Zucchini Boats Stuffed Beef (Printable)
Tender zucchini halves filled with a savory ground beef mixture topped with melted cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium zucchini
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium tomato, diced
→ Meats
05 - 1 lb ground beef
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - 1/2 tsp paprika
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
# How-to Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2 inch border to create boats. Chop the scooped-out flesh and set aside.
03 - Place the zucchini boats cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in diced tomato, chopped zucchini flesh, tomato paste, Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are tender and mixture is thickened.
07 - Spoon the beef mixture evenly into the zucchini boats. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 8–10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan while the zucchini boats roast, meaning minimal cleanup
- The zucchini boats keep all that beef and cheese flavor contained while the vegetable becomes tender and sweet
02 -
- Scooping the zucchini too thin will make the boats collapse during baking, so leave at least 1 cm of flesh
- The scooped zucchini flesh must go into the beef mixture or you will waste so much flavor and texture
03 -
- Place chopped zucchini flesh in the skillet first and cook it down a bit before adding the beef so it does not make the filling too watery
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper instead of greasing it because the cheese always melts off the boats and sticks