Name: Chayote with herbs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: West Indies
Ingredients: 2 chayotes (or chayotes, depending on what you call them where you're from!); 400 g oftomato pulp (or tomato sauce if you don't have any); 1 red bell pepper (or yellow); 1 onion; 1 pod ofgarlic; 1 branch ofthyme (and/or other herbs: oregano, basil, parsley...); 1 sheet ofbay leaf; olive oil; Quelques black olive (Greek-style (dried)); salt, pepper; cast-iron casserole (or a deep-sided skillet (saute pan))

main courses side dishes creative cuisine prepared in advance slow cooking

Updated on 21 November 2025 by

toquetoque

11 reviews 4.82 : Very good

Cuisine

West Indies

Diet

Lactose-free Lightweight Vegan Vegetarian

Level

Easy

Calories

23 pour 100g

Preparation

20 minutes

Cooking

30 minutes

These herb-seasoned chayotes might just be a wonderful culinary discovery for you, just as they were for me.

A friend recently shared some of his harvest with me, and that’s how I learned to cook and appreciate this curious fruit-vegetable. It’s called chayote, or christophine among our friends in the Caribbean, but also chouchou in Réunion and Mauritius.

In France, you can find these chayotes in the fall, particularly in organic grocery stores that carry less common varieties of fruits and vegetables.

In terms of flavor, it has an interesting texture when cooked—both meaty and tender—and a fairly mild taste.

In this recipe, I pair these herb-seasoned christophines with other vegetables such as bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. You’ll end up with a tasty, low-calorie, and very healthy vegetable compote!

For

people

Add to shopping list

2 chayotes or chayotes, depending on what you call them where you're from!
400 g of tomato pulp or tomato sauce if you don't have any
1 red bell pepper or yellow
1 onion
1 pod of garlic
1 branch of thyme and/or other herbs: oregano, basil, parsley...
1 sheet of bay leaf
olive oil
Quelques black olive Greek-style (dried)
salt, pepper

Kitchen utensils
cast-iron casserole or a deep-sided skillet (saute pan)

1
Cut the chayotes in half and remove the core. Peel the chayote halves with a vegetable peeler.
2
As you'll see, their surface has creases. I cut along each of these creases so that I can peel them more easily.
3
Dice the slices of chayote.
4
Steam the diced chayote for 10 minutes. They should come out tender yet firm.
5
Meanwhile, rinse, deseed, and dice the bell pepper. Pour a little oil into a Dutch oven and add the diced bell pepper, onion, minced garlic, and herbs. Stir a few times, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6
Next, add the chopped tomatoes, black olives, and diced christophines. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.