These easy, herbed veggie tacos were inspired by the seasonal vegetarian taco at a Portland restaurant we love (¿Por Qué No?). They always had a taco with sautéed summery vegetables served in chimichurri sauce, and it was a flavor explosion!
Our inspired version features seared zucchini, onion, and bell pepper, and can be modified with what’s seasonally available. The flavor comes in waves from the searing, the spices, the herbs, and fresh lime juice! Just 10 simple ingredients required for this go-to summer meal! Let’s make tacos!
We are major taco lovers around here (exhibits A, B, C, D, and more). And while the origin story of tacos is debated, tacos are undoubtedly a staple of Mexican cuisine. The following bell pepper and zucchini tacos are not traditional Mexican tacos, but borrow the concept of a flavorful filling served in tortillas. You can take a deep dive into the history of tacos here.
How to Make Zucchini Tacos
Zucchini is one of those veggies that can either be incredibly delicious or a soggy, flavorless dud. The good news? The zucchini in these tacos definitely falls in the first camp! By searing strips of zucchini in a hot skillet, they develop a caramelized exterior and become tender without getting soggy on the inside.
Cooking the zucchini separately from the onions and bell pepper allows all the veggies to perform at their best! Toss them in a flavorful combination of salt, garlic powder, oregano, and chili flakes, and you’ll be turning veggie haters into lovers in no time!
Finish the veggies off with a squeeze of lime juice to add brightness and serve in tortillas with your favorite toppings!
We hope you LOVE these tacos! They’re:
Herby
Savory
Flavorful
Summery
Versatile
& SO delicious!
Enjoy them as an entrée with guacamole and black beans or with your favorite taco toppings (our Magic Green Sauce, Easy Red Salsa, and Vegan Sour Cream would all be delicious).
For a heartier meal, try pairing them with our Easy 1-Pot Refried Beans, Grilled Corn Salad with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing, Chickpea Chopped Kale Salad with Adobo Dressing, or Grilled Corn with Sriracha Aioli.
More Taco Recipes for Summer
- Smoky BBQ Bean Tacos (Vegan, GF)
- 10-Minute Raw Vegan Taco “Meat”
- Crispy Baked Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
- Spicy Baked Fish Tacos (30 Minutes!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vibrant Bell Pepper and Zucchini Tacos
Ingredients
TACOS
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (or sub avocado oil)
- 2 heaping cups zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch matchsticks (2 small zucchini yield ~2 cups or 275 g)
- 1 cup yellow or white onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices (1 small onion yields ~1 cup or 150 g)
- 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch slices (1 medium bell pepper yields ~1 ½ cups or 119 g)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (plus more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 4 corn tortillas (find our homemade recipe here!)
FOR SERVING optional
- Black beans
- Guacamole
- Magic Green Sauce (or chimichurri)
- Easy Red Salsa
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the oil in a large cast iron skillet and turn to medium heat. When the oil is hot, place zucchini slices flesh side down in the skillet without overlapping (work in batches as needed). Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until browned (see photo). Flip the zucchini to brown the other side (a fork works best for flipping). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining zucchini until all of the zucchini is seared.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add the bell pepper and cook until tender but with a little bite remaining — about 2-3 more minutes.
- Turn heat to low. Return the zucchini to the skillet and add the salt, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and lime juice. Toss to coat and heat through, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more salt for balance, red pepper flakes for heat, or lime juice for acidity.
- Warm tortillas by wrapping in a damp paper towel (or kitchen towel) and microwaving for 30 seconds – 1 minute. If using fresh or homemade tortillas, you can warm them one at a time in a cast iron skillet over high heat (or on a hot grill) for 10-20 seconds on each side (or until just warmed), then wrap in a towel to keep warm until serving.
- Divide the filling between the warmed tortillas and serve as is or with toppings or sides of your choice (black beans and guacamole are our favorites).
- Best when fresh. Leftover filling will keep stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Not freezer friendly.
Christine says
I changed it a bit but kept the basic idea. Grilled the veggies added my southwest seasoning to finished dish. Had on a corn tortilla with slice of avocado and jalapeño sauerkraut. Yummy!
Yum, those modifications sound delicious! Thank you for sharing, Christine! xo
Heidi says
YUMMEE! Didn’t change a thing. I used canned black beans but made the garlicky guacamole which was an excellent addition!
Yum! Thanks so much for the great review, Heidi!
Colette says
I just made these, without any additions to the recipe, other than my husband added sour cream to his. I was surprised at just how flavorful they were considering the the few number of simple ingredients. The veggies were perfectly browned and the onions were slightly caramelized. We used a few different types of peppers and zucchini, all freshly picked from the garden! I’ll make this again. Quick, easy and very tasty! Thanks for the recipe!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Colette. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Natalie says
This recipe was so delicious!!! Definitely recommend! Quick and easy to make! We added jalapeños and hot sauce (we like spicy !! Haha)
Amazing! Love those additions! Thank you for sharing, Natalie! xo
Zopi says
I made these for dinner last night with home made corn tortillas and guacamole. They were super delicious!! They are a family favourite now :) and I am thinking of making them every week as it’s a fantastic way of adding veggies to your meal. I substituted the regular pepper flakes with Korean red pepper flakes (Gochujang) and it tasted amazing. Thank you so much Dana and Minimalistbaker team for sharing such lovely recipes xoxo
Zopi says
Sorry I meant Gochugaru – Korean red pepper flakes and not Gochijang.
Thank you so much for the sweet review, Zopi! We are so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed them. Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Zopi says
Oh yes.. an absolute 5 star from me xx
Thanks so much, Zopi! xo
Nicole says
I made these yesterday with guacamole and added some srirarcha mayo. Omg they were so tasty! Caught myself a few hours later just craving them hahahahah (I’m not a very vegetarian person either so that’s says something right?). Can’t wait to make these again with the red salsa :)
Ooo – gauc and sriracha mayo sound like delicious toppings! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nicole, we’re so glad you enjoyed!
Abbey says
Great summer dinner with fresh guacamole! It was a hit. Extra lime juice in both the veggies and guacamole made it super delicious. :)
Yay! We love to hear this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Abbey!
Michelle says
I made this last night. Wonderful flavors. I would definitely make it again! Great way to use zucchini and peppers from the garden. I served it with tacos made from chickpea flour, salsa and lime. Unfortunately I was out of avocados. Delicious recipe as usual!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Michelle! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tacos!
Dena says
YUM. great way to use up the zucchini in my fridge. Smeared refried beans on the tortillas, then added the veggies, guac, and cotija cheese. New favorite lunch!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Dena. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing what you served them with! xo
Savanna says
This is so good. It’s basically a one pan meal as well! I added black beans and used her crispy baked taco shells + some chile powder & cayenne for some extra heat and WOW. Stunningly good use of fresh summer produce. Topped off with cilantro, lime, Greek yogurt and my family was full and happy!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Savanna! And LOVE your additions. Thank you for sharing! xo
Molly says
Zucchini are definitely one of my go to’s for so many meals. This looks like a delicious cooking technique! I’m definitely going to try it. Bonus that this is also inexpensive! Thanks!
Agree on everything you said here! Hope you love them, Molly!