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Garlic Butter Zucchini Boat Bolognese

Garlic Butter Zucchini Boat Bolognese are pasta-free stuffed zucchini boats filled with slow-simmered beef Bolognese sauce and blistered mozzarella. Baked at 400°F until the cheese turns golden and the zucchini stays tender-crisp for an easy low-carb Italian-American main.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini boats
  • 4 large zucchini Halved lengthwise; scoop out centers leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
Bolognese filling
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 1 small onion Finely diced.
  • 2 carrots Finely diced.
  • 2 celery Finely diced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced (separate for sauce and garlic butter).
  • 0.5 cup dry red wine
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
Garlic butter and cheese
  • 3 tbsp butter For garlic butter.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced for garlic butter.
  • 1.5 cups mozzarella Shredded; top for blistering.
  • parmesan For serving.
  • fresh basil For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake setup
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F so it’s ready for pre-baking and finishing the zucchini boats.
Make the Bolognese sauce
  1. Cook the ground beef and ground pork with the onion, carrot, and celery over medium-high heat until browned, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add the garlic and red wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes until thick and rich.
Pre-bake the zucchini
  1. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers, leaving a 1/4-inch shell; set the scooped centers aside.
  2. Brush the zucchini shells with garlic butter and pre-bake for 8 minutes at 400°F.
Assemble and finish
  1. Fill each zucchini shell with the Bolognese sauce.
  2. Top with shredded mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes at 400°F until the cheese is golden.
  3. Garnish with parmesan and fresh basil right before serving.

Notes

For clean, boat-style scoops, leave a consistent 1/4-inch wall so the zucchini holds its shape after pre-baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through (avoid microwaving if you want the mozzarella to stay browned). Freezing is not recommended because zucchini texture softens when thawed. For a keto-friendly option, keep the wine volume as directed and use a no-sugar-added tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes labeled low sugar if needed.