Zucchini Boats Ground Beef (Printable)

Savory zucchini halves filled with a ground beef mixture topped with melted cheese for a simple low-carb dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium zucchini
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium tomato, diced

→ Meats

05 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
11 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2 inch border to create boats. Chop the scooped-out flesh and set aside.
03 - Place the zucchini boats cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in diced tomato, chopped zucchini flesh, tomato paste, Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender and mixture is thickened.
07 - Spoon the beef mixture evenly into the zucchini boats. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The tender zucchini becomes the perfect edible vessel, so no heavy pasta leaves you feeling sluggish
  • Everything cooks in one pan while the boats bake, making cleanup surprisingly manageable
  • The leftovers actually taste better the next day when the flavors have had time to become friends
02 -
  • Scoop carefully because if the walls become too thin the boats might collapse during baking
  • Reserve some of the zucchini flesh but do not use all of it or the filling becomes too watery
  • Let the boats rest for 5 minutes after baking so they set and are easier to serve
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese because the anti-caking agents in pre-shredded cheese prevent it from melting smoothly
  • Place a cooling rack on your baking sheet so the bottoms do not become soggy

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