Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Last Updated on January 1, 2023 by Jacqueline Rafidi
These Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats check all the boxes. Easy for a weeknight meal, kid friendly, simple and flavorful. This is the perfect thing to make whenever you’re in a cooking rut! Zucchini is fully in season right now and I’m I’ve been loving add some in pretty much everything I cook! So I knew I had to make recipe highlighting this amazing vegetable.
One of my favorite things about zucchini is that it can pretty much take on any flavor you want it to. For these Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats, we cut them in half lengthwise and hollow them out. That pulp we remove ends up adding SO much juiciness and volume to the filling we end up adding right back into the zucchini boats.
Making these stuffed zucchini boats is easy
Hollow out and roast the zucchini. Save the insides of the zucchini, it’s all going right into the filling. Brown up the meat, add your spices and the zucchini. When the zucchini is out of the oven, add the meat mixture right in with a dollop of the dill yogurt sauce. Serve with rice and a side salad and this meal couldn’t be easier!
Enjoy these Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats with these sides:
Tzatziki sauce
Arabic rice pilaf
Greek rice pilaf
Simple yellow rice
Middle Eastern Salad
Horiatiki Salad
When you make these Mediterranean stuffed zucchini boats, comment down below and rate this recipe to let me know your thoughts! Also share a picture or tag me on Instagram @thebitewithjackie, I love seeing your remakes!
Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini
- 1 lb ground beef or meat/plant based grounds of choice
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil divided
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 carrot peeled and shredded
- 1 ½ teaspoons allspice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ cup tomato sauce or tomato paste mixed with water
- Salt & pepper to taste
To serve:
- Tzatziki sauce recipe on the site
- Arabic rice pilaf Greek rice pilaf or simple yellow rice (all recipes on the site)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise, scoop out all the insides with a spoon, chop it up and reserve in a bowl – this will go in the filling later. Place the hollowed-out zucchini halves on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes while preparing the filling or until soft.
- Add the remaining olive oil to a skillet on medium high heat. Add in the ground meat and begin breaking up into small pieces. Once it’s halfway cooked through, add in the onions and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the shredded carrot, the insides of the zucchini, the allspice, cinnamon and turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute toasting up the spices, then add in the tomato sauce. Let it cook down and simmer for another 4 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.
- Top the roasted zucchini with the filling, add a dollop of the tzatziki sauce on top, serve with a side of rice – I love making the Arabic rice pilaf with this, sprinkle on some fresh dill or parsley and serve. Enjoy!
