These stuffed zucchini boats are filled with a hearty sausage mixture, then topped with plenty of cheese and baked to perfection. An easy low carb meal option that the whole family will enjoy!
There are so many different ways to eat zucchini, I often serve side dishes such as parmesan zucchini and zucchini gratin. But my favorite way to make zucchini is to stuff it and serve it as a main course.
Stuffed zucchini boats is a classic dish that never goes out of style. It’s an especially good choice during the summer when everyone’s gardens are overflowing with squash. What I love about this dish is that it’s easy to customize the flavors to your liking and is naturally low in carbs!
How do you make stuffed zucchini boats?
This recipe starts with zucchini, which are hollowed out, seasoned, then placed in a baking dish. A simple meat sauce is made with Italian sausage, marinara sauce, garlic and onions. The sauce gets piled into the zucchini shells, then everything is topped with cheese and baked until gooey and browned.
Tips for stuffed zucchini boats
- You can use mild or hot Italian sausage, pork or turkey sausage, or even ground beef for this recipe.
- Use your favorite brand of marinara sauce. I typically use Newman’s Own or Classico.
- You can also make this recipe with yellow squash, or even hollowed out small eggplants!
- While I typically use mozzarella cheese in this dish, other great choices would be parmesan, fontina or provolone.
- Dried Italian seasoning can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, or you can use my Italian seasoning recipe to make your own.
Can you freeze zucchini boats?
I don’t recommend freezing zucchini boats, simply because the zucchini will be quite mushy upon thawing. That being said, you can absolutely freeze the meat filling for these boats for up to 2 months. Simply thaw the filling, spoon it into fresh zucchinis, then add cheese and bake.
Stuffed Zucchini Boat Variations
This is an Italian style stuffed zucchini, but there are so many other great ways to fill your squash!
- Mexican: Make a filling with 1 lb ground beef, 16 ounces tomato sauce, 4 ounces diced green chiles, 3/4 cup black beans and 1/2 cup corn, then top with cheddar cheese and bake.
- Asian: Make the filling for my chicken lettuce wraps, spoon it into the zucchini, then bake.
- Vegetarian: Make a filling with sauteed onion, 2 cups cooked grains such as rice or quinoa, 1 diced red bell pepper, salt, pepper, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and fresh herbs.
Is zucchini healthy?
Zucchini is packed with nutrients such as folate, Vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, Vitamin C and and Vitamin K. Zucchini is low calorie, low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. Zucchini also protects against inflammation, aids in digestion, improves thyroid function and is beneficial for your eyes.
This recipe is a great way to get some veggies into your kids. You can even assemble your zucchini boats earlier in the day, then store them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them. I make this recipe all the time and it always gets rave reviews!
More great Italian recipes
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage casings removed
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large rectangular baking with with cooking spray.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then trim off the stem ends. Use a spoon to carefully scoop the flesh out of the zucchinis.
- Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over the zucchini shells. Arrange the zucchini in the baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
- Add the onion and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Season the sausage and vegetable mixture with salt and pepper.
- Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes.
- Spoon the meat mixture evenly into the zucchini shells, then top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made it last night for me and my family and it was a hit. I will definitely be putting this recipe in my regular rotation of dinner meals !
I used a grapefruit spoon to scoop out the flesh.
Am I the only reader who saw no further mention of the marinara after it simmered for 5 minutes?
The marinara is a component of the meat mixture referred to in the next instruction!
You’re mixing the marinara inn the veggie and sausage mixture in the pan.
Did you use all the meat?!
I have made these few times before they always turn out great. I make them with a Mexican style. With stewed tomatoes,onions,corn,beans,olives and what ever meat you want oh ya and lots of cheese. After baking I add sour cream yummy and yes I have frozen them on a paper plate then wrapped up in foil and put in a Ziploc bag for 4or5 months then heat in the microwave. Then pour off any liquid. They are still good no matter what you put in them.
Made this for the first time tonight. Followed recipe except had really big zucchini that I had picked late so only did one large zucchini cut in half. Had to cook it an extra 5 minutes to get tender but it tasted great. So glad I found this recipe. Thank you so much
This is a fantastic recipe. Always looking for ways to use zucchini, which my husband turns his nose up at. He was reluctant to try this, but found that he needed seconds. I enjoyed the last boat as leftovers warmed up for lunch and it was just a delicious the second time around.
Looks and tastes great, a new favourite
This is a recipe I’ve been making for years and return to every few months. I love that this particular recipe is basic and instructional. The best thing about zucchini boats is they are fluid and open for creativity! So this guide sticks to the basics and allows the reader to expand if they want. I do half & half hamburger and sausage, OR turkey sausage. I mince mushrooms and bell peppers, and use diced or crushed tomatoes instead of the sauce. Adding the pulp moistens things up enough and then I can taste the filling. I’ve added corn and rice and beans, and all kinds of other fillings! I make huge batches of boats and they are fantastic week day leftovers. This recipe is great for oven time and temp and for getting you going with (or refreshing your memory of) the basics!
I find that the zucchini is very very hard, any ideas on how to soften them up?
You could try microwaving or steaming them first!
Try using a Mellon baller. I found this a perfect tool. With a spoon, I felt the same way.
Made this last night. Chopped zucchini pulp and added to pan after cooking onion for 2-3 minutes. Then drained excess liquid before adding garlic and sauce. Result was excellent! I also added Parmesan cheese before baking and covered dish with foil after 15 minutes to prevent cheese from over-browning. Thank you for the recipe!
Can’t wait to cook tomorrow.
Great recipe! I substituted ground turkey for the beef and it was still delicious!
I make a spanish rice mixture and bake the same as sausage mixture
This is so yummy!! Any suggestions on what to do with the flesh of the zucchini? I actually added a few scoops to my sausage mixture (great way to sneak a little extra veggie’s into my finicky kids)! There’s still a decent amount left over and I don’t want to waste it!
You could add it to a pasta sauce, put it in a soup or stir fry, or add it to a casserole!
I always have enough pulp to make a couple of loaves of zucchini bread. Yummy! My husband says “it’s a double treat”!!
What do u do with the inside of the zucchini you cut out?
I just discard it, but you can chop it and add it to the stuffing if you prefer!
Add to a tossed salad and served with the zucchini boats!
Do you add the scooped out zucchini to the meat mixture?
I personally don’t because it can water down the filling, but I know some people like to and it doesn’t hurt of course!
Hi Sara thank you I had a rather large zuc so I just scooped out the seeds tossed those but kept plenty of “meat” within the zuc added a bit of water covered and put in oven to ‘parboil “ then added the mixture and this was delicious I used a sweet sausage. Will definitely make again !!
I take my older, large zukes and boil the scooped out halves or portions for about 3-4 min to get rid of the woody texture. Great way to use the one that hid a couple days too long!
These look wonderful! Can these be made ahead of time before baking and, also, have you tried them with ground beef instead of sausage? Do you think the ground beef might work? Thanks, will be trying these out ASAP!
Yes ground beef will work! You can assemble them up to 6 hours before you plan to bake them.
You could call them ‘bateaux a courgettes’ though and that would be pretty fancy. Attempting these tonight!
I just love,love the receipe,this is my second time making this,now it’s in my personal cook book…I serve this with white rice and mixed roasted vegetables , yummy…So thank you and keep on cooking!!.Me.🐝
Do you cook the shell of the zucchini before you fill it??
No, it will cook through in the oven!
Delicious! We’ve been trying to cut back on carbs and this one will definitely going into the regulars. The flavor tends to be as good as the quality of your sauce, since she doesn’t make it from scratch. But, on the plus side, it comes together start-to-finish in an hour!
They look delicious. Love the vegetarian ideas too. I am looking forward to making these.
We call these courgettes in the UK – which doesn’t quite have the same ring to it LOL! Sound delicious though x