Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the healthy weeknight meal you'll want to make again and again. This is a seriously easy recipe that's full of delicious flavor without all the guilt!
Zucchini Boats
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I'll be honest, zucchini isn't usually my go-to veggie. It's tasty enough, but squash and I have a spotty relationship. That being said, I think one of the best ways to enjoy zucchini is by making stuffed zucchini boats.
I decided to go with an Italian theme for these (what can I say, we cook what we know!). This is a variation of my Stuffed Peppers Casserole and it is so good! It comes together pretty quickly and easily but I went with more nutritious ingredients to eliminate the guilt.
Tips for making Baked Zucchini
- The easiest way to remove the zucchini seeds is to use a spoon to gently scrape them out.
- I bake these with the cut side up. Give them a quick spray with olive oil cooking spray and a sprinkle of salt and pepper for even more flavor before they go into the oven the first time.
- To measure the water, just fill the empty small sauce can half way. This helps get any leftover sauce out of the can and gives you the right amount of water.
- This is a great way to use leftover rice, but you can always buy one of the microwavable containers of rice, just be sure it's plain.
- Be sure to taste the filling before stuffing the zucchini and adjust the seasonings to your taste.
How do I prepare zucchini for stuffed zucchini?
The first thing I do is wash the zucchini. Then I cut each zucchini in half length-wise. Using a spoon, I scoop out the seeds from the middle to hollow them out (bring careful not to go all the way through). Then I place them cut-side up on a lines sheet pan. I spray with olive oil cooking spray and season lightly with salt and pepper and preface them so begin the cooking process while I prepare the filling.
Do I have to precook the zucchini?
I would recommend it so that the zucchini isn't overly crispy and undercooked.
Can I use a different meat?
Absolutely. If turkey isn't a thing, ground chicken or ground beef works just as well. You could even use Italian sausage, just remove it from the casings if it isn't already.
Can I use white rice?
Absolutely, just make sure it comes in cooked.
Do you eat the skin on zucchini boats?
Yes! You do not have to peel them.
Can I freeze zucchini boats?
I don't recommend freezing the actual zucchini as it will thaw to be soggy. But you can always make the filling and freeze that and then thaw when you're ready to make them.
Ingredients for making Stuffed Zucchini
- Zucchini
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Red pepper
- Garlic
- Ground turkey
- Salt
- Pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Romano cheese
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato
- Cooked rice
- Mozzarella cheese
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Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the healthy weeknight meal you'll want to make again and again. This is a seriously easy recipe that's full of delicious flavor without all the guilt!
- 4 medium zucchini, cleaned, halved length-wise and seeds scooped out.
- Cooking spray
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt + additional for precooking the zucchini
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper + additional for precooking the zucchini
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons Romano cheese
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 4 ounces water (½ of the empty tomato sauce can)
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicone liner.
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Place zucchini halves cut-side up, onto the pan. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven and set aside.
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While the zucchini bakes, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
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Add onion and peppers to the pan and saute for around 4 minutes to soften.
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Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
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Add ground turkey and brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon around 3-5 minutes.
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Reduce heat to medium and season with ½ teaspoon salt, 1/ teaspoon pepper, Italian seasoning, Romano cheese, sauce, water and diced tomato. Saute for 5-7 minutes.
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Add cooked rice and stir to combine, remove from heat.
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Divide mixture between each zucchini boat and sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese.
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Bake uncovered for 15 more minutes and serve immediately.
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