Chipotle Zucchini and Corn Tacos
Question: why is Taco Tuesday such a widespread event, but Taco Thursday isn’t?
Seriously. Why is this? As far as I can tell, both days should be equally acceptable days to consume tacos. They both start with the letter “T”, thus satisfying the important requirement that the food we’re eating must start with the same first letter of that of the day it’s being consumed. And HELLO, the more days that we get to enjoy tacos, the better. Right?!?!
This all seems fairly straightforward to me. So as far as I’m concerned, today is Taco Thursday. And to celebrate, I’m sharing the recipe for these crazy easy Chipotle Zucchini and Corn Tacos.
It’s also 30 Minute Thursday, meaning that these babies can be made in just about 30 minutes. Which makes them ideal for a low stress weeknight dinner, even on the busiest of work/school nights.
Oh and did I mention that you only need one baking sheet and one bowl for this recipe? Yeah. That’s a pretty sweet bonus, if you ask me.
For more quick and easy recipes, check out the links below!
The filling for these tacos is pretty simple (but definitely not short on flavor!). And I narrowed down the toppings to just a few of my favorite things, like avocado, crumbled goat cheese and cilantro. But feel free to get crazier with the toppings if you want. Or maybe add some black beans if you want a more “stick to your ribs” version of this recipe. Whatever you do, just make sure you get out there and celebrate Taco Thursday!
Cheers,
Liz
Ingredients
- For the Filling
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 1 tsp. salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
- For Serving
- Corn tortillas, warmed or grilled
- Diced avocado
- Crumbled feta or goat cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the zucchini slices, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the adobo sauce, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and the cumin until the zucchini is well coated. Spread the zucchini slices out into a single layer on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Then transfer them to your pre-heated oven to roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the kernels off the corn cobs and add them to the same bowl you used to toss the zucchini. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt, tossing to combine. After the zucchini has roasted for 15 minutes, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the corn kernels, tossing to combine and flipping the zucchini over to the second side. Place the baking sheet back in your oven to roast for an additional 10 minutes. Then remove and cover to keep warm.
- To assemble the tacos, fill each tortilla with a spoonful of the roasted zucchini and corn. Then top with diced avocado, cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy immediately.
Chicken and Spinach Pesto Quesadillas from Pumpkin ‘N Spice
One Pot Baked Ziti from The Recipe Rebel
One Pot Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole from Kristine’s Kitchen
One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta from Savory Nothings
Peanut Chicken Stir Fry from Bake.Eat.Repeat.
Baked Avocados with Fresh Salsa
This post was originally published here on June 18, 2014. I’ve since updated the photos and text to showcase just how delicious these avocados really are!
With Memorial Day lurking right around the corner, I figured it was a good time to refresh this old recipe from 2014. Because let’s be honest, the previous photographs were pretty cringe-worthy. I certainly wouldn’t have been motivated to make these Baked Avocados with Fresh Salsa based on how they looked before. So how could I have expected you guys to want to make them?
So I gave them a little facelift. And now they look all shiny and pretty. I hope you get the urge to run right out and try them. Because I think they are the perfect recipe to help kick off the unofficial start of Summer this Memorial Day weekend!
When I first read about the idea of baked avocados (it was this post from Food Faith Fitness), I was skeptical. Wouldn’t they get all brown and weird? And who would ever want to eat a warm avocado? The whole concept seemed strange to me. But I was intrigued enough to try it out for myself. And since then, baked avocados have become a staple in my house (along with like every other recipe involving avocados = I’m obsessed).
Baking the avocados causes them to turn extra creamy and soft. And they provide the perfect little vessels for loading up with whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand (in this case, corn, tomatoes, crumbled cheese and cilantro). Any food that you can turn into an edible bowl is a major win in my book. Because boy, do I hate having extra dishes to wash!
I like to use crumbled Queso Fresco in this recipe (which is what I’ve called for in the ingredient list below). But for whatever reason, it’s an ingredient that I sometimes have a hard time finding in my grocery store. I’ve substituted crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese in the past, both with great success. So feel free to use whichever of the three cheeses you have/prefer.
These Baked Avocados with Fresh Salsa work as a party appetizer, side dish or mid-afternoon snack. Basically, they are good any time of day. Oh and don’t forget to have a bag of tortilla chips nearby. I think you’ll want them!
Cheers,
Liz
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/8 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning the avocados
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 4 avocados
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, corn, cheese, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Cut the avocados in half and remove and discard the seeds. Then slice a small area (about the size of a postage stamp) off the back side (the skin side) of each avocado half. This will give them a flat surface to rest on, preventing them from toppling over during cooking. Be careful not to cut too deeply into the avocado.
- Place the avocado halves in a baking dish, flesh side up. Sprinkle with a little salt. Then fill the cavities with a heaping spoonful of the salsa. Transfer the baking dish to your pre-heated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with some fresh cilantro and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Serve while still warm.
Notes
1. If you can’t find Queso Fresco, some crumbled feta or goat cheese would be great.
