Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini stuffed with meat, tomato and cheese on a white serving plate.

Our favorite summer dinner! Stuffed Zucchini Boats are perfect for using up garden fresh zucchini and they are SO tasty! This easy, healthy recipe is packed with lean Italian turkey sausage, veggies and plenty of cheese, and then baked to perfection. This meal always gets rave reviews from family and friends!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Low Calorie

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 164

Author Kim

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini halved lengthwise
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound lean Italian turkey (or chicken) sausage
1/2 cup onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (I like to use fire roasted)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus more for topping
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
fresh basil for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop the seeds and some of the very soft flesh, but not all of the flesh out of each zucchini (see this video for a visual), then drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, then put on a baking sheet cut-side up and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Heat about 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the sausage and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is crumbly and fully cooked, and the onion is translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, basil, and salt to the sausage. Mix well. Let the flavors come together over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes.
Turn off the stove and add 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese to the sausage filling. Toss together so it’s incorporated well.
Take the zucchini out of the oven, and fill each zucchini with the sausage/cheese mixture. Top each zucchini boat with an extra sprinkling of cheese, and about 1 teaspoon of panko breadcrumbs.
Return to oven and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Storing leftovers: Store leftover stuffed zucchini boats in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply place your zucchini boat on a plate and microwave them until they’re heated through. You could also rewarm them in the oven at 350ºF for about 8-10 minutes.

Freezing: I don't recommend freezing zucchini boats. The zucchini gets mushy once thawed. However, if you just want to freeze the meat filling mixture, that totally works.

Nutrition