Zucchini Boats Recipes

ITALIAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Drizzle olive oil on zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini is fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• While zucchini is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef with onion and garlic until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic salt.
• Combine tomato paste with 1 cup of water in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Drain fat from beef mixture if needed. Add tomato paste mixture and heat through. Turn off heat, add fresh basil leaves, and mix until well blended.
• Remove zucchini from the oven; leave the oven on. Scoop meat mixture generously into each zucchini quarter and sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Using a spoon, scoop centers from zucchini while leaving a 1/4-inch rim on all sides to create boats. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 3 minutes.
• Add sausage in crumbles, cook through, while breaking up meat during cooking. Add garlic during last 1 minute of cooking.
• Remove from heat stir in tomatoes, 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup parmesan over zucchini boats, then divide filling among the zucchini boats.
• In a small mixing bowl stir together the mozzarella cheese, remaining 1/3 cup parmesan and remaining 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over zucchini boats.
• Bake in preheated oven until tender, about 10 - 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Trim the ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/2-in. shells. Finely chop pulp. , In a skillet, cook beef, zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Add 1/2 cup cheese, ketchup, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon into the zucchini shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° until zucchini is tender, 25-30 minutes.

GARDEN-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Halve zucchini lengthwise; place cut sides down in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out seeds, leaving a 1/4-in. shell., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Stir in 1 cup water, tomatoes, red peppers, mushrooms, pasta, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until mixture is thickened and pasta is al dente, 12-15 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese., Spoon mixture into zucchini shells. Place in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with 3/4 cup Italian cheese blend. Pour remaining water into bottom of dish. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Serve with pasta sauce if desired.

ZUCCHINI BOATS WITH GROUND BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil.
• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Chop and reserve about 3/4 of the seeds for the stuffing.
• Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add zucchini boats and cook uncovered for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef; cook and stir until browned and broken into very small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes. Add rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir some more. Quickly add reserved chopped zucchini pulp, onion, and carrot; continue to cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in red wine and Worcestershire and allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add beef stock and cook for 3 minutes more. Simmer until mixture reduces, about 10 minutes.
• Place zucchini boats in the foil-lined dish and divide meat mixture evenly between them. Sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Trim and discard zucchini ends. Working with the 3 widest, cut across width into 2inch lengths. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop out inner meat and seeds of each 2-inch piece, leaving a thin base at bottom so "boat" stands for stuffing. Place scooped-out centers into a food processor.
• Roughly chop remaining zucchini. Add to food processor and puree until well chopped.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch zucchini boats just until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Immediately refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and arrange, flatside down, in a large jelly roll pan or roasting pan.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add reserved chopped zucchini and saute until liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Stir in nuts, cook for 1 minute, then add cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook until cream thickens, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and all bread crumbs. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.
• Using a tablespoon or pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, stuff zucchini boats with cream mixture. Pour boiling water into pan containing filled zucchini boats until it rises about 1/4-inch, to form a water bath. Bake 15 minutes.
• Heat broiler. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over tops and place under broiler until slightly golden, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Trim ends of zucchini; place in a steamer basket. In a saucepan, bring 1 in. of water to a boil; add basket. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. When zucchini is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell. Set pulp aside., In a bowl, beat the egg; add spinach, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and zucchini pulp. Spoon into zucchini shells., Place in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Top each with tomatoes and Swiss cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

BAKED ITALIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 3/8-in. shell. Reserve pulp. Cook shells in salted water for 2 minutes. Remove and drain. Set aside. Chop zucchini pulp. Transfer to a large bowl; add the bread crumbs, eggs, tomato, Parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic. Stir in broth, salt and pepper. Fill shells zucchini shells., Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Drizzle with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

VEGETARIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and trim a little off of the bottoms so that they will sit flat in the baking dish. Scoop out the centers, where the seeds are, with a spoon.
• Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a cup or bowl. Brush over the inner surfaces of the zucchini boats. Arrange tomatoes into the grooves and sprinkle bread crumbs around and in between to fill in the gaps.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven's broiler on.
• Place mozzarella cheese around and on top of the tomatoes. Return to the oven and broil until golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.