I started making this stuffed zucchini boats recipe a few years back. It’s been a staple in our summer dinner rotation ever since! I love this recipe for several reasons. First, it’s a fantastic way to make the most of a summer stockpile of zucchini. I don’t let any of the squash go to waste here. Instead of tossing the scooped zucchini flesh, I mix it into the zesty filling. Second, it’s full of fresh summer flavor. These zucchini boats feature seasonal veggies like cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs in addition to the zucchini. Lemon zest brightens up the filling too. Third, these stuffed zucchini boats are simple to make. You can hollow out the squash and mix up the filling in 20 minutes. Then, just pop them in the oven to bake! They’re a gorgeous summer meal that you can have on the table in under 45 minutes. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Ingredients for Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Here’s what you’ll need to make this stuffed zucchini recipe:
Zucchini, of course! I use it 2 ways, stuffing the shells with a zucchini-loaded filling. Egg binds the filling together. Coarse breadcrumbs create a delicious body for the filling—the top gets toasty, while the inside stays moist. Parmesan cheese adds melty texture and umami flavor. Garlic punches it up. Cherry tomatoes dot the filling with sweet, juicy bites. Pine nuts add crunch. Lemon zest and thyme give it a bright, fresh finish. Extra-virgin olive oil helps the zucchini soften in the oven. And salt and pepper make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Stuffed vegetables may seem fussy, but they’re deceptively simple. As with my stuffed bell peppers and stuffed poblanos, these come together in just a few steps. Here’s all you need to do: Enjoy!
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe Tips
We’ve made this stuffed zucchini recipe (originally inspired by the stuffed zucchini in the Ottolenghi Simple cookbook) many times. Following these tips yields the best results:
Squeeze out as much water as you can from the zucchini flesh before stirring it into the filling. You don’t want it to be watery! Chop any bigger zucchini chunks into small pieces before adding them to the seedy, pulpy innards and pressing them over a kitchen strainer. Don’t scoop too much. Make sure you leave a sturdy border of zucchini flesh to support the yummy filling. If you scoop too much, your stuffed zucchini boats will be flimsy. Make your own breadcrumbs. Better bread = better bread crumbs, so find a good baguette or loaf of crusty bread for this recipe. Tear it into chunks and pulse them in a food processor to create coarse crumbs for the filling. Enjoy the remaining bread on the side! Top them with pesto. These stuffed zucchini boats are great on their own, but a drizzle of pesto really takes them over the top. Make homemade basil pesto or use store-bought. In pinch, tomato sauce or marinara sauce would be nice here too.
Serving Suggestions
We like these stuffed zucchini boats as a main or side dish. If you make this recipe with 3 medium zucchini, it serves 6 as a side. If you make it with 2 large zucchini, it serves 4 as a main course. Pair the boats with a bowl of gazpacho or a summery pasta like my cherry tomato pasta or pesto pasta. They’d also go well with any of these summer salads:
Easy Pasta Salad Best Broccoli Salad Orzo Salad Eggplant Salad Strawberry Salad
Leftover zucchini boats keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or a 350°F oven.
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
If you love this stuffed zucchini, try one of these zucchini recipes next:
Zucchini Lasagna Baked Zucchini Chips Roasted Zucchini Zucchini Pasta Zucchini Bread Or any of these 30 Best Zucchini Recipes!
Inspired by the stuffed zucchini recipe in Ottolenghi Simple and reprinted with permission from the publisher.
