Stuffed Zucchini Boats
These Stuffed Zucchini Boats are packed with a savory meat and marinara filling, Parmesan, fresh herbs, and melted mozzarella. Use ground beef, pork sausage, or a combination of both.
Servings: 4 servings
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 9x13-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
Adjust the pan size if needed: Depending on the size of your zucchini, you may need a larger baking dish or a rimmed sheet pan to fit all of the zucchini boats comfortably.
Choose evenly sized zucchini: Select zucchini that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
Leave sturdy shells: Don't scoop the zucchini shells too thin, or they'll become fragile during baking.
Prevent a watery filling: Cook the chopped zucchini before adding the sauce to evaporate excess moisture.
Taste before adding salt: If you're using Italian sausage, taste the filling before adding more salt, since both the sausage and marinara can vary in saltiness.
Broil for a golden finish: Broil the zucchini boats for 1 to 2 minutes at the end of baking for extra golden cheese.
Nutrition
Serving: 2boats | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1050mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g
