Roasted Mexican Zucchini is the perfect low carb side dish that’s easy to make and ready in only 20 minutes! Tossed with a handful of seasonings, lime juice, cilantro, and cotija cheese, it’s a quick and flavorful side that goes well with any Mexican lunch and dinner.
Zucchini is a magic vegetable that can easily transform into noodles, enchiladas, or, in this case, a a delicious roasted side dish. This Mexican Zucchini is easy to throw together when you need a delicious and light vegetable side dish to pair with Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas, Instant Pot Chicken Tacos, and the rest of your weeknight dinners.
Adding Mexican seasonings and oil to this sponge-like vegetable gives it a huge pop of flavor. As the zucchini roasts in the oven, it tenderizes and soaks in all of the deep and savory flavors. Top it with a little cotija cheese, lime juice, and cilantro once it comes out of the oven and you’re ready to enjoy this exciting and delicious meal!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Zucchini – This summer veggie can be found any time of the year. It’s great at soaking up all of your added flavors, especially when it’s roasted in the oven.
- Seasonings – A simple blend of garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and cumin is all it takes to give your zucchini tons of flavor.
- Olive oil – To help the seasonings stick to the zucchini. It also gives each bite more flavor and helps the outside crisp up slightly.
- Toppings – Similar to the toppings on Mexican Street Corn, crumbled cotija cheese, lime juice, and cilantro are the best toppings to amp this up and give it that classic Mexican flair.
How to make Mexican zucchini
- Season and prepare the zucchini: Place your diced zucchini in a large bowl and toss it with the oil and seasoning mixture until each piece is coated. Next, spread the zucchini in an even layer on a prepared sheet pan.
- Roast the zucchini: Roast the zucchini for around 15 minutes or until it’s fork tender and cooked through.
- Top and serve: Take it out of the oven, add the toppings, and plate with your favorite Mexican dinners.
Tips for making the best Mexican roasted zucchini
- For best results, dice the zucchini to roughly the same size. This will ensure each piece cooks evenly. I like cutting the zucchini into half-moon shapes.
- Make sure the zucchini is in a single layer on the baking sheet. This is very important as it will prevent steaming and the zucchini from becoming soggy.
- When shopping for zucchini, try to choose ones that are medium sized. The bigger they are, the more water and less fiber they contain. This means more water will release as they roast and you’ll end up with soggy zucchini.
- This recipe works best if the zucchini is not peeled. The skin helps hold the shape of the diced pieces and adds texture and flavor. Just make sure to wash the outside well before dicing.
How to serve roasted Mexican zucchini
I love this tender zucchini as a quick and easy side dish. It pairs well with so many Mexican dishes! Here are a few that I recommend:
Storing, freezing, and reheating
To store, keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze, add a single layer of the cooked zucchini to a sheet pan and freeze completely. Afterward, transfer them to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. (Keep in mind that zucchini contains a high water content and the texture will not be the same when thawed.)
To reheat, toss the zucchini in a skillet over medium low heat until warmed through. If you’re short on time, reheat them for about a minute in the microwave.
More Mexican veggie recipes
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch half moons
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the diced zucchini, olive oil, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and ground cumin.Toss until evenly coated.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly in a single layer.
- Roast for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until zucchini is fork tender.
- Top with cotija cheese, lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
Isabel’s Tips:
- For best results, dice the zucchini to roughly the same size. This will ensure each piece cooks evenly. I like cutting the zucchini into half-moon shapes.
- Make sure the zucchini is in a single layer on the baking sheet. This is very important as it will prevent steaming and the zucchini from becoming soggy.
- When shopping for zucchini, try to choose ones that are medium sized. The bigger they are, the more water and less fiber they contain. This means more water will release as they roast and you’ll end up with soggy zucchini.
- This recipe works best if the zucchini is not peeled. The skin helps hold the shape of the diced pieces and adds texture and flavor. Just make sure to wash the outside well before dicing.
Nutrition Information
I’ve been making this for many years thanks to my abuela. I also add onion and poblanos to the roasting pan. Some times I add fresh corn. Muy delicioso!
Great idea! We make a roasted ratatouille the same way.
I have made these several times in the last couple of months. Everyone loves them! They are so good and so easy to make.
I made them one time with some smoked sausage, cooked at the same amount of time as the zucchini. So Good! My daughter like that so much she did the same thing and then added some shrimp at about the 8 minute mark and loved that.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
I sliced the zucchini and placed it in a large skillet, then drizzled with oil and added the spices. Cooked on med-high until just softened and browned. Crumbled the cheese and added the lime juice on top – a one skillet preparation. Super flavorful way to cook zucchini, I’ll be using this recipe often!
My husband, who doesn’t usually care for zucchini, but loves Mexican food, really enjoyed this. I loved it, too! Thanks for the great recipe!
I am a zucchini lover, especially if they are fried, but always looking for lighter and less messy ways of making them. I don’t have cotija cheese or cilantro so instead of 2 Tbsp cotija at the end I used 2 good Tbsp grated parmesan cheese together with the spices. I also roasted the zucchini for longer as I like to squeeze more water out of the zucchini (20-25 mins?) but that’s up to my taste. The result is great and I sure will be making it again. Thanks Isabel.
Delicious! Used our air fryer – worked well. Will definitely make again.
Isabel, you recipes have been my go to for authentic Mexican recipes. Thank you for sharing your gifts.
Omg! This is the most delicious squash recipe; I highly recommend giving it a try! Btw, I had to use feta cheese because the cotija wasn’t available, no problem, it was beyond yummy!
Do you have happen to have air fryer cooking directions?
Hi Diana! At this moment we do not, but you are more than welcome to try it with an air fryer!
This is now my favourite zucchini recipe!
This is a delicious way to prepare zucchini. I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of substituting feta cheese which I had on hand. My husband stated it would be great to serve to guests. It is a bit on the spicy side (yum!) so if you prefer mild foods, I recommend reducing the pepper(s) a little.
Delish veg recipe! Used feta, what I had. Will make with other cuisine. Husb who doesn’t care for zucchini really liked. You give terrific info on everything in recipe! Thanks.