chayotes carefully keeps them from breaking when emptied.
- Incorporating the chayote pulp into the filling makes use of the whole vegetable and adds extra moisture.
- Sprinkling with breadcrumbs and cheese before baking helps achieve a golden, crispy topping.
- They can be assembled ahead of time and baked right before serving.
Traditional variations
- It’s a traditional Guatemalan dish that makes full use of the chayote.
- Some families use chicken instead of beef for the filling.
How to serve
Chancletas de güisquil are served hot, fresh from the oven, as a main course or side dish.
It’s a traditional Guatemalan dish, valued for its presentation and for making full use of the chayote.
Recommended sides
- White rice
- Corn tortillas
Did you know?
Chancletas de güisquil owe their name to the elongated shape of the chayote halved lengthwise, resembling a small sandal.
It’s a resourceful dish that uses both the skin and pulp of the chayote in its preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
They're cooked chayotes, hollowed out and filled with their own pulp mixed with meat, egg, and breadcrumbs, then baked.
They owe their name to the elongated shape of the chayote halved lengthwise, which resembles a small sandal.
Yes, some families make the filling with chicken instead of beef, depending on preference.
Yes, they can be assembled ahead of time and baked right before serving so they're freshly made.
