Have an abundance of Zucchini in your garden? This amazing Zucchini Tacos recipe will quickly become a go-to easy meal for your family in the summer time!
Garden fresh zucchini is sauteed with other fresh veggies to make an amazing lettuce substitute! My family loves it so much, we serve these easy zucchini tacos at least once a week.
If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you probably know that when zucchini are ready to be harvested, they come in fast! Usually we see 3, then 6, then 12, then 24!
It’s insane, but luckily we have a lot of great zucchini recipes that we enjoy each year during zucchini season.
We also try to give away as many as we can before they go to waste – because wow – they sure do grow quickly!
Alright, let’s get started on these amazing Zucchini Tacos!
Ingredients for Zucchini Tacos
- 1 lb of Ground Beef – we love this recipe with ground beef – but feel free to change things up with chicken or steak
- 1 Medium Zucchini – we want to avoid anything with big seeds or a mushy texture because that will affect the overall texture after it’s cooked. (Small seeds are totally fine!)
- 1/3 cup Red Onion or Yellow Onion, chopped – choose your favorite – or omit it! You can use frozen onions or peppers if you like in this dish!
- 1/3 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped – we also love yellow and red peppers too! You can freeze the rest of your chopped pepper in a freezer bag or freezer safe container for another recipe.
- 2-3 Tbsp Coconut Oil – This is non negotiable in my opinion. You could use olive oil, but the coconut oil is what makes the zucchini have a hint of delightful sweetness.
- 2 tsp Cumin (We use and recommend McCormick and Tones Brand spices which are gluten free).
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (or Oregano)
- Salt Grinder – to taste
- Shredded Cheese – I love sharp Cheddar, but my kids prefer Mozzarella
- Fresh Tomatoes, diced – we used cherry tomatoes from our garden!
- Extra Soft Mission Corn Tortillas (or your favorite tortilla). We are a gluten free household, so these Mission tortillas have become our go-to. The key is to watch for the packages that say “Extra Soft” – not all corn tortillas are created equal! Feel free to substitute a hard shell taco or a different brand that you love!
- Other optional topping ideas: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, black beans, refried beans, sweet corn, salsa verde, fresh cilantro, a little lime juice or lemon juice, or whatever your favorite toppings for tacos are – I don’t recommend adding ALL the toppings to one taco, but it’s fun to add something new to the table sometimes!
Alright! Let’s get started on these Amazing Zucchini Tacos!
How to Make Zucchini Tacos
First, we are going dice the medium zucchini. Zucchini skin is full of antioxidants so don’t peel it! Just chop!
If your zucchini has REALLY large seeds or mushy parts – omit these! They will cook up mushy or seedy. (Read: not good!) Small seeds are normal and fine!
Next, heat a large skillet on medium heat and add your coconut oil. You want to cover the entire base of the pan – so you’ll need about 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Brown the zucchini, stirring it every few minutes.
About 5 minutes into this cook time, add your 1/3 cup of chopped onion and chopped green pepper. Sauté your veggies until browned and cooked through.
While the zucchini is cooking, I like to go ahead and brown the ground beef.
Heat a second large skillet on medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until nicely browned and there is no pink.
Add a half cup of water along with your seasonings. You’ll need 2 teaspoons of Chili Powder, 2 teaspoons of Cumin, 1 teaspoon of Garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning (or Oregano) for this homemade taco seasoning and a pinch of salt.
Let the meat and seasonings simmer in the hot skillet until the water evaporates.
Next prepare your taco toppings. Chop tomatoes and any other items you want to use on your tacos.
Depending on what type of tortilla you choose to use, you may want to warm tortillas in the microwave. We find that our extra soft Mission corn tortillas are perfect at room temperature, but other tortillas like our almond tortillas often need to be heated in the microwave for a bit.
You could also use traditional taco shells if you prefer a hard shell – we also do these as well sometimes!
Once your zucchini is browned, your meat is ready, and the toppings are all set – it’s Taco Time!
Serve up corn tortillas filled with a little bit of zucchini, meat, cheese, tomato and other fun taco toppings.
We like to set up a taco bar for each person to build their own tacos. YUM!
FAQs
Can I substitute Yellow Squash for Zucchini?
Yes! Any summer squash will work in this recipe! Be sure to look for firm squash that are small to medium in size. You want tender squash with no large seeds. You could also do a mix of both yellow squash and zucchini if you like!
Can I use Ground Turkey instead of Ground Beef?
Absolutely! Ground turkey or ground chicken would work well in this recipe as well. You may have to adjust the seasonings to your taste!
More Mexican Inspired Recipes
Looking for more new recipes?
You can find an awesome White Queso Dip recipe here. It’s just a few simple ingredients and you are able to have restaurant quality queso at home on taco night! SO good!
Don’t miss this Restaurant Quality Salsa recipe – it’s the perfect accompaniment to your taco recipes! We love to serve it up as an appetizer at parties and large gatherings.
Be sure to check out this Breakfast Tostada recipe. It’s all the taco goodness you love – but for breakfast! This is one that our whole family looks forward to.
There’s a fun Breakfast Quesadilla Recipe here. It’s another one of our family favorites! Eggs, sausage and cheese quesadillas make an amazing breakfast dish you’ll crave.
More Zucchini Recipes
Need another zucchini recipe for that giant zucchini haul from your garden?
Be sure to try this Best Ever Gluten Free Zucchini Bread. It’s a great way to use up some of that garden fresh zucchini!
Also, there’s an awesome Kid Friendly Grilled Zucchini recipe here. It’s an excellent side dish for summer time!
Print the Zucchini Tacos Recipe
You can grab a printable version of the Zucchini Tacos Recipe on the recipe card below!
The Best Zucchini Tacos Recipe (A Summer Favorite!)
Equipment
- 2 large skillets
Ingredients
- 1 1lb Ground Beef
- 1 medium Zucchini
- 1/3 cup Red Onion (or yellow onion), chopped
- 1/3 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 2-3 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (or Oregano)
- 1 pinch salt – to taste
- 1 bag cheddar cheese
- 1 fresh tomato chopped
- 1 package Extra Soft Mission Corn Tortillas
- fresh cilantro
- Optional: other taco toppings (see notes below)
Instructions
- First, dice the medium zucchini.
- Next, heat a large skillet on medium heat and add your coconut oil. You want to cover the entire base of the pan – so you'll need about 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Brown the zucchini, stirring it every few minutes. About 5 minutes into this cook time, add your 1/3 cup of chopped onion and chopped green pepper. Saute your veggies until browned and cooked through.
- While the zucchini is cooking, I like to go ahead and brown the ground beef. Heat a second large skillet on medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until nicely browned and there is no pink.
- Add a half cup of water along with your seasonings. You'll need 2 teaspoons of Chili Powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning (or Oregano), and a pinch of salt for this homemade taco seasoning. Let the meat and seasonings simmer in the hot skillet until the water evaporates.
- Next prepare your taco toppings. Chop tomatoes and any other items you want to use on your tacos. Warm up tortillas if needed.
- It's Taco Time! Serve up corn tortillas filled with a little bit of zucchini, meat, cheese, tomato and other fun taco toppings.
Notes
Want to save this Zucchini Taco Recipe for later? Pin the image below to your Main Dishes board on Pinterest!
