Stuffed Zucchini Boats
This delicious stuffed zucchini boats recipe is easy to make in just 45 minutes. The zucchinis are stuffed with a juicy ground beef and tomato mixture, then topped with slices of mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven to perfection.
Servings: 4
Calories: 660kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian herbs
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 3 zucchinis large
- ¼ cup parmesan
- 2 8 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy large skillet over medium low heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 - 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes, or until fragrant.
- Increase the heat and add the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
- Stir in the crushed red pepper and the Italian herbs and cook until the meat is cooked through.
- Heat the oven to 350°F
- Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the sauce comes together and thickens - about 20 minutes.
- Slice the zucchinis lengthwise down the middle, then use a spoon to carefully hollow out the center. Be sure to leave enough on the sides and the bottom so the zucchini holds its shape.
- Spread some olive oil on the bottom of a casserole dish, then add the zucchini and spread some olive oil over them as well.
- Fill each boat with the meat sauce, then bake in the oven for about 20/25 minutes, or until the zucchini is fork tender.
- Remove from the oven then sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, followed by the mozzarella slices.
- Put in your broiler on high heat until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown - about 5 - 8 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Sitting the zucchini boats
Once you have cut the zucchinis in half, you may find that they don't sit flat on the baking dish and fall to the side a bit once they're filled. One way to make them nice and flat is by slicing a tiny sliver under the zucchini - so that it sits flat.
Do not scoop too much
Make sure you don't scoop out too much of the zucchinis, since this will be too fragile and break while cooking.