Stuffed zucchini boats are a delicious recipe that uses a rich filling and is topped with gooey cheddar cheese. This is a delicious dinner option that will please everyone.
Got zucchini? Let’s make stuffed Zucchini boats. This green vegetable is not a favorite of ours, we will be open about it. This recipe is a revelation. We were converted by this recipe. Make zucchini shells and stuff them with cheeses like mozzarella, tomato, Parmesan, garlic, sausages, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with crispy breadcrumbs and bake for about 20 minutes. They are full of intensely delicious flavor. You will love this recipe! You can either use regular or plant-based sausage, it all depends on what you eat. We used plant-based.
Ingredients for zucchini boats
Stuffed zucchini boats is an easy and fun way to make zucchini a main course. This is a lot easier than Zucchini Lasagna, which has similar flavours. It also works well for vegetarian and gluten-free diets. This recipe used plant-based sausage. It has evolved a lot in recent years. Although it isn’t something that we often eat, this sausage can be made at home. You can read more about that later! These are the essential ingredients for making zucchini boats.
-
Zucchini
- Sausage is a plant-based sausage or crumble, or the standard Italian sausage, (or a substitute Vegan Taco Meat).
-
Garlic
-
Fire-roasted tomatoes
-
Fennel seeds, dried oregano and salt
-
Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese (whole milk)
-
Italian panko (or breadcrumbs)
- Parsley or fresh basil to garnish
You can choose between regular or plant-based sausages
These days, the plant-based sausages and crumbles are of higher quality than ever before. It used to feel too processed and we were adamant about it. But, now it’s something that we enjoy. The sausage is made from pea protein, and it has a texture that is very similar to meat. These are some notes about the sausage portion of this recipe.
- You can use any plant-based sausages and crumbles. Impossible, Beyond and Beyond are our favorites. It is difficult to find sausage so it can be made from any kind of ground beef or crumbles. Impossible Sausage was used.
- Make your own Vegan Taco Meat. The homemade combination of walnuts, mushrooms and other savory spices tastes just like real meat. You can substitute half a tablespoon of dried oregano for the cumin.
- You can also choose regular Italian sausage. Regular sausage is a great choice for meat-eaters. Before adding sauce ingredients, drain excess fat.
Here are some tips for how to make this recipe for stuffed zucchini boats
Although making stuffed zucchini boats can be quite simple, we have some tips that will help you. These are our top tips:
- Medium-sized to small zucchini are best. These large garden zucchini are not recommended.
- You should only cut the stem ends! You won’t be able to get the right shape if you cut both ends! When I was making this recipe, my brain went on autopilot and both ends were cut off. It still works but it doesn’t look quite as good and the filling might drip off while baking.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes are the best. The best taste is found in fire roasted tomatoes. They are sweetened and smoky straight from the can. You can substitute the best quality tomatoes for them with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Or, use 1 1/2 cups best quality marinara sauce.
- Whole milk mozzarella cheese makes a difference. It is much easier to melt than half-skim and it has a deeper flavor. Reheating it makes the product melt faster.
Variations on the diet
The stuffed zucchini boats recipe is suitable for a variety of diets. It’s also a great gluten-free option with just a slight tweak. This is what you need to know.
- Gluten-free:Omit breadcrumbs, or substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs for panko. It tastes great without the crispy topping!
- Vegetarian Use plant-based sausages, crumbles or 2 cups of Vegan Taco Meat.
Zucchini boat make-ahead and leftovers information
The entire recipe for zucchini boats takes approximately 45 minutes. This can be difficult to do on a busy weeknight. These are some ideas for advanced preparation:
- Prepare the whole recipe ahead of time. Refrigerate the whole recipe. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and breadcrumbs are added.
- Fill the hollowed boats with the filling in advance. The entire filling can be made ahead of time and frozen. Follow the directions below to bake.
More zucchini recipes
Do you love this long-lasting green vegetable? These are just a few of the many zucchini recipes you can enjoy.
- Try Perfect Zucchini Lasagna
- Squash or Zucchini Casserole is your best option
- You can go simple with Perfect Sauteed Zucchini, or Grilled Zucchini
- Bake up Easy Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Muffins or Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Perfect Zucchini Lasagna
Squash and Zucchini Casserole
Perfect Sauteed Zucchini
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
The recipe for zucchini boats is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free and sans breadcrumbs
Print
Zucchini Boats
-
Prep time:
25 minutes
-
Time to Cook:
20 minutes
-
Total time:
45 minutes
-
Yield:
4 servings 1x
Description
Stuffed zucchini boats are a delicious recipe that uses a rich filling and is topped with gooey cheddar cheese. This is a delicious dinner option that will please everyone.
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- For rubbing, olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Divided
-
Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried Oregano, sliced
-
14. to 16. ounces of plant-based sausages, crumbles or traditional Italian sausages (or 2 cups vegan taco meat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15-ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes**
- 14 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- Six tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Italian-seasoned panko (or just plain panko, you can omit the breadcrumbs or use them gluten-free for gluten-free).
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil or Parsley chopped
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 425°F.
-
The stem ends should be removed from the zucchini. Each one should be cut in half. Put them on a baking tray. Each boat should be rubbed with some olive oil. After rinsing the 8 boats, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt on each one. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oregano to each boat. Finally, divide them into two.
-
Cook the sausage on a large skillet according to package directions. It should take 2 to 3 minutes for regular sausage and 6 to 7, for plant-based sausage. Drain any fat from regular sausage after cooking. Cook the garlic in the same pan as the sausage for 30 seconds. Next, add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to the skillet. Cook for one minute to warm through.
-
Add the cheeses, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and mozzarella. Sprinkle with the panko.
-
Bake the cheese for about 20 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Allow to cool for two minutes before serving. Remaining food can be kept refrigerated for up to three days.
Notifications
We like Impossible and Beyond for plant-based sausages (we used Impossible sausage). Vegan Taco Meat can be made at home by omitting the cumin. Instead, use half a tablespoon of dried oregano.
**Fire-roasted tomatoes are the best choice. They taste great straight from the can. You can substitute the best quality tomatoes for them with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon sugar. Or, use 1 1/2 cups best quality marinara sauce.
-
Category:
Main Dish
-
Method:
Baking
-
Cuisine:
Vegetables
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Zucchini boats, stuffed zucchini boats, zucchini boat recipe, zucchini boat, zucchini boats recipe
