Zucchini Boats are a great dinner meal during the warm summer months.
Zucchini is in season and those who are this amazing summer squash will know that once you have grown one more will follow suit quickly.
Preparing baked stuffed zucchini boats for dinner is the best way to use up this amazing vegetable!
For that, I share an easy vegetarian meatless Meditteranean zucchini boat version with tomato and cheese.
The recipe is my mum’s, French.
Zucchini boats were a summer staple in our home, as were meals such as the classic quiche lorraine.
We would always grow Zucchini and the moment it would rain for 2-3 days, you could be sure that the garden had to be searched through for zucchinis.
If you miss a zucchini and don’t spot it straight away, which happens all too often, you end up with a huge zucchini vegetable.
Usually the younger and smaller the better.
I like my zucchini at a lower arm sized length and that too for a couple of reasons!
How to pick the right Zucchini to prepare Zucchini boats?
The perfect length for your Zucchini boats is more or less 10 inches/26 centimeters.
If you use this length you will have it easier preparing and bake your zucchini boats.
The Zucchinis in that length have softer skin and therefore are more suitable for zucchini boats cooked with skin.
The squash will cook faster and thoroughly.
Remember to pick only organic untreated/unwaxed Zucchini if you buy them from the store to use with the skin in your meal!
If you have grown big sized Zucchini, don’t worry you will be able to turn them as well into Zucchini boats.
But you will need to peel the zucchini because the bigger the zucchini the more bitter and fibrous the skin gets.
My mum would always prepare zucchini boats with large zucchinis, so she would peel them, quarter or cut even smaller if necessary and hollow out as good as possible.
Then she would stuff the zucchinis just the way I am about to show you.
How to make stuffed and baked Zucchini boats easily?
The easiest and least complicated way to prepare stuffed baked zucchinis boats is the following.
At the same time, it’s also super flavorful and delicious!
First things first, wash your zucchinis very well.
Then Cut lengthwise into half and hollow out with a spoon.
Keep the flesh in a bowl and mix the other ingredients to it such as tomato sauce, cheese, onion, and seasoning.
This will be your filling
Place your hollowed out zucchinis into a baking dish.
Stuff the Zucchinis with the mixed filling and sprinkle some cheese and olive oil over your gorgeous looking zucchini boats.
Bake for 25 minutes and you are done!
That’s all there is to it.
Minimal work and you prepare a healthy nutritious meal, which is meatless on top of it and tastes great as well!
Kids usually love it as well and that way you will be able to get your kids to eat vegetables.
Similiar baked dishes:
Dear Reader, do you grow Zucchini at home?
Easy Zucchini Boats Recipe [Vegetarian]
Ingredients
- 2 Zucchinis *see Notes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Onion chopped
- 2 Garlic chopped
- 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Cheese grated *see Notes
- 1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- Wash your Zucchinis well. Then cut lengthwise into half. Spoon out the soft center of the zucchinis so that you are left with the “boats”.
- Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius/350 Fahrenheit.
- The soft center of the zucchini can be just cut roughly smaller and places into a mixing bowl to create the filling of the zucchini boats.
- Add to the zucchini filling the black pepper, salt, chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste, cheese (reserve a 1/3 of it) and herbes de Provence. Mix the whole content well.
- Stuff your zucchini boats with the prepared filling and sprinkle the 1/3 of grated cheese which you didn’t mix into the filling, over the stuffed veg boats.
- Sprinkle some olive oil over the zucchini boats.
- Bake the stuffed Zucchini boats for about 25 minutes at 180 Celsius/350 Fahrenheit. golden brown or until done.
Notes
2. Use proper Cheese such as Cheddar, fresh Mozzarella or Raclette Cheese.
3. You may use Italian seasoning or Pizza seasoning instead of Herbes de Provence if you prefer.
Sarah says
I made this for a friend who just had a baby. She is vegetarian and this recipe was a big hit with her and her family!. Thanks so much.
Helene Dsouza says
Hi Sarah glad to hear that the Zucchini Boats were appreciated and that you guys enjoy the recipe as much as I do. 🙂
Jenni says
I LOVE zucchini and all ways to use them! This is so fun and creative to use them as a boat stuffed with all kinds of goodies! Totally trying this soon!
ANTARA ROY says
Mouthwatering Pictures. Great. Thank you