Quick & Easy
Smashed Zucchini with Lime Cotija & Cilantro
This smashed zucchini recipe is a great way to use up a bumper crop of fresh summer zucchini. Smashing the zucchini increases the surface area that absorbs the flavors of cilantro, cotija cheese and lime beautifully. If you can't find cotija cheese, feta cheese is a good substitute.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ⅓ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
- Position 1 rack in lower third of oven and 1 rack 3 inches from the broiler; preheat to 425°F.
- Toss zucchini with oil, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
- Arrange the zucchini in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the lower rack, rotating the pan halfway through, until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil. Return the zucchini to the top rack; broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Lightly smash each zucchini round with the bottom of a small jar or bowl.
- Sprinkle with lime zest, cotija and cilantro.