Pisto Manchego

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all the vegetables before you start cooking: dice the zucchini and peppers into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate, finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate or finely chop the tomatoes. Keeping the pieces small helps the pisto soften quickly within 30 minutes.

   300 g zucchini, diced small150 g red bell pepper, diced small150 g green bell pepper, diced small300 g ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped120 g onion, finely diced2 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced
2. 2

   Heat a wide frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the onion and peppers with half the salt. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the peppers begin to soften without browning hard.

   30 ml extra-virgin olive oil120 g onion, finely diced150 g red bell pepper, diced small150 g green bell pepper, diced small5 g salt
3. 3

   Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic darken or the paprika scorch, or the stew can taste bitter.

   2 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced2 g sweet smoked paprika
4. 4

   Add the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks saucy and some of the tomato water has evaporated.

   300 g ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
5. 5

   Stir in the zucchini, the remaining salt, and the black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the zucchini is tender but not collapsed and the pisto is thick rather than watery. If the pan dries out too fast, lower the heat slightly; if it looks wet, raise the heat for the last 1-2 minutes.

   300 g zucchini, diced small5 g salt1 g black pepper
6. 6

   Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the pisto sit off the heat for 2 minutes so the flavors settle, then serve warm. It can be eaten on its own as a low-carb main or alongside grilled fish, meat, or eggs if desired.

Origin & History

Pisto Manchego is a traditional vegetable stew from La Mancha in central Spain, closely associated with the region’s home cooking and summer produce. Like many peasant dishes, it was designed to make the most of abundant vegetables cooked slowly in olive oil. Variations exist across Spain, but the Manchego version is especially known for its simple, rustic combination of tomato, peppers, onion, and squash.