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.
You mention adding the vegetables to the sausage in the fry pan then the marinara sauce. What vegetables? What was scooped out of the zucchini?
I’m referring to the onions and garlic!
This was a huge hit with my family with summer zucchini, I stirred in the scooped out zucchini, after I chopped it up, and added to meat mixture. I topped with fresh basil after pulling out of oven.
My neighbor gave us some zucchini from his garden. I made the Asian variation using your link to your lettuce wrap recipe. It was excellent and I will make it again. Never thought that I would be wishing for more zucchini in the summertime!
Patricia again… Made the sausage version last night. Very good. It was so easy to put together and so delicious.
Very simple and oh so delicious. I added brown rice to the sausage mixture and used diced petite fire roasted tomatoes (Muir) and they were excellent and super easy to make. Thank you
Great recipe! Looking forward to making it again. Planning to cook the meat before hand. Then assemble and bake while camping.
Excellent recipe ! I make my sauce from canned San Marzano tomatoes as well. A perfect compliment to the Italian sausage. I have also made this with hamburger. Both exceptional 👏
Great recipe. I added crushed red pepper flakes and diced red bell peppers. We loved it. Will make again
I cooked it at 350 30′ convection, just until the shell was al dente. Any more would have ruined the mushrooms., which were protected by the shell and so also al dente.
Thanks for the clear guidance. I replaced sausage with leftover veggie-turkey burgers, roast pork cubes, and quartered creminis in your filling and I added some leftover fried peppers, a fresh jalapeno, and instead of adding the sauce to the meat/zucchini mix, I poured it over, pressed on half-fat mozzarella and sprinkled (would have sprayed if I had it) olive oil on top. For spice, I sprinkled a little lemon juice, fresh oregano and dried thyme plus what was in the burgers. Heavenly. I think the secret was the organic garden fresh, 2.5 lb zucchini, sweet as I have tasted. I ate a whole half and gave the other half to the lady who gave me the zucchini.
Easy recipe that I make all season when our garden overflows with zucchini! Always comes out delicious!
Delicious – followed all ingredient sizes given. I just purchased suaages and then took out the meat from the casings – works well with mild Italian flavour. My oven cooks them to a slightly crunchy/tender point at 20 mins – we like veggies more crispy. Heats up well in microwave.
It states you can make the boats in advance.
Question If you parboil zucchini. Would you assemble with meat or leave until ready to reheat?
Thank you for any guidance. Great recipe!
I would store the meat sauce separately then combine right before you bake them!
I have made this recipe multiple times, always using the zucchini from my garden that seem to quadruple in size overnight! I use one large one (fits perfectly in 9×13 dish) — the last time I made it, I seasoned the zucchini and par-baked it before adding the filling. This helped get the zucchini nice and soft without browning the cheese too much. Since the zucchini I use is SO big, it took about 25 minutes in the oven before it started to soften. As soon as I could just barely get a fork to pierce the flesh, I filled it and continued baking per the recipe. It was perfect! Making it again tonight!
Do you make the zucchini into boats before you parbake it?
Good to know! Thank you!
Nice and simple recipe. Comes out fantastic with the giant zucchini’s and hormone free grass fed ground beef we get at the market. We reduce the sauce greatly,
We just don’t understand why the olive oil in the pan? Sausage and ground beef brown up well w/o oil… is it because of the onion?
I add a little oil to the recipe because it ensures the meat will brown nicely and not stick to the pan!
Loved this recipe, but you don’t mention what you do with the zucchini you removed to make the boat. I add it into the filling mix because… its delicious and why waste it!
This is a question rather then a comment , what do you do with the zucchini you scoop out of the boats so that there is no waste ? Any suggestions on how I can use this ? And if I missed it in the instructions my apologies
I discard it but you can add it to the filling if you prefer!
Love this recipe. I can’t wait for my zucchini to get big enough to make this. Super easy, very filling and liked by even the pickiest eaters in my family.
These are so delicious and easy!
Have made this recipe
It’s super easy. My whole family loved it
(No leftovers)
Love love this recipe. Will make it again and again. Perfect during zucchini season.
This is a keeper. Made this yesterday and had leftovers today. We loved it, we will bee making this again.