Stuffed Zucchini Ground Beef (Printable)
Tender zucchini halves filled with savory beef, topped with melted cheese and baked until golden.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium zucchinis
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium tomato, diced
→ Meats
05 - 1 lb ground beef
→ Dairy
06 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
02 - Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the centers, leaving about a 1/4 inch border to form boats. Roughly chop the scooped zucchini flesh and set aside.
03 - Brush zucchini boats with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in the baking dish cut side up. Bake for 10 minutes to soften.
04 - Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
05 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until browned, breaking up any clumps with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
06 - Stir in chopped zucchini flesh, diced tomato, tomato paste, oregano, and basil. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Remove zucchini boats from the oven. Fill each boat with the beef mixture, packing gently.
08 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the stuffed boats.
09 - Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cheese gets all bubbly and brown in spots while the zucchini stays firm enough to pick up with your hands
- Everything cooks in one pan and one dish so cleanup is almost suspiciously easy
02 -
- If you skip the 10 minute pre bake the zucchini walls will release so much water that your filling ends up swimming in a puddle
- Overstuffing the boats seems tempting but the filling will spill over the sides and burn on the parchment paper
03 -
- Pat the scooped zucchini flesh with a paper towel before adding it to the skillet to remove excess moisture
- A quick broil for the last two minutes gives you that restaurant quality cheese crust without any extra effort