Turn zucchini into a dish everyone will love! Easy to make stuffed zucchini boats filled with savoury Italian flavours make a low-carb satisfying meal.

Zucchini are halved lengthwise and hollowed out to resemble boats. The boats are filled with a savoury stuffing of ground beef, garlic, onions, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, seasonings and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese. The zucchini boats bake in the oven until the zucchini is tender crisp underneath the savoury stuffing and mozzarella cheese topping.

When zucchini are plentiful in summer months this is a fun way to enjoy them. They’re so simple to make and the kids can even help assemble them. Low-carb, easy to make, filled with varied textures, and with an amazing taste, your family won’t be able to get enough of these!

Ingredients needed

Zucchini
Pine nuts
Ground beef
Olive Oil
Onion and garlic
Oregano, paprika, salt and pepper
Roma tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes
Panko breadcrumbs
Egg
Mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses
Parsley

How to prepare zucchini

Zucchini are incredibly healthy, have zero fat, are high in fiber and low in carbs. This makes them the perfect vessel for stuffing with savoury Italian flavours. This recipe works best with medium sized zucchini as shown in the photo.

Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise
With a melon baller or a spoon scoop out the pulp from the centre leaving about ¼” to ½” walls
Sprinkle each sliced zucchini with half of the salt and pepper
Arrange zucchini on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

How to make the stuffing

Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium high heat; transfer pine nuts to a plate to cool
Heat oil, add ground beef, crumble and cook, add onion, garlic, oregano, paprika and remaining salt and pepper; cook until tender
Add diced tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes while stirring to combine; let cool for 5 – 10 minutes
Add sun-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and beaten egg and stir to combine well.

How to assemble the zucchini boats

Divide stuffing evenly among the zucchini halves, piling it into mounds and packing it down
Sprinkle tops evenly with mozzarella cheese
Cover lightly with a sheet of greased foil
Bake 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until golden

Frequently asked questions

Do the zucchini need to be pre-cooked?

The zucchini do not have to be pre-cooked as they cook in the oven with the stuffing piled on them. The goal is for the zucchini to cook just to a tender crisp texture.

Can I replace the ground beef with anything else?

You could replace the ground beef with ground pork, chicken or turkey. To make this recipe vegetarian, replace the ground beef with tofu crumble. Either way you’ll get equally good results!

Can I make stuffed zucchini boats ahead of time?

You can assemble the zucchini boats early in the day or up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate them. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.

Can I freeze stuffed zucchini boats?

Assembled and stuffed zucchini boats are definitely not suitable for freezing before being baked. However, once they are baked you can freeze them in an airtight container, but the texture will change slightly, the zucchini and stuffing will become a little moister but they’ll still taste great!

How to I reheat leftover stuffed zucchini boats?

If you happen to have any leftovers you can reheat them on a low temperature in the oven or simply microwave them. Just like with freezing above, the zucchini and stuffing will become a little moister after reheating, but will still taste great!

These zucchini boats make a healthy and light summer meal while still being hearty and satisfying. If desired, serve with a fresh green salad to round off the meal.

I love fresh zucchini in the summer – that’s why I’m always looking for ways to use them. Try some other zucchini recipes:

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini stuffed with Italian inspired ingredients of crumbled ground beef, garlic, onions, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and seasonings topped with mozzarella cheese make a low-carb meal.

Servings 6

Ingredients

6 medium zucchini about 3 lbs / 1.3 kg
2 teaspoons salt divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
⅓ cup pine nuts toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
400 grams lean ground beef
1 cup diced onion about 1 medium
2 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
4 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg lightly beaten
⅓ cup chopped parsley plus more for garnish
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet or two smaller ones, by lining with parchment paper.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. With a melon baller or a spoon, scoop out pulp from centre leaving about ¼” to ½” thick walls; discard pulp. Arrange zucchini halves on the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Set aside.
In a small skillet over medium-high heat toast pine nuts tossing them in pan constantly until they just began to look golden. The nuts toast quickly so do not leave unattended. Immediately transfer nuts to a plate to cool and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up into crumbles. Cook the beef, stirring occasionally until browned. Add onion, garlic, oregano, paprika, and remaining 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper and stir to combine. Cook until onion is tender, about 4 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes and stir to combine while cooking for 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let the mixture cool for 5 – 10 minutes.
Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Add beaten egg and stir well to combine.
Divide mixture evenly among the zucchini halves and pile it into mounds. Sprinkle tops with mozzarella cheese. Cover lightly with greased foil paper and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil paper and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes until zucchini is tender and the cheese topping is golden. Sprinkle with parsley.