Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Our mom’s Stuffed Zucchini Boats are a straightforward, weekday, low-carb meal. This recipe is so: melt-in-your-mouth zucchini are hollowed out and stuffed with a hearty meat sauce that gets topped with cheese and baked to perfection! There are so many different ways to enjoy zucchini but one of our favorite ways is stuffed and served as a main course. These straightforward stuffed zucchini boats are light and can easily fit into your protein or dietary goals if you use ground meat, such as beef, turkey, or chicken. Ground meat is quick cooking, which helps this meal come together in minutes on busy nights; plus you can use store-bought tomato sauce – so effortless!

What stands out

These Stuffed Zucchini Boats are a great dinner idea when you’re stuck in a rut. They are so filling and satisfying, full of wholesome ingredients that will keep you fuelled. The cheesy topping is out of the world and irresistable. The filling for these zucchini boats is savory and flavorful, and adaptable to whatever ground meat you prefer or have on hand. The zucchini is baked perfectly to tender-crisp so it still holds it shape and the filling. This is a great meal idea to keep things interesting but it still comes together quickly and easily.

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Use a sharp knife to cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then take a spoon and scoop out the inside of the zucchini carefully, so that you have enough room to add in the filling. Then set aside.

Now, finely dice the onion and mince the garlic.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil.

Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the water has evaporated and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onions and stir.

Then add the salt, paprika, oregano, and garlic and stir. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the tomato sauce and stir. Last but not least, add the water and let it evaporate and thicken completely as you stir.

When you can easily run a wooden spoon through the meat without leaving any liquid behind, it’s ready to take off the heat.

In a baking dish large enough to fit all of the boats, add marinara sauce to the bottom.Take a zucchini boat, fill it with meat, and place it in the baking dish on top of the marinara. Repeat until all the meat is used.

Now, top each zucchini with your favorite melty cheese.

Bake until golden, about 45 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they bake to make sure they do not burn. The zucchini boats should still have a bite to them when cut. Enjoy!

Kitchen tip

To prevent the zucchini from becoming too soft, avoid over-baking them. The zucchini should still have a slight bite when done.

Swaps

1. Feel free to use any ground meat you like. Be mindful that ground chicken or ground turkey is lean and won’t brown like pork or beef.
2. If you are plant-based you can use a plant-based ground “meat” of choice.
3. Use a good-quality melty cheese that tastes good. We don’t like anything pre-grated. Fontina, Provolone, or Mozzarella are wonderful options. Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is also lovely in combination with any of these cheeses.
4. You can add a bit of spice such as chili flakes or diced jalapenos to the filling as well.

Serve it with

• These Stuffed Zucchini Boats are a great main dish, served with a side salad, like our Green Goddess SaladSimple Green Salad or Lemon Parmesan Salad.
• Serve these with a beautiful loaf of bread, like our No Knead Garlic Bread or No Knead Peasant Bread.

Questions

what kind of marinara sauce do you use in this recipe?

We make our a strong homemade sugo and use that sauce for this recipe but you can use any good quality marinara like Rao’s if you like.

what kind of meat can we use in these stuffed zucchini boats?

You can use any ground meat, such as chicken, turkey, or a plant-based alternative. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the type of meat used.

can we freeze these stuffed zucchini boats?

We don’t recommend it as the zucchini will be extremely mushy when thawed but you can freeze the meat filling and have it ready any day of the week.

strong Can we make this recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely! You can replace the ground meat with a meatless alternative, such as crumbled tofu, tempeh, or a plant-based ground “meat.” You can also add more vegetables like mushrooms or lentils to the filling.

strong Can we prepare the zucchini boats ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the zucchini boats and fill them with the meat mixture in advance. Store them in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking. Just add the cheese and bake when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients

Makes 9 boats

• 4 medium zucchini, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 400 grams ground meat, I like beef or turkey
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ cup plain tomato sauce
• ¼ cup water, or white wine, or broth

Additional Ingredients

• 1.5 cups marinara, I use my sugo recipe or a high-quality store-bought brand, such as Rao's
• ½ cup mozzarella, grated

Equipment

• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Large Sauté Pan
• 9×13 Baking Dish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Take a spoon and scoop out the inside of the zucchini carefully (making them look like a boat), so that you have enough room to add in the filling.
3. Once cleaned and scooped, set aside. You can use the inside of the scooped zucchini for smoothies or other recipes of choice.
4. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the water has evaporated and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onions and stir. Add the salt, paprika, oregano, and garlic and stir. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the tomato sauce and stir. Last but not least, add the water and let it evaporate and thicken completely as you stir.
6. When you can easily run a wooden spoon through the meat without leaving any liquid behind, it's ready to take off the heat.
7. In a baking dish large enough to fit all of the boats, add marinara sauce to the bottom.
8. Take a zucchini boat, fill it with meat and place it in the baking dish on top of the marinara. Do this for each one until the meat has finished.
9. When the baking dish is full of the filled zucchini boats, top it with your favorite melty cheese. You can use any cheese you like but make sure it melts well and tastes delicious (nothing pre-grated) for best results.
10. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they bake to make sure they do not burn. The zucchini boats should still have a bite to them when cut. Enjoy!