Stuffed Zucchini Boats
To make stuffed zucchini boats, halve zucchini lengthwise, scoop out the centres, and fill the hollows with a savoury stuffing of cooked meat or beans, the chopped zucchini flesh, tomato, and herbs, then top with cheese and bake at 190 °C until tender and golden. Scooping and pre-cooking keeps them from being watery, and it's the ideal use for the oversized zucchini that always hide in the garden. Serve as a main or hearty side.
Stuffed zucchini boats are the answer to the great late-summer question: what do I do with these enormous zucchini? Halved, hollowed, and filled with a savoury stuffing, then baked under melted cheese, they turn the mildest, most abundant vegetable in the garden into a hearty, satisfying meal. They’re forgiving, flexible, and a genuinely good dinner, not just a glut-clearing chore.
The recipe for giant zucchini
This is exactly what those oversized zucchini — the ones that hide under the leaves until they’re the size of a baseball bat — are good for. Their sturdy walls hold a generous filling, and their mild flesh gets chopped right into it. Scoop out any tough seedy centres.
Keep them from going watery
Zucchini is very wet, so scoop the centres, and if the boats seem soggy, salt and drain them or pre-bake the empty halves for 10 minutes. Cook the filling — including the chopped flesh — in a pan first to drive off moisture. Tender boats, savoury filling, no puddle.
Fill it with anything
Ground beef or turkey, or beans and lentils for a vegetarian version, plus tomato, herbs, and plenty of cheese. Rice or breadcrumbs bulk it out.
Make it yours
- Vegetarian: lentils, beans, or a rice-and-veg filling.
- Cheesy: mozzarella for melt, Parmesan for a golden top.
- Italian: marinara and basil; Tex-Mex: salsa, corn, and cheddar.
- Make ahead: stuff and refrigerate, then bake when needed.
Let them rest a few minutes, then serve as a main with a salad, or as a hearty side. They’re the most satisfying way to conquer the zucchini mountain — and nobody will call it a chore.
At a glance
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centres, leaving a shell. Chop the scooped flesh.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, and chopped zucchini flesh; add the meat (or beans) and brown. Stir in the tomato, herbs, and rice; season.
- Arrange the zucchini shells in a baking dish and fill with the mixture.
- Top with the cheese. Bake at 190 °C for 25–30 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden.
- Rest a few minutes and serve.
Frequently asked questions
What size zucchini works best?
Medium-to-large zucchini are ideal for boats — big enough to hollow out and hold a good amount of filling. This is actually the perfect recipe for those giant zucchini that hide under the leaves and get away from you; their milder flesh and sturdy walls are exactly right here. Very large ones may have tougher seeds in the centre, which you scoop out anyway.
How do I keep stuffed zucchini from being watery?
Zucchini releases a lot of water. Scoop out the seedy centres, and if the boats seem very moist, salt them and let them drain, or pre-bake the empty halves for 10 minutes to drive off moisture before filling. Cooking the filling (including the chopped flesh) in a pan first also removes water. These steps give you tender boats and a savoury filling rather than a soggy dish.
Can I make them vegetarian or ahead?
Both, easily. For vegetarian boats, fill them with beans, lentils, or a rice-and-vegetable mix instead of meat, plus lots of cheese and herbs. They also make a great make-ahead: stuff them, refrigerate, and bake when needed, or bake and reheat. They freeze reasonably well too. It's a flexible, forgiving recipe that adapts to what you have and how far ahead you want to work.