Do you still have zucchini left? I do - every few days my garden surprises me by producing a good-sized zucchini.
It can't last much longer though, it's starting to get chilly here in Wisconsin.
Well if you do still have some zucchini left, you're in luck. And if you don't - go buy some. I've found the best possible way ever to use zucchini. Spicy Zucchini Tacos.
Seriously - this is the best thing I have ever made with zucchini. And that's including Chocolate Zucchini Cake!
When I first got the idea for the recipe, I thought "okay, this will help me use up some of the veggies in my fridge" but neither me nor my husband honestly expected to have our minds blown.
I mean, the recipe is very simple. How could zucchini possibly beat a good steak or chorizo taco? Well, somehow it just works, and these are probably the best tacos that have ever come out of my kitchen.
Since these tacos are made with just vegetables and very little added fat, not only are they delicious, but they're healthy too.
Low in fat, calories and carbs and high in fiber, they're a great option if you're trying to cut back. Almost half of the calories are coming from the corn tortilla.
They're also the perfect thing to serve as a tasty Meatless meal, or for vegetarians and even vegans as long as you use vegetable broth and skip the cheese. They're also gluten free.
Keep in mind that the following nutrition information is per taco, if you're using the zucchini filling to make 8 tacos.
An appropriate serving size for these tacos would be 2 per person (236kcal) if you're also having a good-sized side (maybe beans and rice).
In that case, this recipe should serve 4 people. If you're not having much of a side, you would likely need 3-4 tacos to make a meal, which means the recipe would serve 2-3. A meal of 4 tacos would be 472kcal, which is still quite low for a meal.
Spicy Zucchini Tacos Nutrition Notes:
To make these tacos vegan, make sure to use vegetable broth. Also skip the cheese or use vegan cheese on top. To make a meal, you will need to eat at least 3 of these tacos, or eat them with something else, like maybe Beans and Rice.
Spicy Zucchini Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound zucchini, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro (plus extra for sprinkling on tacos)
- 8 small corn tortillas (6 inch size)
- 2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso fresco (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno and cook until softened and lightly browned. Add tomato paste, garlic and oregano and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in broth, salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add zucchini, cover and cook until zucchini is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and increase heat to medium high. Cook, stirring often until sauce has thickened and it coats the zucchini. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro.
- To serve, place a scoop (about ¼ cup) on top of a heated corn tortilla. Top with Cotija or queso fresco and additional minced cilantro. Eat immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
*Recipe adapted from The Best Mexican Recipes
Leave a Reply