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Stuffed Zucchini Boats turn an abundance of zucchini into a hearty dinner loaded with savory meat sauce, Parmesan, and plenty of melted mozzarella. They’re cheesy, filling, and a great way to put those extra zucchini to work without serving another zucchini side dish.
Use ground beef, pork sausage, or a combination of both, and grab your favorite marinara. My garlic herb marinara sauce is a great choice if you have a batch on hand.
Here’s Why This Stuffed Zucchini Boats Recipe Works
The zucchini flesh goes into the filling: I like chopping the scooped zucchini and cooking it with the meat sauce. It adds body to the filling and keeps the recipe from wasting the centers.
No watery zucchini boats: The filling is cooked until thick before it goes into the zucchini, so you don’t end up with a puddle of liquid on the plate.
Plenty of cheese: Parmesan is stirred into the meat sauce, then mozzarella melts over the top for a cheesy finish without overwhelming the filling.
Tender zucchini that still holds its shape: The zucchini softens as it bakes but stays sturdy enough to hold all that meat sauce and cheese.
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini: Medium zucchini work best. Very large zucchini can be seedy and watery, while small zucchini do not hold as much filling.
Ground meat: Use ground beef, ground pork sausage, or a combination. Sausage gives the filling more seasoning, so taste before adding extra salt.
Marinara sauce: Use a thick marinara so the filling does not turn loose. If your sauce is thin, simmer the filling a few minutes longer. My homemade bolognese sauce would also work well.
Worcestershire sauce: This adds a small savory boost without making the filling taste like Worcestershire.
Parmesan and mozzarella: Parmesan seasons the filling, while mozzarella gives the top its melted, cheesy finish.
Fresh parsley or basil: Stir the herbs in after the skillet comes off the heat so they keep their fresh flavor.
For another cheesy baked dinner, baked ziti hits the same comfort-food notes. If you are looking for a different stuffed vegetable dinner, chicken stuffed peppers are a good next option.
Recipe Tips
Choose evenly sized zucchini: Similar-sized zucchini boats bake at the same rate.
Leave sturdy shells: Keep about a ¼-inch border so the zucchini holds its shape after baking.
Cook off the moisture: Let the chopped zucchini cook before adding the sauce so the filling stays thick.
Taste before adding more salt: Sausage, marinara, and Parmesan can all add salt to the filling.
Use a roomy pan: If the zucchini are large, switch to a rimmed sheet pan so the boats are not crowded.
Broil briefly if needed: A minute or two under the broiler gives the mozzarella more color.
Add homemade garlic bread if you want something to catch the extra marinara and melted cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for this recipe. Covering the zucchini boats with foil for most of the baking time gives the shells time to become tender. Remove the foil near the end so the tops can brown.
Cook the chopped zucchini flesh until most of its moisture evaporates, then simmer the filling until it is thick before stuffing the zucchini. A thick marinara also helps keep excess liquid out of the baking dish.
Yes. Make the filling and scoop the zucchini ahead of time, then assemble and bake when ready. You can also assemble them several hours ahead and refrigerate until baking.
They can be frozen, but the zucchini will soften and release more liquid after thawing. For the best texture, freeze the filling separately and stuff fresh zucchini before baking.
Baked Stuffed Zucchini Boats
These baked stuffed zucchini boats are simple, but the details matter: sturdy shells, a thick filling, and enough covered baking time for tender zucchini. Finish with mozzarella and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
If you still have zucchini left after making the boats, sautéed zucchini is a quick side, and zucchini salsa is a good way to use a larger garden haul.
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Stuffed Zucchini Boats
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Ingredients
Zucchini
- 4 medium zucchini, about 8 to 9 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt
- ground black pepper
Filling
- 1 pound ground beef, ground pork sausage, or a combination
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ¼ cups marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, or basil
Topping
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prepare the zucchini
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or sheet pan.
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the center, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the edges to create sturdy shells.
- Finely chop the scooped zucchini flesh and set it aside.
- Brush the zucchini shells with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange them cut-side up in the prepared baking dish.
Make the filling
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (I used a 12-inch skillet). Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until nearly browned. Drain the grease.
- Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the reserved chopped zucchini and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil.
Assemble and bake
- Spoon the filling evenly into the zucchini shells, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the tops.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let the zucchini boats rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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