Make these zucchini boats for an easy summer dinner! They’re fresh and filling, stuffed with a delicious mixture of breadcrumbs, herbs, and cheese.
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:
- Cut the zucchini. Halve them lengthwise and hollow out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick rim around each half.
- Make the filling. Chop any large pieces of scooped flesh and transfer it all to a kitchen strainer. Press out any excess moisture, and then add the zucchini flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Stir until everything’s well combined.
- Load up the zucchini. Place the zucchini shells in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and spoon in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake! Transfer the stuffed squash to a 475°F oven and bake until the zucchini is tender and the filling is set and nicely golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
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:
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:
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Serves 4 to 6
We love to make these stuffed zucchini boats for an easy summer dinner! With medium zucchini, the recipe serves 6 as a side dish. With large zucchini, it serves 4 as a main course.
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Preheat the oven to 475°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a small spoon to hollow out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving a little more than ¼-inch thickness around the edges. Place them cut side up on the baking sheet.
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Make the filling. Place the scooped-out zucchini flesh into a mesh strainer and gently press out any excess water. You should be left with 1 cup flesh. Chop any coarse pieces and transfer to a medium bowl with the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme, pine nuts, and salt. Mix until combined, using your hands if necessary.
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Drizzle the hollowed-out zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon in the filling and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the filling is set and is golden brown and crisp on top.
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Serve with pesto.
Inspired by the stuffed zucchini recipe in Ottolenghi Simple.