I love finding creative uses for zucchini. In all honesty, I don’t care for the taste of zucchinis. However, they are perfect when used as a vehicle for other ingredients! Zucchinis will take on the flavors of whatever they are added to, so for this ground turkey recipe, I used them as a carb swap for tortillas, like what I did to this Zucchini Enchiladas.
This Healthy And Zesty Zucchini Enchiladas dish can be tricky to master. The first time I made it, the result was a bit sloppy! Each time I’ve made it since then, the taste and visual appeal improved. Practice makes perfect!
Healthy And Zesty Zucchini Enchiladas
Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 large zucchinis
- 3-ounce lean ground turkey (I used 93% lean)
- 2.5-ounce chopped green bell pepper
- 1.5-ounce chopped white onion
- 4-ounce canned petite diced tomatoes
- 3-ounce canned tomato sauce (plain, no added sugar)
- 85 grams frozen riced cauliflower
- 14 grams of low-fat mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- Lime juice
- Pam (nonstick cooking spray)
- Seasoning blend: chili powder, salt, pepper, cilantro flakes, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- Optional Topping Ideas: Greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, salsa, hot sauce
Instructions
1. With your vegetable peeler, firmly and evenly press down on your zucchini lengthwise to get long strips. Peel strips from one side until you hit the center, and then flip the zucchini around and peel from the other side. Make sure your strips are fairly even in length and don’t have holes (you’ll see what I mean when you get closer to the center of the zucchini). Set the strips on a paper towel to collect some of the moisture, and set them aside.
2. Go ahead and set your oven to 375°F, then take two small bowls. In one, mix your seasonings together, and in the other, add your tomato sauce. Pour 1/2 the seasoning mixture into the tomato sauce, stir, and set both bowls aside.
3. On the stove, heat a medium to a large pan over high heat, then spray pam and add your chopped pepper, onion, and minced garlic. Sauté until they are soft.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and add in the ground turkey. If the meat is sticking to the pan, add in more pam or a splash of broth. Cook until the turkey is a golden brown color.
5. Next, add your frozen riced cauliflower, diced tomatoes, lime juice, and the remaining seasoning to the pan. Continue stirring until the cauliflower is cooked and all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. If the ingredients start bubbling, turn down the heat.
6. Pour the contents of the pan into a bowl. Now you will need your baking dish (spray with pam), a cutting board, the zucchini slices, and your tomato sauce. On your cutting board, lay down zucchini slices, and continue to layer additional slices on top from left to right, overlapping about halfway, until you have a row about 5-6 inches wide. Take a few spoonful of your filling from the bowl and lay it out about a 1/2 inch from the top of your zucchini row. From there, you want to roll it. Use both hands as you hold down the top, tuck, and roll. They don’t have to be super tight, but if it is too loose, the filling will spill out the sides. It takes a bit of practice to get this down, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t nail it on the first try!
7. Place each one in the baker. Typically, I can fit 5-6 in my baking dish (8″x5.5″). How many you end up with will depend on how much filling you put in each enchilada and how many zucchini slices you made. When finished, take your tomato sauces and apply them evenly over the tops of your enchiladas with a spatula or large spoon.
8. Put it in the oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, take it out, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, and bake for another 4-5 minutes. You may notice the bottom of the pan collecting liquid. You can drain this after the dish is cooked, and it will not impact the taste.
9. Add toppings of your choice and get eating!
