My husband has said hands down, this soft zucchini taco shells recipe is his favorite way to enjoy the gluttony of zucchini that has come out of our garden this summer. It might be a good way to sneak some veggies in for picky eaters too!
What make this recipe a taco shell and not just a tortilla? Masa harina is the flour used to make corn tortillas, the base for most authentic tacos. I use it here to give these tortillas the flavor of a corn tortilla, and help bind the zucchini together.
Most recipes use breadcrumbs in the tortilla in place of the masa harina. I tried it and it was tasty, but much more delicate and pastry-like than a tortilla, especially a corn tortilla used for a taco!
Looking for taco ideas to fill your shell? Look no further, I’ve got you covered.
Vegan or Easily Vegan Tacos
- Pineapple Sriracha Tempeh Tacos
- Fried Avocado Black Bean Tacos (use vegan mayo)
Vegetarian Tacos
- Teriyaki Mushroom Tacos
- Mole Jackfruit Street Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Tacos
- Black Bean Tacos with Radish Corn Salsa
- Black Bean Tacos with Garlic Red Cabbage Slaw (*my all-time favorite!)
Pescetarian Tacos
- Five Spice Shrimp Tacos with Rhubarb Ginger Sauce
- Creamy Lemon Pepper Tuna Tacos
- Blackened Fish Tacos with Lime Crema
- Creamy Lemon Smoked Trout Tacos
Varitions to the Zucchini Taco Shells recipe:
- Try yellow zucchini or summer squash to make these tortillas look more like a corn tortilla, without the green specs.
- Can’t find masa harina flour? You can substitute another type of flour of your choice, such as all purpose, chickpea flour or corn flour. I do not recommend cornmeal as it is much coarser than flour, which will add a grainy texture, and not help as much with the binding.
- Finely shredded cheddar was better than a coarse shred, in my opinion, because it covers more surface area and doesn’t create a big cheesy spot in the tortilla. Both work, so use what is easier for you.
- Shredding zucchini: a food processor with a shredding disk or attachment will make quick zucchini shreds, but a box grater will work as well. However, expect that it will take more time for prep.
- 3 ½ cups shredded zucchini
- ⅛ tsp plus ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup each: masa harina flour, finely shredded cheddar cheese, grated parmesan
- ¼ tsp each: garlic powder and cumin
- 1 egg
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- In a clean kitchen towel, combine the shredded zucchini and ⅛ tsp salt. Let rest for 10 minutes. Wrap the towel around the zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as you can over the sink. You should be left with just over 2 compact cups of zucchini.
- Mix together squeezed zucchini, remaining ¼ tsp salt, masa flour, cheddar cheese, parmesan, garlic, cumin and egg. Stir until well combined.
- Divide the zucchini mixture into 6 portions, about ⅓ cup each. Press each portion into a 5-6 inch circle on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 20-22 minutes or until nicely browned on the edges.
- Once cool enough to handle, remove the shells from the parchment (mine pop right off) and fill with your favorite taco recipe.
Recipe adapted from White on Rice Couple.
This is a great idea.
Any idea how many carbs are in these?
I am just a home cook, not a nutritionist, therefore I don’t provide nutritional information. I suggest finding a recipe nutrition calculator on the web or in an app that you trust.
Do these freeze well? Can they be made when zucchinis are plentiful and then eaten in the winter?
I have not tried it so it’s hard to be sure, but I think that they would freeze well because the moisture has already been removed from the zucchini. If you try it let us know how it goes!
These turned out great. I think next time I’m going to chop a little cilantro and add to the mix.
Cilantro sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Peg!