This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the perfect way to enjoy your fresh summer zucchini!
Tender zucchini filled with a rich and zesty meat sauce is topped with cheese and baked until tender and bubbly.
Serve this easy dish with a side salad and garlic bread for the perfect family meal!
Of all of the things that grow in my garden, the herbs and the zucchini have to be my absolute favorites (ok, and the tender baby carrots). I have so many zucchini recipes and this one is near the top of the list!
Ingredients for Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Zucchini – You may need only two zucchini if the zucchini is large or 3-4 if they are smaller. Yellow summer squash can also be used in this recipe, you may need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
This filling can also be added to small bell peppers (pre-cook them a minute or two in the microwave first) or even portobello mushrooms if you’d like.
Meat Filling – This recipe starts with a zesty meat sauce. I use beef but Italian sausage (or even ground turkey sausage) is great too! Use your favorite marinara sauce and chop up any veggies you love to add to the sauce.
Optional Additions – Fresh tomatoes, kidney beans, corn, or other fresh vegetables can be added. Try a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Prepare zucchini by scraping out the flesh in the center to create a ‘boat’.
- Make a quick meat sauce with ground beef or sausage, onion, and marinara sauce or pasta sauce.
- Fill and bake the zucchini until tender. Sprinkle with cheese and bake a little bit longer.
Garnish with fresh herbs if you’d like and serve with crusty bread.
Tips for Making Great Zucchini Boats
- If you prefer softer zucchini or if using garden zucchini that are thicker or large, this recipe can be cooked longer before adding the cheese.
- The core of the zucchini can be chopped and added to the sauce along with the red pepper or it can be added to soups or chilis if desired.
- If adding the zucchini or other vegetables to the sauce, allow them to cook a little bit before adding the marinara sauce so the sauce is not watery.
- Leftover meat sauce or chili can be used in place of the meat sauce in this recipe.
More Ways to Enjoy Fresh Zucchini
- Crispy Oven Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries These easy parmesan zucchini fries are so good you’d never know they’re baked and not fried!
- Parmesan Chicken Foil Packets: Zucchini is the perfect addition to these quick and easy foil packets. We love to serve them over spaghetti!
- Zucchini Brownies If you’ve never had zucchini brownies, you’ve been missing out! They’re so moist topped with a perfect 1 Minute Frosting!
- Zucchini Soup This soup is creamy, flavorful, and freezer friendly!
Easy Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini about 6 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound lean ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 ½ cups pasta sauce or marinara, divided
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
Sauce
- Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Stir in the bell pepper (and any extra zucchini bits if you'd like) and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until it begins to soften.
- Stir in 1 cup pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt & pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
Zucchini
- Slice zucchini lengthwise and use a teaspoon to scrape out the center to create a ½-inch thick shell. Brush with olive oil and season the zucchini with salt & pepper to taste.
- Place the zucchini in a large baking dish. Fill each zucchini with the beef mixture. Top with the remaining ½ cup pasta sauce and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Top with the cheeses and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the zucchini is soft and the cheese is bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
this recipe was so delicious! I made it last week as is and this week I decided to throw in two Italian sausages into the ground meat mixture this time. it was equally as delicious this way too. I imagine you could also use ground turkey and make it a little bit healthier and also add so many different vegetables if you choose to but it really needs nothing else and is perfect as written. thankfully I have lots of zucchini coming up in my garden. thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is a really tasty recipe! I left about an inch of pulp in my zucchini and did not cook it quite long enough. I liked it fine but my husband thought it was a little firm. I would probably go another 15 minutes before adding the cheese if you’re using large zucchini. Today I have some tiny yellow squash out of the garden, so I’m going to try it with them this time!
Very good recipe! The Hubby loved it! My first time making stuffed zucchini. I’ll be making it again
PERFECT! Used Turkey Italian Sausage
we love these! once again, another great recipe from Spend With Pennies.
I used mild Italian sausage and added all the zucchini flesh to the filling. we’ve left out the onions and peppers and had them in there and it still tastes great. Vegan family here so we let people add cheese to their own once served. Even the cheese less are still wonderful!
This recipe was delicious. I made it with ground turkey and added just a touch of paprika and crushed fennel seed to make it taste like I used sausage. First time making stuffed zucchini and I will definitely make it again!
This was so tasty, no one suspected how easy it was to prepare.
So good and easy to prepare….
These were okay. I thought they were a bit on the bland side and could have used more spices. If I make them again, I will add more spice to the zucchini before filling them and also maybe use a few more cloves of garlic when I cook the beef.
Tastes great!! We added 1 medium/large jalapeño to ours to add some extra heat/flavor and it was great!!
Could these be re-heated or will they be too soggy?
These can be reheated. If you freeze them, the zucchini will soften a bit more but if they’re in the fridge for a few days, I don’t find them soggy.
Enjoyed and will make again
Love this recipe. So easy to change up meats and flavorings. I have taco boats going right now for my lunch!
Easy and really good! Even my picky eater loved them!
yummy!! And so easy to make. I can’t wait to try it in squash.
Yummy! I used ground chicken and it was a big hit!
Delicious idea Kathy!
What is the serving size on these is it 2 slices of the the zucchini make one serving?
This recipe makes 6 boats. So one serving is equal to one zucchini boat or half a zucchini that has been stuffed. Hope that helps!
Delicious
loved this recipe thank you will be back to check out more