Healthy Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Turkey

This baked stuffed zucchini is one of my all time favorite quick dinners. It takes 30 minutes to prepare, and these stuffed zucchini boats are juicy and packed with the perfect savory combination of flavors.

Zucchini halves get filled with browned ground turkey or lean ground beef, black beans, diced tomatoes, sweet corn and herbs, then baked and topped with melted cheese.

The Best Healthy Stuffed Zucchini (30 Minute Family Dinner)

I’ve thrown this dinner together too many times to count. Your family will love this one. It passed my husband and 3 year old daughter taste test, and you’ll understand why we make this so frequently on those busy days.

Here’s a couple of quick tips. At this point, it’s become second nature to wash my vegetables before cooking or eating. It sounds pretty strenuous and annoying to take time to wash every single fresh vegetable, right? Nope. It only takes 20 seconds and is absolutely worth it to get the grime, dirt, wax and who knows what else off. Check out this post where you can visibly see the difference between rinsing and washing your vegetables. I love my Fit Vegetable Wash! So scrub those zucchinis before preparing.

Once you’ve scooped out the insides, you can either discard them or throw them in a smoothie for dessert!

Sometimes I keep some leftovers of the meat mixture on purpose. I love using it for quick burritos or scooping it on top of FSTG tortilla chips. Nom nom. It’s super tasty.

Why You’ll Love These Baked Stuffed Zucchini Boats

• Quick weeknight dinner. About 30 minutes from start to finish.
• Hearty and healthy. Lean protein, black beans, corn and tomatoes fill every zucchini boat.
• Family approved. Juicy, savory filling and melty cheese win over kids and grown ups alike.
• Leftovers are a bonus. Extra filling turns into quick burritos or a nacho topping.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into these healthy stuffed zucchini boats and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Ground turkey or lean ground beef: Either works. Ground turkey keeps it lighter, and lean ground beef gives a richer flavor. Brown it well first, since those browned bits add a lot of savory flavor to the filling. Drain off any extra fat before adding the other ingredients so the filling stays light.
• Diced tomatoes: A can of organic diced tomatoes, drained. Draining keeps the filling juicy but not watery, so the zucchini doesn’t sit in liquid. The tomatoes add a little acidity that brightens the rich meat and cheese.
• Black beans: Drain and rinse them to remove the starchy canning liquid. They add protein, fiber and a creamy bite, and they stretch the meat so the filling goes further.
• Frozen sweet corn: No need to thaw. It warms through in the skillet and adds pops of sweetness and color against the savory meat. Canned corn, drained, works in a pinch.
• Parsley and basil: Dried herbs season the filling and give it a bright, slightly Italian flavor. Stir them in with the tomatoes so they have a minute in the hot pan to wake up and release their aroma.
• Salt and black pepper: Season the filling well, since the zucchini itself is mild.
• Zucchini: Three organic zucchini, washed, cut lengthwise and scooped out. Medium zucchini that are straight and firm make the most stable boats. Very large zucchini can be watery and seedy. Try to pick zucchini that are about the same size so they all finish baking at the same time.
• Shredded cheese: Two cups melted on top is what makes these irresistible. Cheddar, a Mexican blend or Monterey Jack all melt beautifully. Shredding your own from a block gives the smoothest melt.

How to Make Baked Stuffed Zucchini

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 375°F and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Brown the meat. In a large frying pan, brown the ground turkey or beef, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Ground turkey should reach 165°F and ground beef 160°F on an instant read thermometer.
3. Make the filling. Add the diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, parsley, basil, salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir well and cook only until heated through, then remove from the heat. The filling should be hot and steaming with the corn warmed through. There’s no need to simmer it down, since it finishes cooking in the oven.
4. Prep the zucchini. Meanwhile, wash the zucchini and cut off the ends. Cut each one lengthwise down the center and scoop out the insides with a spoon, leaving a sturdy shell about 1/4 inch thick. A shell that is too thin can collapse in the oven, and one that is too thick stays firm in the middle.
5. Stuff and bake. Place the zucchini on the foil covered baking sheet. Generously scoop the meat mixture over each one, mounding it high, since it settles as it bakes. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Add the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese evenly across the top and bake 5 to 7 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the zucchini is slightly tender when pierced with a fork.

Ways to Customize Stuffed Zucchini

• Switch the protein. Ground turkey and lean ground beef both work, so use whichever you have on hand.
• Change the cheese. Cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend all melt into a golden, bubbly top.
• Add some heat. A pinch of chili powder or a diced jalapeno in the filling gives it a gentle kick.
• Serve it with crunch. Crumble tortilla chips over the top or serve them on the side for scooping up the extra filling.

Baked Stuffed Zucchini FAQs

• Can I use ground beef instead of turkey? Yes. The recipe works with ground turkey or lean ground beef. Cook turkey to 165°F and beef to 160°F.
• What do I do with the scooped out zucchini? You can discard it, or throw it in a smoothie.
• Do I need to precook the zucchini? No. The zucchini bakes for about 15 to 17 minutes total and turns slightly tender while keeping a little bite.
• Should I wash the zucchini? Yes. It only takes 20 seconds to scrub off dirt, grime and wax before you cut into it.
• Can I make the filling ahead? Yes. Cook the filling, cool it and refrigerate it in a covered container, then stuff and bake the zucchini when you are ready. Use it within 3 to 4 days.
• How do I store leftovers? Refrigerate leftover stuffed zucchini or filling in a covered container within 2 hours and eat it within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until steaming hot, 165°F.
• Why is my stuffed zucchini watery? Undrained tomatoes or oversized zucchini are the usual cause. Drain the tomatoes and beans well and choose medium zucchini.
• Can I make it meatless? Leave out the meat and add more black beans or corn for a vegetarian version.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

Baked stuffed zucchini filled with browned ground turkey or lean ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, sweet corn and herbs, then topped with melted cheese. A juicy, savory family dinner ready in about 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground turkey/lean ground beef browned
• 1 15 oz can organic diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 and 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1 Tbs parsley
• 1 Tbs basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 organic zucchini washed and cut lengthwise and insides scooped out
• 2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• In a large frying pan, brown ground turkey/ground beef.
• Add diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, parsley, basil, salt and pepper to skillet. Stir well and only cook until heated through. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, wash and cut ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini lengthwise down the center. Scoop out the insides and discard.
• Place zucchini on aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Generously scoop meat mixture over zucchini and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cheese evenly across the top and bake for additional 5 to 7 minutes until cheese melted and zucchini slightly tender.

Made this stuffed zucchini? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing about your family’s favorite busy night dinners and how your little ones liked their zucchini boats.

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