Uruguay By Food Enthusiasts · 6 min read

National Dish Uruguay: Zapallitos en Escabeche (Recipe)

Sliced courgettes pickled in a herby vinegar and olive oil marinade

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Bring a taste of the River Plate to your table with Zapallitos en Escabeche, a bright, tangy way with tender courgettes from the heart of Uruguay. Briefly blanched and then steeped in a punchy marinade of vinegar, olive oil and fragrant herbs, the vegetables stay crisp while soaking up bags of flavour. Served chilled as a starter or a side, this is the kind of simple, sunny dish that captures the easygoing spirit of Uruguayan cooking.

About Zapallitos en Escabeche

Zapallitos en Escabeche is a savoury dish from Uruguay built around tender courgettes. The star of the show is an intense marinade of vinegar, oil and a handful of well-chosen seasonings, which gives the vegetables an extraordinary depth of flavour while keeping them fresh and pleasingly crisp. Equally at home as a side dish or a starter, it carries the unmistakable flair of Uruguay straight to your plate, and it sits comfortably alongside the home-style classics of Uruguayan cuisine.

Ingredients (serves 1–2)

2 small courgettes (zapallitos)
50 ml white wine vinegar
50 ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf

Shopping for the ingredients

If you want to make Zapallitos en Escabeche, it is well worth seeking out good-quality ingredients. Visit a local market or a wholefood shop to find fresh courgettes, choosing ones that feel firm and look glossy, with no soft spots or discolouration. The other ingredients, such as the vinegar and the olive oil, should be of the best quality you can find, so the full flavour of the dish really shines through.

Preparing the dish

Before you start cooking the Zapallitos en Escabeche, gather and prepare all of your ingredients. Wash the courgettes thoroughly and cut them into slices or chunks, whichever you prefer. Get the seasonings ready too, chopping the garlic and keeping the bay leaf to hand. A well-organised prep stage is the key to a dish that comes together smoothly.

Step-by-step instructions

Put the courgettes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and blanch for about 3–4 minutes.
Drain the blanched courgettes and set them aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano together well.
Transfer the cooled courgettes to a preserving jar or bowl and pour the marinade over the top.
Add the bay leaf and stir everything together well.
Leave the dish to infuse in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or better still overnight.

Gluten-free / lactose-free version

Zapallitos en Escabeche is naturally gluten-free and lactose-free, as it contains no obvious ingredients of either kind. Even so, it is worth checking the labels when you buy your vinegar and oil, to make sure there are no hidden ingredients that might contain gluten or lactose. That way you can be confident that everyone enjoying the dish can do so without any worry of intolerances.

Tips for vegans and vegetarians

This dish is a brilliant choice for vegans and vegetarians, as it is made entirely from plant-based ingredients. To make it even more appealing, you can add extra vegetables such as peppers or carrots. These additions bring even more flavour and colour to the plate, turning Zapallitos en Escabeche into a varied, health-conscious option.

More tips and tricks

To intensify the flavours of Zapallitos en Escabeche, feel free to get creative with the seasonings. Add a few red chilli flakes for a spicy kick, for example, or experiment with different herbs. Depending on what is in season, fresh herbs such as thyme or basil lend extra aroma. Small tweaks like these can turn the dish into a real taste sensation.

Adapting the recipe to your taste

Zapallitos en Escabeche is very adaptable and easily tailored to your personal preferences. If you like a more savoury note, for instance, add more garlic or even some onion. Other vegetables, such as aubergines, also make for an interesting variation — much as they do in Milanesas de Zucchini. Use this flexibility to create a dish that suits your taste perfectly.

Ingredient substitutions

If you are not keen on olive oil, you can easily swap it for another oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower oil. This may shift the flavour of the finished dish slightly, but it will still be tasty either way. The white wine vinegar can also be exchanged for apple cider vinegar to give a different sour note. Simple swaps like these make the recipe even more accessible, just as they do with Remolachas en Escabeche.

Drink pairing ideas

Refreshing drinks that underline the flavour of the dish work beautifully with Zapallitos en Escabeche. A dry lager or a crisp rosé wine pairs wonderfully with the light, tangy notes of the dish. For an alcohol-free option, serve a sparkling mineral water with a slice of lemon. These combinations round out the meal for a well-balanced eating experience.

Serving and presentation ideas

The way you present your Zapallitos en Escabeche can hugely enhance the pleasure of eating it. Serve it chilled in a pretty glass or on a decorative plate, garnished with fresh herbs. A drizzle of olive oil or a little balsamic reduction gives the dish an even more inviting finish. Touches like these can do wonders for the look of the dish and how appetising it appears, and they suit a colourful spread alongside Ensalada Criolla.

A bit of history

Zapallitos en Escabeche has its roots in the traditional cooking of Uruguay. The technique of “pickling” vegetables was brought to South America by immigrants and, over time, became firmly established in the regional kitchen. This gentle method of preparation preserves the flavours of the ingredients while delighting the palate. Historically, the dish often served as a preservation method for vegetables during the harvest season, which is exactly how it became a fixture of Uruguayan cookery.

More recipe ideas

Summary: Zapallitos en Escabeche

Zapallitos en Escabeche is a delicious and versatile courgette speciality from Uruguay. Thanks to its aromatic marinade of vinegar, oil and seasonings, the dish becomes a real taste experience, ideal enjoyed as a starter or a side. With simple ingredients and a fuss-free method, any food lover can recreate this speciality at home. Discover the flavours of Uruguayan cuisine and let this recipe win you over!