Mexican roasted vegetables are the perfect side dish for your your next Tex-Mex meal, taco night, or addition to a taco salad. Made with simple ingredients and flavorful spices like chili powder, cumin, and coriander.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and bell pepper are tossed in olive oil and savory spices, then roasted until tender.
Variety of uses: Serve as a side dish, fajita topping, or add to a taco salad.
Serves: 4 people
Similar to: Oven Roasted Zucchini, Roasted Zucchini and Peppers, Roasted Zucchini and Broccoli
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegetables - I used zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and onion. Other great roasting vegetables include brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Remember the more dense your vegetable, the smaller you'll want to slice it to keep the same cook time.
- Olive oil - Any neutral cooking oil works in this recipe.
- Seasoning - Chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, oregano, and salt add a complex, savory, and slightly spicy flavor to your veggies.
- Fresh cilantro - I like to sprinkle some fresh chopped cilantro on top of my roasted veggies just before serving. If you don't like cilantro, it can be substituted with parsley or omitted entirely.
How to make Mexican roasted vegetables
- Add sliced veggies to a bowl and top with oil and seasoning.
- Toss until evenly coated.
- Spread onto a greased or lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
- Roast until fork tender and lightly browned.
Tips and tricks
Pat veggies dry - After slicing your zucchini and yellow squash, they'll begin to 'sweat' as they sit. Pat your squash dry with a paper towel just before tossing in the olive oil and spices.
Don't overcook - Take care not to overcook your squash in the oven. Zucchini cooks fairly quickly in the oven, needing only 16-18 minutes at most to cook through (when thick sliced).
Use thick slices - Slice your zucchini and yellow squash into thick, ½ inch circles. Thin zucchini cooks faster and can get mushy when overcooked.
Slice hearty veggies smaller - Slice heartier vegetables like bell pepper, broccoli, or brussels sprouts into smaller pieces. These vegetables take longer to cook, so slicing them smaller gives them similar cook time when paired with squash.
Frequently asked questions
I chose a few common vegetables found in Mexican cooking, including zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and onion. Corn, potatoes, poblano peppers, and avocado are a few other common vegetables found in Mexican cooking. Here's a great article about traditional Mexican fruits and vegetables: 7 Traditional Mexican Vegetables and Fruits
Zucchini and yellow squash have a very high water content - they're about 90 to 95% water. To prevent them from getting soggy, make sure you're not overcooking them, pat them dry before seasoning, and don't slice them too thin. Thin veggies cook faster and get mushy faster.
📖 Recipe
Mexican Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini
- 2 small yellow squash
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Slice zucchini and yellow squash into thick, ½ inch slices and pat dry, and slice onion and red bell pepper into slightly smaller slices.
- Add vegetables to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then add salt, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Toss until vegetables are evenly coated.
- Spread into an even layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 16-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through to your liking. Optionally, broil for 1-2 minutes to add color to your vegetables (watch carefully and do not walk away while broiling).
- Top with fresh cilantro and serve warm.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Veggies: If substituting with heartier vegetables like brussels sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower, slice vegetables smaller, especially when paired with quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini.
- To prevent mushy squash - take care not to overcook. Slice squash and zucchini into thick slices, and pat dry with a paper towel before tossing in spices.
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