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Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Quinoa

Mediterranean zucchini boats filled with herbed quinoa, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta. Roasted until just tender, then warmed through for a juicy, sliceable bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

zucchini
  • 4 large zucchini halved lengthwise
quinoa
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
Kalamata olives
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives sliced
red onion
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
cucumber
  • 0.5 cup cucumber diced
fresh parsley
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
fresh mint
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
garlic
  • 1 clove garlic minced
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
feta cheese
  • 0.75 cup feta cheese crumbled
fresh herbs for garnish
  • 1 extra fresh herbs for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers, leaving a 1/4-inch shell; chop the zucchini flesh and set it aside.
Roast the zucchini boats
  1. Brush the zucchini shells with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then place on a sheet pan cut-side down.
  2. Bake for 12 minutes until the boats are just tender, then flip right-side up.
Make the quinoa filling
  1. Mix the cooked quinoa with cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, red onion, cucumber, chopped zucchini flesh, parsley, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Stuff and finish
  1. Fill each zucchini boat generously with the quinoa mixture.
  2. Return to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes to warm through, until the filling is hot.
  3. Top with crumbled feta and extra fresh herbs before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: aim to keep the zucchini wall at about a 1/4-inch so the boats stay sturdy after roasting. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because zucchini can turn watery. If you want a dairy-free version, replace feta with a crumbled plant-based feta or a generous sprinkle of toasted pine nuts for a salty, savory crunch.