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This Mediterranean ground beef zucchini skillet is ready in about 30 minutes in one pan. Ground beef is browned with a warm Lebanese spice blend of cinnamon, allspice and paprika, then tossed with tender zucchini noodles and topped with feta, tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s a juicy, flavor-packed weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
This is the dinner I make when I want something cozy and full of flavor without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. The secret is the spice blend. Cinnamon, allspice and a pinch of cloves are the warm, savory spices I use in so many of my Lebanese beef recipes, and they turn plain ground beef into something that tastes like it took way more than 30 minutes.
Everything happens in one skillet, and the zucchini only needs a couple of minutes to soften. Readers tell me it works exactly as written, and no spiralizer is needed. Thinly sliced zucchini works great too. If you love this one, try my Mediterranean Ground Beef Skillet or Mediterranean Zucchini Boats next.
Why We Love this Zucchini Skillet
This low-carb zucchini skillet is a great, quick meal! Here is why we love it:
• Warm spices season the beef from the inside out. Cooking the cinnamon, allspice, paprika and cloves right along with the beef lets the fat carry their flavor through every bite.
• Draining the fat keeps the zucchini from going greasy. Zucchini soaks up whatever is in the pan, so removing the extra fat keeps it fresh and tender.
• A quick 2 to 3 minute cook keeps the noodles from getting watery. Zucchini is mostly water. Barely cooking it keeps a little bite and stops it from releasing liquid.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Ground Beef: I like to use 80/20 ground beef to get that extra flavor from the fat in the meat but if you want a leaner beef you can use 90/10. Make sure that you drain the fat from the ground beef before adding it to the zucchini noodles.
- Spices: When making Mediterranean beef recipes I often use the same mixture of spices: cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, paprika and cloves. They are warm, rich and add a ton of flavor to the dish.
- Zucchini Noodles: I love making zucchini noodles using my spiralizer. If you don’t have a spiralizer you can dice the zucchini or cut it however you prefer. Just make sure that you cook the zucchini a bit to make is soft. The nice thing with the zucchini noodles is they are pretty soft already and don’t need much cook time.
- Tomatoes: I like adding freshly diced tomatoes to this recipe but if you prefer you can add canned diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
- Feta Cheese: Feta cheese adds that extra creamy, salty flavor to the finished dish. If you don’t like feta cheese you can skip it – it will still taste great!
Ways to Modify This Zucchini Skillet
- Swap the meat: Ground lamb is my favorite swap and tastes especially Lebanese with these spices. Ground turkey or ground chicken also work well. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil since they’re leaner.
- Change the veggies: Mix in yellow squash noodles with the zucchini, or add diced bell pepper with the onion. A couple handfuls of baby spinach tossed in at the end wilt right into the beef.
- Add chickpeas: Stir in a can of drained chickpeas with the beef to make it even heartier and stretch it for a bigger crowd.
- Try a spice shortcut: Use 2 to 3 teaspoons of Lebanese seven spice in place of the individual spices. If your family is new to warm spices, start with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and build from there.
- Switch up the cheese: Crumbled goat cheese is creamy and tangy. Halloumi, seared and cubed, adds a salty, golden bite.
- Finish it differently: Top with toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of tahini, a spoonful of plain yogurt, fresh mint or a squeeze of lemon.
- Serve it with something: Spoon it over rice, orzo or couscous, or serve it with warm pita and hummus to scoop it up.
How to Make Zucchini with Ground Beef:
Step 1. Cook the Beef Mixture: Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, paprika and clove and cook until browned and cooked through. Drain the fat from the ground beef and return to the pan.
Step 2: Add Zucchini: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the zucchini noodles and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, just until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add Feta: Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top. If you want the feta slightly melted, place the skillet in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 3 minutes (use an oven-safe skillet).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the zucchini. Zucchini is mostly water, so cooking it longer than 2 to 3 minutes turns it soft and soggy. Pull it off the heat as soon as it’s tender.
- Skipping the fat drain. Zucchini soaks up whatever is in the pan. Drain the beef before adding the noodles so the skillet doesn’t turn greasy.
- Salting the zucchini too early. Salt pulls water out of zucchini and leaves a puddle in the pan. Season at the very end instead.
- Using too little zucchini. One zucchini doesn’t go far once it’s cooked down. Use 2 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds) so there’s plenty for everyone.
- Adding the feta too soon. Stir it in over high heat and it melts into the pan. Sprinkle it on right before serving so it stays creamy and salty.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The zucchini will soften a bit as it sits, but the flavor stays great.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, just until heated through. Skillet reheating keeps the zucchini from getting watery, but the microwave works in a pinch. Heat in 30-second bursts and drain any liquid before serving.
- Make ahead: For the best texture, store the cooked beef and the raw zucchini noodles separately. The spiced beef keeps for up to 4 days, and spiralized zucchini keeps for up to 5 days in a container lined with a paper towel. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the beef, toss in the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes and add the toppings.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooked spiced beef on its own for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the zucchini because it turns mushy once thawed. Thaw the beef overnight in the fridge, then finish with fresh zucchini.
Recipe FAQ
Cook them for only 2 to 3 minutes over medium-low heat, just until tender. Drain the fat from the beef before adding the zucchini, and wait to salt until the end, since salt pulls water out of zucchini. For extra insurance, pat the noodles dry with a paper towel before cooking.
Yes! Thinly slice the zucchini into half moons or matchsticks, or use store-bought zucchini noodles. Cook the same way, just until tender.
Store raw spiralized zucchini in a container lined with a paper towel in the fridge for up to 5 days. The paper towel absorbs extra moisture and keeps them from getting slimy.
Yes. Cook the spiced beef up to 4 days ahead and spiralize the zucchini separately. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the beef, toss in the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes and add the toppings. Leftovers of the finished dish keep for up to 3 days, though the zucchini will soften.
More Beef Recipes
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Mediterranean Ground Beef Zucchini Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 garlic , minced
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon clove
- 2 zucchini, spiralized
- 1 tomato, diced {or use canned diced tomatoes}
- 1 cup feta cheese, {you could try goat cheese or mozzarella}
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, paprika and clove and cook until browned and cooked through. Drain the fat from the ground beef and return to the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the zucchini noodles and toss for 2 to 3 minutes, just until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top. If you want the feta slightly melted, place the skillet in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 3 minutes (use an oven-safe skillet).
- Top with diced tomatoes, parsley and green onions and serve warm.
Notes
- Make ahead: Cook the spiced beef up to 4 days ahead. Reheat, add the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes and top just before serving.
- Zucchini prep: Spiralized zucchini keeps up to 5 days in the fridge in a container lined with a paper towel.
- No spiralizer: Thinly slice the zucchini into half moons or matchsticks.
- Leftovers: Store up to 3 days. The zucchini softens over time, so reheat gently in a skillet.
- Spice level: For a milder version, reduce or skip the cayenne.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had this recipe saved ages ago and completely forgot about it. I made it yesterday and my family and I loved it! Super easy to make and very flavorful. I only used a little cayenne pepper and I made the mistake of only using one large zucchini in fear of making too much- it was not enough and should’ve followed the recipe. I am going to make it again today. Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad you liked it!
This worked exactly as written, thanks! Sooo good!
I am so glad!
We all loved it!
I am so glad!
‘Omitted the gr. cloves and (lacking a spiralizer) simply thinly sliced the zucchini – – Wow! What a quick and tasty one pan meal! Given that it’s zucchini season, this is a keeper!
I am so glad that you liked it! Great idea to just thinly slice the zucchini!
I made this tonight for my family of 3 fellas and myself. I doubled the recipe so I could hopefully have leftovers.
I have 2 picky eaters so went light on some of the spices and added a little soy sauce. My husband like paprika so I went heavy on it. Also I offered my picky eaters to have it over rice. I believe it was a hit! Maybe over time over time I can put the regular amount of spices.
As I made it tonight, it was really yummy, but I believe it would be delicious exactly as the recipe is here.
I am so glad you enjoyed it! I like the idea of adding it over rice- my kids would like that too. Hope you try it again!
Can you provide the calorie count per serving for this very yummy dish? I want to try it with ground lamb too!
Hi there, At this time I don’t have nutritional data. I am hoping to have it soon. You could try entering it into a calorie tracker for an idea.
I prepared this last evening and it was a delicious hit. Easy & quick preparation
Thank you for this inspiration
So glad you liked it!