Name: Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: serves 6 people
Cuisine: Slovenska
Ingredients: 3 zucchini; salt; 3 tbsp olive oil; 3 garlic cloves; ½ onion; 6 leaves of fresh basil; 400 g (14 oz) diced tomatoes from a can; 500 g (2 cups) tomato passata; 1 tsp oregano; 1 tsp sugar (optional); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; 500 g (1.1. pounds) ground beef; 200 g (7 ounces) Gouda cheese, shredded; 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

I love zucchini because they are such a versatile vegetable. Not only do they taste amazing, but they can also be used in a variety of dishes. Today, I’d like to share a family-favorite recipe everyone enjoys, from our 2-year-old to the oldest family members. To start, we remove the center of the zucchini and season the outside with salt to draw out some of its moisture, which makes it better for baking. Next, we fill the zucchini boats with shredded cheese and ground meat sauce. For the cheese, we like to use Edam and Parmesan because they melt perfectly and add a deliciously cheesy flavor. If you have any leftovers, feel free to store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

There are many stuffed zucchini boat recipes on the mighty internet, but these are the main reasons why we adore this one:

A delicious meat sauce that fills the zucchini boats and makes them lip-smackingly unforgettable
The zucchini is perfectly baked and soft
The melted cheese topping makes me so happy
serve without a side dish, or choose a lovely side dish like mashed potatoes or rice
gluten-free
Store in the fridge for up to a few days

Essential ingredients

These are the essential ingredients for the wonderful stuffed zucchini boats. We purchased all the ingredients in our local Lidl store. The following paragraph provides more information about the ingredients, and the whole recipe is below.

Zucchini: Use an evenly large zucchini to ensure an even baking time. Scoop out the flesh, then fill with the sauce.

Tomato sauce - we make a homemade tomato sauce using onion, garlic, basil, diced tomatoes, and tomato passata. Arrange half of the sauce over a baking dish and stir the rest of this sauce into the meat sauce.

Meat sauce - use ground meat. Use ground beef or a mixture of ground beef and pork.

Cheese - use Edam or Gouda cheese. We like to grate it at home. Grated parmesan cheese makes a beautiful cheesy topping.

Basil - add some basil on top before serving for freshness and lightness.

Storing

Feel free to store any leftovers in a sealed, airtight container. They can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Before serving, reheat well.

How to make Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef at home (video)

Check this short video to master making Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef at home.

Next, try these zucchini recipes

Made in collaboration with Lidl Slovenija d.o.o. k.d.

Ingredients

zucchini

3 zucchini

salt

tomato sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves

½ onion

6 leaves of fresh basil

400 g (14 oz) diced tomatoes from a can

500 g (2 cups) tomato passata

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sugar (optional)

meat sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion

500 g (1.1. pounds) ground beef

200 g (7 ounces) Gouda cheese, shredded

2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Tools and equipment

kitchen knife

cutting board

large baking dish

saucepan

large skillet

parchment paper

aluminum foil

METHOD

preparation

Cut the zucchini in half lengthways and use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the zucchini carefully. Place on a large baking sheet and season with salt. Set aside until needed.
tomato sauce

Add the olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, chopped onion, and basil. Saute for 3 - 4 minutes, then add diced tomatoes and passata. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, and optionally stir in the sugar for a sweeter flavor. Stir, and cook for 6 - 8 minutes.
meat sauce

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped onion. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the meat and evenly arrange it over the skillet. Cook for 8 minutes for the meat to brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in half of the prepared homemade tomato sauce. Stir and cook for 15 minutes. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F.
stuff the zucchini

Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels. Add the rest of the tomato sauce to a baking dish and arrange evenly over the dish. Add the zucchini on top of the sauce. Fill the zucchini with a third of the shredded cheese, then arrange the meat sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and the rest of the shredded Gouda cheese. Cover with a layer of parchment paper, followed by aluminum foil.
bake and serve

Place the baking dish with stuffed zucchini in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes at 200°C / 390°F, then remove the foil and paper and bake for another 5 - 10 minutes for the cheese to melt. Set aside to cool slightly, then serve.

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Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef