Zucchini Boats Ground Beef (Printable Version)

Tender zucchini filled with a savory beef mixture, topped with melted cheese for a flavorful, low-carb main course.

# What You 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 lb ground beef

→ Dairy

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

→ Pantry

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

→ Garnish (optional)

13 - 2 tbsp 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 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - Heat the remaining 1 tbsp 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 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in diced tomato, chopped zucchini flesh, tomato paste, Italian herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3–4 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 8–10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef filling gets incredibly flavorful as it simmers with tomato paste and those Italian herbs
  • Everything cooks in one pan before the oven, meaning minimal cleanup on busy nights
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if you somehow have any remaining
02 -
  • The key to zucchini that holds its shape is not overbaking initially, so watch that covered bake time closely
  • Scooping the zucchini flesh too thin causes the boats to collapse, so leave at least a half inch border
  • Draining the beef fat prevents your final dish from becoming greasy, especially if using higher fat beef
03 -
  • Use a melon baller or small cookie scoop for the most uniform zucchini boats
  • Let the beef mixture cool slightly before filling the boats to prevent cooking the zucchini too fast

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