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Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Ground beef zucchini boats baked until the zucchini shells are tender and the cheese turns golden. The beef filling is simmered with tomatoes and Italian seasoning, then finished with mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil, and a marinara drizzle.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini and filling
  • 4 large zucchini
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.25 cup parmesan
  • fresh basil
  • marinara
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and hollow the zucchini
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Halve each zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
  2. Chop the scooped zucchini flesh and set it aside.
Cook the beef filling
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the fat. Add the onion and zucchini flesh and cook for 4 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika, then cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each zucchini shell with the beef mixture. Top with mozzarella and parmesan.
  2. Bake on a sheet pan for 20-25 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden.
  3. Finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of marinara.

Notes

For clean scooping, scoop the zucchini flesh down to about a 1/4-inch thickness so the boats hold their shape while baking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not ideal because zucchini can soften further after thawing. For a lower-carb option, keep the same method but use part-skim mozzarella and reduce the portion of marinara drizzle.