It’s a good thing I live in Texas, because I loveeee Mexican food. Is there anything better than enchiladas smothered in awesome sauce and lots of melty cheese? Answer: no.
But then, there are the sides. Ever since doing the Whole30 in the beginning of this year, I’ve been trying to stick to a Paleo(ish) diet. And unfortunately, the traditional rice and beans that so frequently are served with Mexican food do not fit the bill.
I needed a low-carb, veggie based side to serve with Mexican food.
This Roasted Mexican Inspired Zucchini blows away any Spanish rice I’ve ever had. It’s bursting with flavor- spicy, savory, and slightly smoky.
And it’s healthy, low carb, Paleo (if you don’t include the cheese), and a great alternative as a side to traditional rice and beans.
I want to talk about this cotija cheese for a minute, and cheese in general.
The Paleo diet does not allow for grains, legumes, dairy, or refined sugars. This, sadly, means no cheese. That is- if you are strict about it.
But doing the Whole30 taught me to recognize exactly which foods caused me distress- whether it was through indigestion/bloating, weight gain, mood swings, or decreased energy.
I found that the foods that were higher in carbs- grains, sugars, and legumes- affected me much more than dairy.
So while I am trying my hardest to be grain free (for the most part), I am pretty relaxed on the cheese front. I don’t want to imagine my life without cheese. It’s too sad to think about.
So, inspired by Mexican street corn (which, by the way, is absolutely delicious), I sprinkled a moderate helping of cotija cheese on top of this roasted zucchini.
Don’t get me wrong: the zucchini is delicious on its own.
But the salty crumbly farmers cheese crumbled on top of it gives it an extra zing.
If you’ve never had cotija cheese, be prepared for your life to change. It’s like feta but… (dare I say it?)… BETTER. My Greek ancestors are probably rolling in their graves right now.
It’s a bit dryer and harder than feta, which makes it crumble much easier. It’s salty and has a similar simple taste to feta, but the flavor seems more concentrated.
Kind of like feta and parmesan had a baby. It’s inexpensive, lasts forever in the fridge (seriously- like a month or more), and a little goes a long way.
Put it on tacos, put it on veggies, put it in a salad, or eat it in slices while you are waiting for this zucchini to roast (ahem).
So do yourself a favor: next time you make your favorite Mexican meal (if you need a starting place, try these Quick and Easy Black Beans and Rice), make this zucchini to go on the side.
Other low-carb Mexican-Inspired Recipes:
Cotija cheese or not, it will be a delicious complement to whatever you choose to make!
Also check out this Greek Roasted Cauliflower, which is similar – topped with feta cheese, fresh herbs, and lemon juice.
Roasted Mexican Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium zucchini diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 oz. cotija cheese crumbled
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the diced zucchini, olive oil (2 tablespoons), chili powder (1/2 teaspoon), garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon), cayenne pepper (1/8 teaspoon), and salt/pepper until well coated.
- Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, or until zucchini is browned.
- Serve sprinkled with lime juice, cotija cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Other ingredients and veggies, such as corn, chickpeas, summer squash, etc. can be added by roasting with the zucchini.
- Make it vegan: omit the cotija cheese or substitute with a vegan-friendly alternative.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Sarah
I plan to make this tonight! Any idea what kind of corn I might add? Frozen, canned…?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’d do frozen! I think it will hold up better than canned. Hope you like it!
Luissa
This looks delicious!! Two questions: (1) How well does this hold up if the day before?, and (2) how would you recommend reheating so the zucchini keeps that “just roasted” texture? Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Great questions! I don’t really think there’s any way to 100% achieve that “just roasted” texture and taste of roasted veggies, but I do have two suggestions besides microwaving, which I definitely would NOT recommend. 1) Reheat the zucchini in the oven at 450 for 4-5 minutes with a little bit more olive oil. This should help crisp/roast them back up- just make sure you don’t super overcook them the first time! Then, after you reheat them in the oven, toss them with the cotija/lime juice/cilantro. OR, 2) If you’re open to it, I actually think this would be delicious cold. I’d drizzle a little more olive oil on the zucchini and mix it up with the cotija, lime juice, and cilantro. The texture of the zucchini will still be good and you could treat it more like a salad. In either case, you could crumble the cheese, juice the lime, and chop the cilantro in advance, but I’d keep all those ingredients separate until just before serving. Hope that helps!
Luissa
Thank you!! :)
JP
Super delish- Mexican girls night and this was a perfect vegetarian option for tacos and as a side dish. Will definitely make it again!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks! So happy you liked it!
Jeannine
I was looking for a new side dish to tacos and a quick google search landed me here. This recipe is delicious! My husband even had seconds and said it should be added to the weekly rotation! The cheese really makes the zucchini pop!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw yay! Thanks so much, and I’m so glad you and your husband liked it!
Devon
I made this for my family with a few add ins. I roasted corn and fresh jalapeños with my zucchini ( all from my garden)! I made a cilantro lime rice and also hamburger with taco seasoning onion and garlic. We dished it all together in bowls and added the cheese and fresh cilantro and lime juice on top. So yummy but next time I will make Pico to add to it. We like more flavor!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! LOVE the idea of adding corn and jalapeños. I have a ton of peppers in my garden too and I can’t wait to try this with them!
Jenna
Can this be made in an air fryer?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Great question! Full disclosure: I’ve NEVER used an air fryer. But I don’t see why you couldn’t! I’d follow a basic recipe like this (http://kidsonafarm.com/recipe/air-fried-roasted-summer-zucchini/) and just use the spices I have listed above, and then when it’s done, just toss with the lime juice, cilantro, and cheese. Hope that helps! And I’ve gotta take a second to send you over to my friend/air fryer expert- make sure you check out her recipes too :-) https://www.myforkinglife.com/category/air-fryer-recipes/
Kris
I used Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Seasoning Blend and it was very good. My new go to Mexican veggie recipe! My husband isn’t a fan of veggies and he loved it. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your husband liked it! That seasoning blend sounds amazing, I’ll have to pick some up next time I’m at TJ’s!
Kat
My husband made this for me the other night and we both loved it!
Bekah
So easy and tasty! Definitely my go to side when eating Mexican (inspired) food.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks! So glad you like it!
Suzanne
Made this couple of times first time roasted and next 2 times raw cause we wanted it crunchy. Flavor is great both ways!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh I LOVE the idea of using raw zucchini for this! I bet as it sat it just got even yummier. I’ll have to try that! So glad you liked it, and thanks for the comment :-)
Jodi
I was so glad I stumbled upon this yesterday. We were making fajitas, Mexican rice, and had some squash & zucchini we needed to use up. This recipe worked out perfect (taste was great and it helped not having another pan on the stove I had to watch). I didn’t have any cotija on hand, but I did have some queso fresco so that worked well as a substitute! Will definitely be making this again.
Elizabeth
SO glad you liked this! I’ve used queso fresco instead of cotija as well and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the comment!
Jennie
Can this be made ahead of time? It should be served warm?
Elizabeth
Personally, I think it’s best served fresh from the oven and warm. That said, I’ve reheated leftovers of it and it was still delicious! I recommend roasting it and then reheating it before adding the cheese and cilantro, so the cheese stays more intact and the flavor of the cilantro is more fresh. Hope that helps!
Joaquin
I added a red onion that was cut in 1/2 inch squares, which to me made this dish more interesting. The onions tasted like grilled onions with a crispy. Wondering if I can use this season on broccoli?
Elizabeth
So glad you liked it! I think it would be great on broccoli, but broccoli has a much stronger flavor than zucchini so it will definitely be a bit different.
Teri Smith
I tried a piece seasoned before baking, it was perfect like that! Can’t wait for it to finish, going to serve it with Chili Verde & low carb tortillas.
Elizabeth
Hope you liked it when it was finished! Sounds like a delicious meal!
james
is this suppose to be kinda crispy when done or no? Just wondering if i cooked mine long enuff?
Elizabeth
This doesn’t get super crispy, but they should have a little bit of browning and caramelization, like in the photos (which is the best part about roasting vegetables!). It’s possible your oven runs cool (mine does, so I always have this problem). I recommend cranking the temp to 450 next time you make it, and/or moving your oven rack closer to the top of the oven so it’s closer to the heat. Or, just roast for a little longer! Hope that helps, and hope it was still delicious even though they weren’t crispy!
Eka Fleming
What a wonderful recipe, my husband loved it!
Elizabeth
So happy you liked it, thanks!
Liz
I wanted to than you for this recipe. There aren’t a lot of vegetable sides when I search for Mexican recipes. I made this last week, and I’m currently making it again right now. I needed a new way to make zucchini, and this worked out really well. Cheers!
Elizabeth
So happy you liked it! That’s exactly why I made it- most Mexican side dishes are grains or beans. I wanted some veggies :-)
Kelli
This recipe was so delicious, I did not want to share with my family (but, of course, I did). Next time I will make a double batch!!!
Elizabeth
So happy you liked it! :-)
Les
Could I grill this vs. roasting?
Elizabeth
Oh absolutely! I think it would taste even better!
Chris Laberge
Made this tonight! Love it, Did it on the grill instead of the oven, will be making this again!
Elizabeth
Yum, love the idea of grilling this! Thanks for the suggestion, and glad you liked it :-)