Running out of ways to use zucchini? Let's face it, there's only so much zucchini bread you can eat!
So I'm going savory with my zucchini and stuffing it into boats. I make a super simple meat sauce of ground beef and marinara, scoop out zucchini halves and fill them with the meat sauce. Bake, sprinkle with cheese, and bake a little more.
The zucchini makes a perfect shell to hold the sauce, and while you're eating it you'll marvel that it's easy to eat and has a great texture. No one will realize it's actually a vegetable and low carb. You're welcome.
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Ingredients
- Zucchini - about 3-4 medium zucchini
- Ground beef
- Marinara sauce
- Yellow onion (or sweet onion)
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Shredded cheese - Italian blend or mozzarella
How to Make these Easy Zucchini Boats
Step 1: Prep the zucchini by cutting in half lengthwise, then scooping out the center to form a shell of about ½ inch all around. Lightly salt the open side and let these shells sit for a while. They need a minimum of 20 minutes, but I have left them for a couple hours with success. The longer you leave them, the more moisture that will sweat out, which reduces the final "mushiness" of your zucchini.
Step 2: Prepare the meat sauce. First brown the ground beef with the chopped onion. Add the seasonings and then one cup of marinara sauce. This will make a very thick sauce, because you are not trying to coat pasta, you simply want saucy meat to use in your shells. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavor.
Step 3: Stuff the shells. First, drain any liquid from the shells and blot them a little with paper towels. Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil for easy clean up. Then place the shells into the dish, cut side up. Use the meat sauce to fill the hollowed-out part of each zucchini half, mounding the meat up slightly. Optional step: spoon a little more marinara sauce over each of the stuffed shells for an extra saucy taste.
Step 4: Bake. Place the pan of stuffed zucchini boats in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the boats with the shredded cheese and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven when the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted. The zucchini boats are ready to serve right away.
Serving Suggestions
These stuffed zucchini already include veggies and meat, so you've got a great start on a healthy plate. I like to serve with a simple green salad just to balance the taste and texture a little. A side of broccoli would also be a nice addition. Need some carbs to keep the humans happy? Try some garlic bread in the air fryer to add delightfully crunchy contrast. You do you!
Variation Ideas for this Zucchini Boats Recipe
I kept this simple by using ground beef, but feel free to substitute any ground meat. Ground turkey will make it lighter, and Italian sausage will make it undeniably richer.
Sometimes I use the zucchini flesh I scooped out by adding it to the sauce. This will add a lot of liquid so give the sauce extra time to cook off that liquid before using it to stuff the shells.
And the world of cheese is at your disposal! I like to go with the classic pairing of Italian cheese, but you could also substitute or add in Parmesan cheese with the same effect. Want to be adventurous? Try a sprinkle of cheddar cheese to really mix things up!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They reheat beautifully in the microwave and make a terrific lunch!
📖 Recipe
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Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup marinara sauce plus additional ½ cup for topping
- ½ a medium yellow onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3- 4 medium zucchini squash
- ½ cup shredded cheese mozzarella or Italian blend
Instructions
- To prep, cut zucchini in half lengthwise (cut off the stem end first) and scoop out the middle flesh and seeds. Salt lightly and let sit for a minimum of 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.3- 4 medium zucchini squash
- Preheat oven to 400°F. If desired, foil line a 9x13 baking dish (for easier cleanup).
- Heat a skillet on medium to medium-high heat and add the ground beef and onion. Stir and cook, breaking up the beef, until no pink remains.1 pound ground beef, ½ a medium yellow onion
- Add seasonings and 1 cup of the marinara sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.1 cup marinara sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Drain the zucchini shells and blot dry with a paper towel. Place in the baking dish cut side up.
- Spoon the meat sauce evenly into the zucchini shells. If desired, spoon a little more marinara sauce over the top of each one.
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Remove baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the boats with the shredded cheese. Return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted. Ready to serve right away.½ cup shredded cheese
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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