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Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Ground beef zucchini boats with Italian-seasoned meat in tomato sauce, baked until the zucchini is tender. Mozzarella melts golden and bubbly on top with a lightly charred finish for a stuffed-zucchini dinner that stays low carb.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini boats
  • 4 medium zucchini Halved lengthwise.
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion Diced.
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Drained.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt To taste.
  • black pepper To taste.
  • 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese Shredded.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Grated.
  • fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish so the zucchini won’t stick.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center, leaving a 1/4-inch shell; chop the scooped flesh and set it aside.
  3. Arrange the zucchini shells cut-side up in a greased baking dish.
Make the beef-tomato filling
  1. Brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add the garlic and chopped zucchini flesh to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, keeping the mixture moving.
  3. Stir in the diced tomatoes (drained), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  4. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce so it clings to the zucchini.
Bake and finish
  1. Fill each zucchini shell with the beef mixture, mounding it slightly at the top.
  2. Top each boat with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
  3. Bake 20–25 minutes at 400°F until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly, with slight char across the top.
  4. Garnish with fresh parsley right after baking and serve hot.

Notes

For extra charred cheese, let the boats sit under the hot broiler for 1–2 minutes right after baking (watch closely). Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; freeze is not recommended because zucchini can soften and weep when thawed. To make it dairy-light, swap mozzarella + parmesan for a low-moisture part-skim mozzarella blend or a dairy-free melty cheese alternative.