Make these zucchini boats for a simple summer season dinner! They’re contemporary and filling, full of a scrumptious combination of breadcrumbs, herbs, and cheese.
I began making this stuffed zucchini boats recipe just a few years again. It’s been a staple in our summer season dinner rotation ever since!
I really like this recipe for a number of causes. First, it’s a implausible method to take advantage of a summer season stockpile of zucchini. I don’t let any of the squash go to waste right here. As an alternative of tossing the scooped zucchini flesh, I combine it into the zesty filling.
Second, it’s stuffed with contemporary summer season taste. These zucchini boats function seasonal veggies like cherry tomatoes and contemporary herbs along with the zucchini. Lemon zest brightens up the filling too.
Third, these stuffed zucchini boats are easy to make. You’ll be able to hole out the squash and blend up the filling in 20 minutes. Then, simply pop them within the oven to bake! They’re a beautiful summer season meal which you could have on the desk in underneath 45 minutes. I hope you’re keen on them as a lot as I do!
Elements for Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Right here’s what you’ll must make this stuffed zucchini recipe:
- Zucchini, in fact! I take advantage of it 2 methods, stuffing the shells with a zucchini-loaded filling.
- Egg binds the filling collectively.
- Coarse breadcrumbs create a scrumptious physique for the filling—the highest will get toasty, whereas the within stays moist.
- Parmesan cheese provides melty texture and umami taste.
- Garlic punches it up.
- Cherry tomatoes dot the filling with candy, juicy bites.
- Pine nuts add crunch.
- Lemon zest and thyme give it a shiny, contemporary end.
- Additional-virgin olive oil helps the zucchini soften within the oven.
- And salt and pepper make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements beneath.
The best way to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Stuffed greens could seem fussy, however they’re deceptively easy. As with my stuffed bell peppers and stuffed poblanos, these come collectively in only a few steps. Right here’s all you want to do:
- Minimize the zucchini. Halve them lengthwise and hole out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick rim round every half.
- Make the filling. Chop any massive items of scooped flesh and switch all of it to a kitchen strainer. Press out any extra moisture, after which add the zucchini flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Stir till the whole lot’s properly mixed.
- 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 within the breadcrumb combination.
- Bake! Switch the stuffed squash to a 475°F oven and bake till the zucchini is tender and the filling is about and properly golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
Get pleasure from!
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe Suggestions
We’ve made this stuffed zucchini recipe (initially impressed by the stuffed zucchini within the Ottolenghi Easy cookbook) many occasions. Following the following pointers yields one of the best outcomes:
- Squeeze out as a lot water as you may from the zucchini flesh earlier than stirring it into the filling. You don’t need it to be watery! Chop any larger zucchini chunks into small items earlier than including them to the seedy, pulpy innards and urgent them over a kitchen strainer.
- Don’t scoop an excessive amount of. Ensure you depart a sturdy border of zucchini flesh to assist the yummy filling. When you scoop an excessive amount of, your stuffed zucchini boats shall be flimsy.
- Make your individual breadcrumbs. Higher bread = higher bread crumbs, so discover a good baguette or loaf of crusty bread for this recipe. Tear it into chunks and pulse them in a meals processor to create coarse crumbs for the filling. Benefit from the remaining bread on the facet!
- Prime them with pesto. These stuffed zucchini boats are nice on their very own, however a drizzle of pesto actually takes them excessive. Make selfmade basil pesto or use store-bought. In pinch, tomato sauce or marinara sauce could be good right here too.
Serving Ideas
We like these stuffed zucchini boats as a important or facet dish. When you make this recipe with 3 medium zucchini, it serves 6 as a facet. When you make it with 2 massive zucchini, it serves 4 as a important course.
Pair the boats with a bowl of gazpacho or a summery pasta like my cherry tomato pasta or pesto pasta. They’d additionally go properly with any of those summer season salads:
Leftover zucchini boats hold properly in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat them within the microwave or a 350°F oven.
Extra Favourite Zucchini Recipes
When you love this stuffed zucchini, attempt one among these zucchini recipes subsequent:
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Serves 4 to six
We like to make these stuffed zucchini boats for a simple summer season dinner! With medium zucchini, the recipe serves 6 as a facet dish. With massive zucchini, it serves 4 as a important course.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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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 hole out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving slightly greater than ¼-inch thickness across the edges. Place them minimize facet up on the baking sheet.
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Make the filling. Place the scooped-out zucchini flesh right into a mesh strainer and gently press out any extra water. You need to be left with 1 cup flesh. Chop any coarse items and switch to a medium bowl with the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme, pine nuts, and salt. Combine till mixed, utilizing your arms if obligatory.
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Drizzle the hollowed-out zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon within the filling and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or till the filling is about and is golden brown and crisp on high.
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Serve with pesto.
Impressed by the stuffed zucchini recipe in Ottolenghi Easy.
