Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

Zucchini boats on a platter with a fork taking a bite.

5 from 1 vote

Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

Making zucchini boats with ground beef has never been easier! All you need is a few ingredients and a little kitchen time to put this hearty dish together!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Servings:

Calories: 365kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini ends trimmed, then cut in half lengthwise, 8 inch
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup onion finely chopped
4 tblsp garlic minced
½ pound ground beef ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, or ground sausage
⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
⅓ cup cheese shredded
⅓ cup tomato based pasta sauce
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Get out and measure all of your ingredients.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ground meat. Cook together 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened and the meat is cooked through.
In a small bowl, mix the cheeses together. Remove four heaping tablespoons of the cheese and set aside. Add the rest of the cheese to the meat mixture, along with the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper, as desired. Mix well.
Use a small spoon to scrape out the insides of each zucchini half - the seeds and pulp. Make a valley to hold the stuffing! Pat inside of the zucchini with paper towel.
Brush lightly with olive oil. Divide the meat mixture between the zucchinis. Filling each one.
Put the stuffed zucchinis onto the prepared pan and sprinkle the reserved cheese on top. Bake 30 minutes. Or until baked through and tender.
Enjoy every bite.

Notes

Keep the peel on: You might be tempted to peel the zucchini, but for this recipe, it’s best to keep it on. Baking will make the skin nice and tender, and without the skin, the entire thing would just fall apart.

Cook right: Avoid overcooking the meat mixture. Take it off heat once the onions and garlic are soft, and the meat is fully cooked.

Core wisely: Zucchinis are soft, and it's very easy to scoop out too much if you aren't careful. Make sure you only remove the seeds.

Add more flavor: To add a bit of extra flavor and deliciousness, you can add a splash of balsamic vinegar or some powdered stock cube into the ground beef mixture.

Nutrition