Italian-Style Zucchini Boats

Hearty and family-friendly, this recipe for Italian-inspired zucchini boats is stuffed with ground beef and topped with mozzarella for tons of flavor.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 617 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 drizzle olive oil
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste
• 1 extra large zucchini, quartered lengthwise, seeds scooped out
• 4 teaspoons garlic salt
• 0.25 cup chopped fresh basil, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Step 2

Drizzle olive oil on zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini is fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Step 4

While zucchini is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef with onion and garlic until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic salt.

Step 5

Remove zucchini from the oven; leave the oven on. Scoop meat mixture generously into each zucchini quarter and sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Combine tomato paste with water in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Drain fat from beef mixture if needed. Add tomato paste mixture and heat through. Turn off heat, add fresh basil leaves, and mix until well blended.