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Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Ground beef zucchini boats with savory Italian beef and tomato filling, baked until the zucchini is tender and the mozzarella turns golden and bubbly. Hollowed zucchini halves are stuffed generously and finished with parmesan and fresh basil for a hearty, low carb dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini boats
  • 4 medium zucchini Halved lengthwise
  • 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese Shredded
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Grated
  • fresh basil For garnish
Italian beef-tomato filling
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion Diced
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes Drained
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt To taste
  • black pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with foil to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then scoop out the centers with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4-inch border; chop the scooped flesh and set aside.
Make the beef-tomato filling
  1. Brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, then drain off excess fat.
  2. Add the minced garlic and the chopped zucchini flesh to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, then cook for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
Assemble and bake
  1. Arrange the zucchini shells on the sheet pan and fill each generously with the beef mixture.
  2. Top the filling with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle parmesan over the top.
  3. Bake for 20–22 minutes at 400°F until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly, then garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

For extra bite, keep the zucchini border near 1/4 inch so the boats hold up in the oven. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3–4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because zucchini can turn watery after thawing. For a lighter option, use 90% lean or lean ground turkey in the same cooking steps.