This low carb Mexican zucchini and ground beef recipe is a simple dish made with low cost ingredients. It’s an easy low carb high fat dinner recipe perfect for summer.
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We had a really good zucchini crop this year. The last few years, our plants ended up getting powdery mildew so they didn’t produce but one or two fruit.
However, I think some of the issue was due to us overwatering the plants in the evening. This year, there was a lot of rainy days so we didn’t bothering adding any additional water and the plants did amazing.
Chopped zucchini pairs well with ground beef. I came up with this Mexican Zucchini and beef skillet dish recipe one night for an easy dinner.
I’ve made a similar dish in the past using leftover salsa. This time, I just added a whole can of diced tomatoes with green chilis.
I added a few Mexican spices to give it a little more flavor to make up for the salsa seasonings. If you can’t find canned tomatoes with chilis, a can of regular diced tomatoes will do.
You can even add a few diced peppers if you have some. I typically just taste as I go and look around to see what ingredients I have on hand that would be great additions. My cooking is super simple as I don’t have a lot of time to fuss.
I like to slice up fresh zucchini into bite size pieces. My favorite cut is to cut each slice into quarters. You can cut them into smaller diced pieces, if you prefer.
It’s been a long time since I’ve bought actual ground beef. When I call for ground beef in a recipe, that means ground hamburger venison for me. We always have a freezer full of ground venison which seems like an endless supply.
Zucchini tastes best when it’s cooked al dente. If you cook it too long it gets mushy which isn’t good. Cooking the zucchini for five to ten minutes in the covered skillet should warm it up and still keep it firm.
This low carb Mexican zucchini and ground beef skillet dish is a simple recipe that uses inexpensive ingredients. It goes well with cauliflower rice. What’s your favorite way to eat zucchini?
Looking for more recipes that won’t take a lot of time? Check out this collection of easy low carb recipes at Community Table that I put together.
And be sure to try my zucchini pizza boats if you need another recipe to use up your summer crop.
Low Carb Mexican Zucchini Beef Skillet Recipe
Enjoy this quick and easy low carb meal idea! And be sure to leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out if you did give the recipe a try.
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Mexican Zucchini and Beef
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Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini sliced and quartered
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 10 ounces Mexican style diced tomatoes with green chilis (salsa or diced tomatoes could be used), canned
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- Brown ground beef with minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Cook over medium heat until meat is browned.
- Add tomatoes and remaining spices. Cover and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes until zucchini is cooked, but still firm.
Notes
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating keto friendly recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
Rita dixon says
This is very good , added some venison and sausage, onion , and fresh tomatoes , fresh colored bell peppers, my husband loved it .
Irene says
I cook zucchini with corn an fresh chili and one day i decided to add hamb. My family likes it. Then i saw your recipe and thought, huh, i already make that, nothing new
Beth says
To me it’s basically the fixings that go inside of a taco. Nothing really special except the added zucchini.
Lynne Thomas says
Yummy! Thanks. I used medium fresh salsa from the produce section instead of tomato and green chili. Added a yellow squash for fun. Great dinner for a picky 15 year old type1.
Denise Clapp says
I didn’t have the Mexican Style tomatoes so I used Salsa. I also shredded some pepper jack cheese on top. Delicious!
Jessica says
I made this tonight for my family and they really liked it. I shredded the zucchini and mixed it in with the ground meat, just because my little guys don’t like chunks of veggies. I used a medium spiced salsa instead of the mexican tomatoes and it was great. I think the tablespoon of chili powder may have been a bit too much so when I make it again, I’ll lessen that up a bit. Other than that, great and easy meal!
Zandra says
Delicious. A real keeper.
Jodie says
Made this for dinner. Used 3 garden tomatoes with green pepper in our manual food processor instead of canned, the zucchini came from garden as well. very good.
Lizbeth says
I’m always looking for new recipes to keep my low-carb diet plan interesting. I found your recipe 3 weeks ago, and I’ve already made it twice, which is a lot, since I live alone and get 4 meals out of the recipe. This satisfies my urge to eat more zucchini, but the hamburger makes it hearty, and who doesn’t love Mexican flavors?! I’m planning to try your stir fry with hamburger and green beans this week. Keep up the good work!
Michele says
I made this tonight and it is delicious! I used 93% lean ground turkey to cut down the fat content. I also used a medium pico de gallo fresh salsa in addition to the 10 Oz can of rotel diced tomatoes with chilies to spice it up a tad. Will definitely keep this recipe.
Rhonda H. says
This is delicious (and healthy)! Our whole family loved it! Making it tonight for the second time.
Lori says
How many grams of sodium per serving? I’m thinking if it’s a lot you can substitute fresh tomatoes and green peppers.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I just recalculated and got about 500mg.
Jeff says
I made this for my wife and I, we absolutely loved it. It reminded us of chili. Very surprised! A must try even if ur on the fence about liking zucchini
Valarie says
I saw the zucchini sitting on the counter from the garden and thought “I should make a zucchini dinner of some sort.” So I googled -zucchini hamburger dinner- and your recipe was the first thing to pop up and I’m so glad it did! It was fast and easy and so very delicious! Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yay! I’m happy to help make good use of that garden zucchini! I happen to have some on the counter and will likely make this dish tomorrow.
Amy says
Wow-Made this last night due to a zucchini overload in the garden and we just loved it! I added in chopped onions, green pepper and mushrooms as well. My husband is not a huge zucchini fan but really loved this recipe. I will be making this a lot in the future to use up the abundant supply my garden is giving. Love that it is so easy to make!
Sidenote: I brought leftovers to work for my lunch, My co-workers loved it as well and copied down the recipe:)
Kim says
How much is 1 serving?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s about a cup or so.
Allison Lowe says
So yummy! I decided to add elbow macaroni to mine and it is so tasty!
Lynette says
Loved this – whole family! Asked me to make it again this week. Some of them don’t like it quite as spicy, so I’ll have to tone that down a bit, but it will be on our regular rotation going forward. Thanks for sharing!!!
Jazmin says
Does the whole recipe equals 272 calories?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s per serving when divided into 6 servings.
Janis says
Great Recipe! We are just starting low carb eating, with more meals like this it will be more enjoyable. Thanks!
Bob says
I will try this tonight thank you.
Jeremy says
Found this just while googling “Zucchini Ground Beef” because that’s what I had on hand. I’ve made it a couple of times and it is a very good recipe. I have on occasion added a couple splashes of beef broth to help soften the zucchini but I think that just depends on the amount of juice in the canned tomatoes. I’m sure you could add onion, peppers, cooked rice or a variety of other things if you wanted but I’d recommend the recipe as listed first, it will probably exceed your expectations.
Deb Gleason says
This is one of our new favorite recipes! Very easy to make. I used Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Green Chilis, the Original Version which had no salt added. I also used 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder and 1/4 teaspoon ground Cayenne Pepper because I know we like those flavors, but not too strongly.
NVMom says
Can you specify what a serving size is for this recipe?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s roughly a cup or so.
Jayne says
Absolutely delish! I added red onion and mixed in penne pasta to mine and my whole fam loved it! It will be something I make regularly. Thank you!
Audrey O. says
Thank you. I just started weight watchers and I made a meal similar to this, but used ground pork instead. It cost me a lot of “points” so I was trying to find a healthy but yummy side to add to it. My natural instincts wanted to add a baked potato, but your suggestion of cauliflower rice was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much for the great pairing suggestion.
Lisa MarcAurele says
So glad it worked out for you. Cauli rice is one of my go to low carb sides.
Angie says
Strange combo but overall, pretty decent. I added cheese on top and threw it in the oven for a few minutes. That elevated it slightly. Also added some extra seasonings because it was slightly bland without them. But, decent recipe. My advice is to tweak to your liking.
Virginia Rapkin says
Absolutely delicious, all the seasonings were perfect for this dish, definitely going to keep making this, I am full time keto and posted this to recipe to my instagram page 1bearcubgointadisney_keto, giving you full credit, thank you so much
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing with credit!
Virginia rapkin says
You’re welcome, and thank you for permission to post
Tandra says
Could you give me an idea on how many cups you think the squash is once cut up? Zucchini comes in so many sizes and I really don’t want to use too much or too little. Thanks so much!
Lisa MarcAurele says
The zucchini I use is about 2 cups when cut.
Kirstin says
This was amazingly easy and quick to put together. The taste was outstanding. Thank you so much. Im a type 1 diabetic trying to eat less carbs so I made this thinking I would be ok with it. Once I tried it I thought it was one of the best meals I have had in a while regardless of ether or not it had carbs. I added onions and some cheese.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Interesting. I never would have thought to add in cream cheese.
Diane butler says
Very tasty ! This is a keeper Thanks for sharing
Kate says
How large is a serving? One cup?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s about a cup or so.
Catina says
Made it and liked it! I just started on Keto Diet, so have been looking for ways of making meals the kids will eat. Tonight, I made corn and quinoa sides and they didn’t complain about the zucchini which they don’t normally like. Score!
Maggie says
Hi Lisa,
I really want to make this recipe but when I put it in my fitness pal and switch ground beef for Venison which is the only change which doesn’t have many carbs, the carb count per serving comes out to 38 grams compared to your 5 grams
HELP me understand please. I am new to all of this thank you
Lisa MarcAurele says
You could have an inaccurate number on one of the ingredients. I’ve seem some high numbers for things like spices in MFP.
H R says
This looks delicious! I was wondering if you have ever made it with turkey or chicken?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Any ground meat should work out in the recipe. To be honest, I usually use ground venison as that’s what we have a lot of in the freezer.
Olga says
I’ve done it with chicken,delicious!
jaynie gamble says
So happy to see your comments about making this with venison. I too have a good supply in our freezer and it is good to know that this recipe works well with venison. I will add onions, just because we love onions with just about everything.
Lisa MarcAurele says
We have a freezer full of ground venison right now. I’ve been making this and a bunch of other ground beef recipes to use it up.
Christy says
This was an amazing dish!! We added green pepper and red onion. Thank you for the recipe!!
Kelsey MacConell says
I made this tonight to have for my lunches at work this week and it is DELISH!!! So much flavor! I bought an offbrand of tomatoes with chilies though and next time I wouldn’t as there weren’t many green chilies in it but other than that, it tastes amazing!! Thank you for the recipe! It will be in my rotation now. =D
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s a regular for me too, especially in the summer when the produce is fresh.
Geri Schaudt says
Hi Lisa this sounds really good and I can’t wait to make it! I have a question though, since it’s just hubby and myself do you think this would freeze well for another dinner?
Thanks,
Geri
Lisa MarcAurele says
Cooked ground beef usually freezes well so it should be okay.
Ella says
Made this for my family tonight for supper. I was worried the kids would not eat it because of it being a little on the spicy side. It was a hit with the whole family. Will definitely make this again. Thank you
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yay! Great that it wasn’t too spicy for the kids. I usually omit the crushed red pepper flakes if serving to kids.
Paula says
Really good and easy to make! My husband hates zucchini but loved this!
Diana Hill says
Ive had this quite a few times. I even added a little corn to it. Its been lunch a couple days a week a time or two ?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s a regular for me too, especially in summer when the garden is producing fresh veggies.
Scott says
when you say ground beef should it be regular or lean?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I often use ground venison which is very lean. But, you can use any amount of fat you prefer.
Jahna says
This was delicious. I had to add a T of butter to hit my fat for the day, but amazing! This will be in regular rotation for me.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’m so glad you enjoyed this easy low carb skillet dish!
Jenny says
I see the calories for a serving but what is the serving size?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s 1/6 of the recipe. I just divide the total into 6 even portions.
Samantha says
Made this tonight. It was easy and delicious! Will be making again soon!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for giving this quick keto dish a try!
Bubbeof4 says
We love this dish. I seldom repeat recipes more than twice every month or so but this one is in regular rotation. I made it as written several times but one day our local grocery had in-house made chorizo sausage on special. I mixed the chorizo half and half with ground beef. It was absolutely delicious. A game changer. In fact, I’m making it again tonight. Thanks Lisa for sharing this dish!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing about the chorizo! I’m going to give that a try. Sounds delicious.
Cheryl says
Turned out great!
Natalie says
How much is a serving?
Lisa says
It’s roughly a cup and half or so.
Sharon says
I just made this tonight! My husband really loved it, me too! I chopped up some red onion to saute with the ground beef. I didn’t use the red pepper flakes and only put a little chili powder in because I don’t like real spicy foods. I cut up a green pepper and put it in at the same time as the zucchini. I made some frozen cauliflower rice and then sauteed it with some olive oil, minced garlic and salt to put the meat and zucchini over. Definitely a keeper!
Lisa says
I love serving this one over cauli rice too! So glad you guys enjoyed this simple recipe.
Katie says
I browned the beef and combined all of the ingredients in my slow cooker. It took about 4 hours on low to cook. What a great recipe. I served this with mashed potatoes because we love them and aren’t on a low carb diet. Thank-you!
Lisa says
Good to know it works out well in the slow cooker!
Bee says
are we supposed to dump out the liquid from the meat or the canned tomatoes at any time because mine came out super liquidy?
Lisa says
I don’t and it should reduce down if you cook it a little longer.
Jessica says
This was absolutely delicious!!!!
Lisa says
Glad you enjoyed it Jessica!
Lynne says
So delicious! I just want to thank you for posting this recipe as it is so hard to find a dish that everyone in my family will eat. This accomplished it though! Made exactly as specified – although I dropped and broke my scale so I had to approximate the amount of ground beef – so flavorful and very versatile. Thanks!
Lisa says
Glad the dish was a winner with the family!
Lynda StJames says
So good! My system can’t handle chilis so I made it with chipotle seasoning and extra cumin and topped it with shredded cheddar. Yum!
Lisa says
Great swap outs!
Susan Birch says
Sounds great !! I will add cilantro. (is 1 bunch too much?) Could (Ortega) taco spice be used?
Do you have a recipe for making your own taco spice?
Lisa says
I don’t care for the ingredients in store bought taco mix so I have a homemade blend at https://lowcarbyum.com/low-carb-taco-seasoning/. I think a full bunch of cilantro would be too much. A tablespoon or two is usually enough.
Christie Taylor says
This was sooo good and so easy!! My neighbors gave us loads of zucchini from their garden. I added black beans and we topped with some guacamole. A great recipe on it’s own or to add your own favorites to. Thank you!
Lisa says
You’re welcome! This dish is a regular in our home.
Pallie says
My 17yr old daughter and I just started trying to lose weight about two weeks ago. We are trying to eat healthier. She found this to try. We made it together about an hour ago. OMG so delicious! One thing we did that made us like it more, was use lettuce leaves like a taco shell. Warmness of the meat and the cool crunchiness of the lettuce was a great combo. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Lisa says
Nice idea using lettuce leaves!
Roslyn says
I made this last evening. It was super easy and delicious. Can’t wait to have the leftovers as the seasonings will be even better.
Lisa says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
cajunpapamoose says
Tried this quick and easy recipe last night. The only thing I changed was that I chopped 1/2 medium onion instead of onion powder. I cooked the onion until translucent (5 minutes), then added the ground beef.
It was REALLY good, and next time, (soon, I hope) I want to use Pallie’s idea from 2 days ago, to wrap it in lettuce.
Thanks to you and Pallie!
Lisa says
Thanks for the feedback!
Kim Main says
I have made this several times, my husband and I love it. Thanks for a great recipe. Easy to throw together on a busy weeknight.
Lisa says
You’re welcome Kim!
Megan says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I love this!!! It’s super easy after a busy day at work. I added canned corn, a small onion, a sprinkle Monterrey cheese when served, and some lemon to balance out the spices. Before I served it, I also put it over a little bit of rice since it “needed a carb” as my boyfriend said. It got him to eat his veggies! We will definitely be making this yummy recipe again soon!!
Talli says
How much is one serving? (Like 1cup or 2cups)
Lisa says
About 1.5 cups.
Deborah says
Delicious! Ate our on a bed of lettuce, added cheese, sour cream and salsa on top?
tina says
I have been making this weekly for the past few months. Depending on what I have the spices and add-ins change but I stick to the ground beef to zucchini ratio, always add the chili powder, garlic and onion (not a huge fan of cumin) and I follow the cooking instructions. I’ve never used the canned mexican tomatoes with chili, I add a can of chopped tomatoes with or without the juice depending on my mood. I’ve added freshly made salsa, chipotle in adobo sauce, cilantro, fresh onion, leftover green beans, etc etc. If I have avocado, I’ll add that to my bowl right before eating or sometimes I’ll top it off with a sunny side egg, or both.
I’m actually eating this right now. This batch I did ground beef, zucchini, fresh garlic, dried onion flakes, canned tomatoes sans juice and Frontier Co-op’s chipotle powder (the best chili powder for mexican dishes!!) and it is pretty damn good, might just use this combo from now on since it’s so easy. This dish is a lifesaver!! Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe! I’m glad it’s become such a staple for you.
Margo says
I use fire roasted canned tomatoes, I add fresh spinach and cilantro. Then I top it with sour cream. It’s so easy, yummy and healthy, I make it regularly!
Jeannie says
I’m going to try this with zoodles, fresh tomatoes, green chilies and low sodium v8 to reduce the sodium from canned tomatoes.
Lisa says
Sounds like a good combination!
Davion Numa says
I was wondering its says 272 kcal which is 272000 calories so then how big of a serving would that be if I needed to stay under my intake of 2478 calories.
Lisa says
It’s 272 calories.
Lori says
I made the recipe with ground beef and used the habenaro and jalapeños tomatoes. We like spicy it was delicious. Loved it will definitely make it again.
Elishia says
I make this over and over for my meal prep but replace with ground turkey, I add onions, jalapeño, fresh tomatoes instead of can. it’s delicious!
Donna says
So good! Only had ground turkey but still totally worked. The family loved it. Thanks!
Tiffany says
What about using tomato paste instead?
Lisa says
It’s worth a try.
Melissa Pryse says
I have made this often and my family LOVES it!!! It is for dinner tonight actually.
Happy New Year!!!
Lisa says
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2018!
Andy says
Is that a 10 oz can for the tomato can?
Lisa says
Yes. The “oz” got cut off. Will fix.
Louis B says
I tried it without the diced tomatoes with chilies and the red pepper flakes. I added a red bell pepper diced and added it to the mix with the zucchini. It was excellent. Many thanks
Kari says
Served over rice, substituted a can of green beans for 1 of the zucchini and added cheese on top. Served with corn, although I think that could be added in the recipe too! This was delicious!
Margo Herrera says
I made this recipe with rote tomatoes and green chilies. Way too spicy!! The next time, I used Del Monte Fire Roasted tomatoes. Much better. I love the ease and speed of this meal. Thank you for a great meal idea. I’m diabetic and always looking for ways to incorporate more veggies. Next time I will add fresh spinach and cilantro!
Lisa says
You can definitely cut back on the spice. I make it milder for the kids and hubby.
Dawna C says
I only had regular diced tomatoes, reduced the red pepper flakes and added cilantro. I liked it! My kids, not so much 😉
Lisa says
I’ve made it with fresh tomatoes from the garden and really liked it. My kids don’t care for the spices or fresh tomatoes.
Nadine says
Making this right now! I only had stewed tomatoes, though, and I’ve added in some Velveeta and Jack cheese. Waiting for those to melt, and it’ll be done. Putting it on top of lettuce and topping with sour cream and salsa, more like a taco salad. BTW, today is National Taco Day!
Lisa says
Sounds like a great way to celebrate taco day. I always miss those food holidays.
Amie says
I making this tonight, and I’m sure it’s going to be excellent, but I want to pass along that the ads on this page are seriously ridiculous. Doing this on my mobile device, it’s very difficult to navigate through the ads, and there are so very many of them. Most of them are a full-screen, and it takes several times trying to swipe to get the ad on the screen to move . I know you have to make money, but I just wanted to give you some feedback .
Lisa says
Thanks! I’m sorry it was so bad for you. I’ll look into that.
Jennifer says
I made this for dinner tonight. Yum Yum. I did double the red pepper flakes just because I like it. I even sprinkle some on my eggs when I fry them. Lol. My son who normally is not a fan of zucchini ate 3 helpings. My 4 yr. old granddaughter was helping me and she just had to try a bite of raw zucchini as I was cutting it. She loved it. This was a hit for me! Added bonus of clearing my sinuses lol.
Lisa says
That’s awesome that the kids love it too. I like to be a little heavy handed on the pepper flakes as well.
Cindy says
I had a half of an enormous home grown (someone else’s garden) zucchini and didnt’ want it to go to waste–i had some ground beef (which i only buy once a month) i just bought yesterday for something else, but decided to try this instead–a very easy and tasty meal–I loved it! Thanks, Lisa, I’ve bookmarked your website. I wasn’t looking for low carb, but I’ve discovered recently I have reactive hypoglycemia and so have to cut down on carbs–so I’m glad I found your website. Thanks, Lisa!
p.s. i added cumin
Lisa says
Thanks for the note on cumin. A little extra spice always enhances the taste. I made this one yesterday too with one huge zucchini from our garden. Cutting carbs should definitely help with your condition. I’m glad you stopped by!
Mary T says
I made this tonight for a friend and she even had seconds. She thought it was so good. I did add salsa and cheese. Put in oven to melt cheese. It was great. Will make again.
Lisa says
Cheese is always an excellent add!
Meaghan says
Added a small diced onion when I browned the meat and omitted the onion powder. Added cauliflower florets since I had some on hand that were getting ready to go bad. I thought the cauliflower added a nice texture. Had a serving with cheese and one without. In a rare change of pace, I didn’t feel like the cheese added anything. A good quick meal full of flavor
Lisa says
Great idea adding in the cauliflower!
Mike says
I added diced onion,bell pepper, green onion and Roma tomatoes. Drained the grease and water off of the meat and added shredded cheddar and baked in 350 for 20. Very good!
Lisa says
Great add-ins for flavor! Thanks for sharing.
Charane says
How much onion and bell pepper did you use?
Maria says
Looks delicious, Can i use turkey ground meat instead of beef?
Lisa says
Turkey works too.
Cari says
My family LOVED THIS!
Lisa says
That’s awesome! It’s become a regular for my family.
Yvonne says
Hi Lisa I came across of your Mexican Zucchini Beef Skillet Recipe and I had to make it. I didn’t change anything on your recipe. I have to say it’s really good. Of course my hubby has to put shredded cheese on top of the skillet. Men need their cheese. Lol. Thank you again for sharing your recipe. I will be making this again.
Lisa says
You’re welcome Yvonne! I’ll have to try it with cheese!
Kim says
This is delish!!! Loved it!
Lisa says
I’m so glad it worked out for you!
Cheri says
It was delicious. I added corn and a couple tablespoons of V8 to give a little extra moisture. Turned out great.
Aarron says
I made this last night. I cut up two boneless skinless chicken breasts to use in place of the ground beef. I also left out the red pepper flakes and sprinkled just a tine bit of shredded cheese on my serving before eating. It was SOOOOO yummy! Thank you!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your version!
Pat Ibarra says
Love this recipe. Make it every other week, it’s quick and easy. I call it Calabasitas like what my mom use to make but with corn. I’m making this tomorrow. Thank you
Lisa says
That is the name for sauteed squash so it fits perfect for the dish. We make this a lot too.
Sheila says
Add Green Chile, preferably Hatch for CalabAnita’s! Yumm!
Kate Ladd says
Just made this dish – very good! Will definitely make again?
Lisa says
Thanks so much Kate!
Aaron says
Thanks Kate gotta love it!!
Natalia says
Is there any other vegetables, or possibly greens, that you would recommend could be used in this dish?
Lisa says
You can replace the zucchini with other vegetable if you wish. Kale or spinach may work or even green beans.
Bonnie says
Hi, I wonder if you’d consider starting with onion and garlic and then adding the beef? Thanks! It’s on the stove now and can’t wait to try it as is first!
Lisa says
You could start it that way, in fact, I often do cook onion and garlic first and then add meat.
kimberly says
Ive made it and it tastes great even though i didnt have the diced tomatoes with green chiles i just used some cherry tomatoes but i still love the recipe i just have one question how much is the serving size?
Lisa says
It’s a pretty good size serving. I’d say one and a half cups or so.
Kelli says
I love this recipe! I’ve made it using ground beef, ground turkey, and ground chicken. It was great everytime!
Lisa says
Wow! I never thought to make it with the other ground meats. I’ll have to try that.
Nick Morgan says
The wife and I are going to use ground bison meat.
Sherri says
We used ground deer.. homemade salsa, and my homemade taco seasoning…. and frozen zucchini that I chopped up from my harvest!!! Turned out awesome! Thank you
Lisa says
I always use deer meat in mine!
Ana says
Well, aren’t you Ms. One Upper
Mia says
Lisa is the one that shared the recipe. So I think she was just mentioning as a common thought and plus she put it in her article.
Raquel says
Very delicious and thank you so much
Lisa says
You’re welcome. I’m so glad it worked out for you.
Mary says
I made this but subbed out a 15 ounce can of diced petite tomatoes, juice included, and a 7 ounce can of diced green chilies, it was delightful. We also did the exact same thing but instead of ground beef we used diced chicken breast and my teenager love that version the best.
Lisa says
Never thought to use chicken. Great idea!
Applejacks21 says
What would be the weight on the “2 medium zucchinis”? Thanks
Lisa says
I’ll try to remember to weigh next time, but it doesn’t need to be a very accurate measurement.
Peggy says
Yummy. I have an Italian version: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/unstuffed-zucchini/
Lisa says
Sounds delicious Peggy!
Ben says
Ben, Waiting for my wife and Grandson to get home…had some ground beef and all the ingredients put it together in a snap. Even added a layer of Monterey jack on top.
Lisa says
The cheese topping is genius!
Nina says
That’s what I was thinking would be a great idea! Glad to know it was good!
Deborah says
Oh and adding chopped avocado gives more fat (healthier than sour cream) and the creamy texture and mild flavor are so delightful.
Lisa says
Thanks for this one too!
Deborah says
I had to add cilantro before serving! SO glad I did.
Lisa says
That is a great tip! Cilantro is perfect for Mexican dishes.
Roshelle says
Made the mexican zucchini and beef for dinner last night and I added srirracha sauce to it. My family loved it and I will be making this again.
Thanks for the recipe.
Lisa says
You’re welcome! Love the added srirracha sauce!
Mel says
I made this last night but skipped the red peppers and it was fabulous will make again!
Lisa says
It is less spicy without them. Glad you liked it!
Diane says
Made this for dinner tonight using can tomatoes and it was a hit! Will be adding this to my Low Carb recipe file 🙂 Ty so much for sharing !
Lisa says
Yea! Glad you liked it!
April says
My family really likes this recipe, including my picky 9 & 12 year olds. I make it with a can of fire roasted tomatoes in place of the tomatoes with green chilies or salsa and I leave out the red pepper flakes so the kids will eat it. It’s a great quick meal. Thanks for the recipe.
Lisa says
Great tips for getting the kids to eat a less spicy meal! 🙂
Melissa Schurer says
Loved the mexican zucchini and beef. I put my own twist on it by adding 2 tblsp of butter and 2 tblsp of sour cream to add more fat to it for my low carb high fat diet.
Lisa says
Great changes!
Karen says
I don’t have a food scale and am on a low carb diet. So how do I know how much 1 serving is?
Lisa says
Just divide the total amount into 6 equal servings. Nutritional data is approximate anyway.
Justbrit says
Low carb, high fat? Is that what it is supposed to say?
Cindy Cahanin says
I added a 1/2 can of enchilada sauce and 1/4 cup of salsa so it would be a little saucy and put it over rice. It was really good.
Lisa says
Great idea! The extra sauce is perfect for pouring over cauli rice!
Joanna says
I just started a low-carb diet and found your recipe on Pinterest. I made a single serving for myself, so I didn’t really measure the ingredients, but it still turned out delicious! Will definitely be making this again! Love some of the comments about adding cheese and sour cream. I’ll try that next time!
Lisa says
The added cheese and sour cream are good with this. Thanks for stopping in!
Amy Brown says
Served it over rice with cheese and sour cream on top. Cut the spice nicely for my spice-phobic husband. 🙂
Lisa says
It must be a guy thing. My husband also dislikes too much spice.
Kristi says
Soo good. We addd some cheese and some sour cream and I added some fresh cilantro I have popping up!
Lisa says
The added cilantro and sour cream sounds terrific!
Nelda says
I made zucchini noodles in place of the quartered zucchini.
It’s fun and tasty! Great recipe.
Lisa says
Cool change. I love zoodles!
Nelda says
I did the zucchini noodles in the recipe plus added some corn.
Great recipe!!!
K says
Tasty & simple. The second time I made it, I went Italian. Change out the spices and use plain tomato sauce. Voila! Oh, wait, that’s a French word….
Lisa says
Nice that a simple change makes it Italian. Will give that a try!
Sarah says
I am so glad I found your blog! This recipe was fantastic. I had a ton of zucchini and hamburger to use up so I simply did a layered dish after I cooked the ingredients topped with cheese and pop it in the oven for a bit . I can’t wait to share this with my low-carb friends on Facebook . Thanks!
Lisa says
Love the added cheese. Yum!
Susan says
Holy cow was this spicy! My dear hubby was unable to eat it! Recommend the”mild” Rotel tomatoes and perhaps cutting back on the red pepper flakes? However, the flavor was great. It would be good with corn added, sour cream or cottage cheese, tortilla chips on the side. Loved it — just be prepared for the heat!
Lisa says
Good point! Definitely adjust the spice to suit! Hot spice doesn’t bother me, but my husband is not a fan.
Chelsea Wong says
Hi Lisa! I meal prepped this today to have for lunches this week! It smelled wonderful while cooking and I’m so excited to eat this for lunch this week. Thanks for sharing such a simple yet tasty recipe! I actually shared your recipe on my blog as well and would love for you to check it out some time. Thanks again!
Lisa says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. I’ll certainly check out your site!
Malissa H says
Our family loved this. I diced up a medium onion and used that in place of the onion powder. I also used 2 lbs of ground beef and 3 medium zucchini. My daughter complained about the spiciness of it, so we spooned some cottage cheese over the top of our serving, and it was OMG great! Thank you so much for sharing!
Lisa says
Never would have thought to add cottage cheese, but any cheese or sour cream will kill some of the spiciness.
kim says
I love this recipe. So convenient and delicious. I’ve made this recipe twice, the second time I substituted lean ground turkey and added corn. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa says
Corn is a great addition! My daughter would love it that way.
Loyda says
This is a VERY old recipe…. Actually a recipe from New Mexico but its called calabacitas. My Parents always made this and I made it for my family growing up. Always served with fresh homemade tortillas. Although I never added tomatoes, and corn was used instead.
Lisa says
Great to know it has withstood the test of time! It’s one of those keeper recipes.
Stephanie says
Will this store well if prepared ahead of time for the week?
Lisa says
I make on the weekend and use for lunch during the week so yes it’s fine to prepare ahead.
Susan says
Do you drain the ground beef?
Lisa says
I used very lean meat and didn’t need to. If there is a lot of fat, you probably will want to spoon some of it out.
Mary says
Has anyone tried this with ground turkey?
Mary says
Made this tonight with organic ground turkey and it was delicious!
Lisa says
So glad you liked it!
Sara says
Made this tonight. Used the Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. Super easy and had lots of flavor!
Lisa says
So glad you liked it! 🙂
Ria says
Hello,
Whats the serving size ?
Lisa says
I’d say about 1 cup or a little more. I didn’t measure, but I was taking it to work in a 2 cup container that was a little more than half full.
Denise says
How many people would you say this recipe serves?
Lisa says
I’d say 6.
Karly F says
I made this last night. It was beyond delicious! I also added a little brown rice. Oh and my husband even liked it and he’s the one who usually doesn’t want to try my healthy dishes! Yummy, I will defiantly be making this dish again!
Lisa says
That’s great! So happy that you and your husband liked this one!
christina says
Made this last night it was a huge hit! We used mexican chili poweder and added a little pablano pepper for some heat. I ate it with brown rice and hubby had soft tacos.
Lisa says
Yay! Thanks for giving it a try and writing in!
Anonymous says
Made it tonight and everyone loved it!! Will make again for sure.
Lisa says
Perfect! Thanks for the comment!
Kelsey says
love this recipe ! I add sriracha sauce to it to add more spice !
Lisa says
Great add! The spicier the better!
Linda says
Great use of zucchini!
My usual question- leftovers freezable?
Lisa says
I’m not sure how this would be frozen. I’ve tried freezing cooked squash before and it was mushy after.
Aggie says
This looks and sounds delicious! I’m loving zucchini right now and love that you paired it up with beef. My family would dig this 🙂
Lisa says
I’m sure you and your family will enjoy this simple dish!
Joan McCallum says
You say to add jarred salsa to this recipe but is not mentioned in the ingredients…do you mean just the other spices mentioned?
Lisa says
Fixed. I’ve used both Rotel and jarred salsa in this recipe. In the one pictured, I used Rotel, but any kind of diced tomatoes can be used. Thanks for catching that. Fixed!
Tom says
Awesome recipe my wife and i botb work late and this is a great meal in no time thanks.
Lisa says
Quick and easy is the only way to do it after a long work day!
Sharon whitman says
Made this tonight fir first time. Added portable lo mushrooms. Was going to add corn didn’t have any. Would have popped with color. Loved it will do again