Recipe

Salted Stuffed Chayotes with Pork and Ham

Name: Salted Stuffed Chayotes with Pork and Ham
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2 large chayotes, 450–550 g each; About 2 l of water to boil the chayotes; 150 g ground pork; 50 g cooked ham, finely chopped; 75 g onion, finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 120 g ripe tomato, grated or very finely chopped; 10 ml vegetable oil; 25 g bread crumb; 35 ml milk; 1 large egg; 40 g semi-cured cheese, grated; 1 g salt, plus a pinch only if needed; ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Four chayote halves stuffed with pork, ham, pulp, and sofrito, finished with browned cheese. Adaptation of a 1925 Cuban recipe.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

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Preparation25 min
Cooking1 h 15 min
Total time2 h
Servings4 large stuffed chayote halves
DifficultyMedium

In Delicias de la mesa by María Antonieta Reyes Gavilán y Moenck, stuffed chayotes also appear in a savory version. The 1925 cookbook combines pork, ham, chayote pulp, bread, egg, and tomato sauce, with an oven finish.

This adaptation prepares four chayote halves and simplifies the stuffing: we omit the almonds and raisins, use one egg to bind, and finish with grated cheese. The key is to drain the pulp well and cook the stuffing until it is juicy but has no free liquid.

Method

Wash the chayotes and cut them in half lengthwise. Place the four halves in a pot, cover with about 2 liters of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife enters the pulp easily but the halves hold their shape.
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Remove the halves with a slotted spoon and place them cut-side down in a colander for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the 25 g of bread crumb in the 35 ml of milk and break it up with a fork.
When you can handle the chayotes, scoop out the pulp with a spoon, leaving a wall about 8 mm thick. Reserve the four shells. Drain the pulp in a colander, press gently to remove water, and weigh 250 g. Chop finely; reserve any remainder for another dish.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook for another 4 minutes, breaking up any clumps. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
Add the tomato and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the sofrito is reduced and has no free liquid. Add the ham, the 250 g of chayote pulp, the bread with all the soaking milk, the salt, and the pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until you obtain a thick mixture.
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Beat the egg in a bowl. Remove the skillet from the heat, mix two tablespoons of the hot stuffing with the egg, and return that mixture to the skillet, stirring immediately. Cook over medium-low heat for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the stuffing is bound and reaches 74 °C in the center. Only then taste and adjust the salt if needed.
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Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Dry the inside of the four shells and place them together in a baking dish. If any wobble, cut a very thin slice from the base without piercing it.
Divide all the stuffing among the four halves, forming a slight mound. Distribute the 40 g of grated cheese on top.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the upper-middle part of the oven, until the cheese melts and browns. The stuffing is already cooked; watch the gratinating so it does not burn.
Let the chayotes rest for 10 minutes and serve one half per person.

Tips and variations

Size and weight of the pulp. Use 2 large chayotes, about 450–550 g each. For the stuffing, you need 250 g of cooked and well-drained pulp extracted from those same chayotes; it is not an additional ingredient. If you get more, reserve it for another preparation. Leave the walls thick enough so that the four halves hold their shape.

Avoid a watery stuffing. Drain the pulp in a colander and press it with a spoon. The sofrito must be reduced before adding the pulp; then cook until no water remains at the bottom when you pass the spatula.

Doneness point. The stuffing is fully cooked in the skillet and must reach 74 °C after incorporating the egg. The oven serves to heat the assembly and gratinate the cheese. Check the temperature in the center of the stuffing with a kitchen thermometer.

Salt and ham. The recipe uses cooked ham, not raw ham or tasajo (dried beef). Since the ham and cheese contribute salt, start with the indicated amount and adjust only after cooking the stuffing.

Timing. The total includes 10 minutes for draining the chayotes and 10 minutes of resting before serving. You can chop the sofrito in advance while they cook.

Storage. Keep the stuffed halves covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat at 180 °C, covered initially so they do not dry out, until the center reaches 74 °C again.

Bibliographic background: «Chayotes Rellenos», in Delicias de la mesa by María Antonieta Reyes Gavilán y Moenck, Havana, 1925. This entry adapts the quantities and simplifies some ingredients from the original.