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Mexican Zucchini and Beef Skillet

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Last updated on: December 18, 2018

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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.

Easy Ground Beef Zucchini Tomato Skillet Dish Cover

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.

Chopped zucchini

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.

Brown ground beef

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.

Adding Mexican zucchini to beef in skillet

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.

Ground Beef Zucchini Tomato Dish Skillet

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.

Low Carb Mexican Zucchini Beef Skillet Recipe

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.

Ground Beef Zucchini Tomato Dish Skillet
Print Pin Review
4.87 from 50 votes

Mexican Zucchini and Beef

This low carb Mexican zucchini and ground beef recipe is a simple dish made with low cost ingredients. It's an easy LCHF dinner recipe perfect for summer.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword ground beef
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 272kcal
Author Lisa | Low Carb Yum

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
US Customary - Metric

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.

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Notes

Nutrition per serving: 4.1g net carb

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Mexican Zucchini and Beef
Amount Per Serving
Calories 272 Calories from Fat 158
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17.5g 27%
Total Carbohydrates 5.6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
Protein 22.1g 44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

Tried this recipe?Mention @lowcarbyum or tag #lowcarbyum!

About Lisa

Lisa at Low Carb Yum
Lisa has been creating low carb recipes for herself and sharing them with others since 2010. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and find new ways to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites! Her recipes have been featured on popular magazine sites including Fitness, Shape, Country Living, Women's Health, and Men's Health. Lisa lives in Southeastern Connecticut. Connect with her and Low Carb Yum at:

© LowCarbYum.com

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s owner, Lisa MarcAurele, is strictly prohibited.

Excerpts, single photos, and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to LowCarbYum.com with appropriate and specific link back to the original content.

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Comments

  1. 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

    Reply

  3. 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.

    Reply


  5. 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

    Reply

  6. 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

    Reply


  7. 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

    Reply


  9. 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 🙂

    Reply


  11. 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.

    Reply


  13. 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!

    Reply


  16. 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!

    Reply


  17. 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!

    Reply

  18. are we supposed to dump out the liquid from the meat or the canned tomatoes at any time because mine came out super liquidy?

    Reply


  20. 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!

    Reply


  21. 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!

    Reply

  22. 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?

    Reply


  23. 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!

    Reply


  24. 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.

    Reply


  25. 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.

    Reply


      • 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!

        Reply

  26. 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.

    Reply

  27. 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!!

    Reply


  30. 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!! 🙂

    Reply


  31. 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!

    Reply


  32. I’m going to try this with zoodles, fresh tomatoes, green chilies and low sodium v8 to reduce the sodium from canned tomatoes.

    Reply


  33. 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.

    Reply

  34. 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.

    Reply

  35. 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!

    Reply


  40. 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

    Reply


  41. 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!

    Reply


  42. 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!

    Reply


  43. I only had regular diced tomatoes, reduced the red pepper flakes and added cilantro. I liked it! My kids, not so much 😉

    Reply


  44. 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!

    Reply

  45. 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 .

    Reply


  46. 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.

    Reply


  47. 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

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply


  48. 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.

    Reply


  49. 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

    Reply


  50. 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!

    Reply

  52. 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.

    Reply


  54. 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!

    Reply


  55. 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

    Reply


  57. 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?

    Reply

  59. 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.

    Reply


  62. Oh and adding chopped avocado gives more fat (healthier than sour cream) and the creamy texture and mild flavor are so delightful.

    Reply


  64. 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.

    Reply

  66. 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 !

    Reply

  67. 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.

    Reply

  68. 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.

    Reply

  69. 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.

    Reply

  70. 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!

    Reply

  71. Served it over rice with cheese and sour cream on top. Cut the spice nicely for my spice-phobic husband. 🙂

    Reply

  72. Soo good. We addd some cheese and some sour cream and I added some fresh cilantro I have popping up!

    Reply

  75. 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….

    Reply

  76. 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!

    Reply

  77. 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!

    Reply

  78. 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!

    Reply

  79. 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!

    Reply

  80. 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!

    Reply

  81. 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.

    Reply

  87. 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!

    Reply

  88. 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.

    Reply

  91. 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 🙂

    Reply

  92. You say to add jarred salsa to this recipe but is not mentioned in the ingredients…do you mean just the other spices mentioned?

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

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