Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Meat and Cheese

These stuffed zucchini boats turn humble zucchini into a hearty, crowd-pleasing dinner. Roasted until tender, the zucchini halves are filled with seasoned ground meat and tomato sauce, then baked under a golden layer of melted cheese. Fans of our Juicy Chicken Patties with Herbs will love this easy weeknight option, and Serious Eats offers great guidance on getting vegetables perfectly tender in the oven.

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini
• 300 g (10.5 oz) ground meat
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic to taste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 100 g (3.5 oz) cheese, grated
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the flesh to make boats. Brush with olive oil, season with salt, and bake at 180C (350F) for 15-20 minutes.
2. Brown the ground meat in a skillet, add the chopped onion, and cook 5-7 minutes. Finely chop the scooped zucchini flesh and add it to the meat. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic, stir in the tomato paste, and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Fill the zucchini boats with the meat mixture, top with grated cheese, and bake 10-15 minutes more until the cheese melts and browns.

Tips

• Do not overbake the empty zucchini shells — they should be just tender, since they go back into the oven with the filling.
• Use a mix of mozzarella and a sharper cheese like cheddar for the best melt and flavor.
• Serve these boats with a simple green salad, or make it a feast alongside our Baked Napa Cabbage Rolls with Meat and Creamy Garlic Sauce. For more baked dinner inspiration, browse the dinner ideas at Allrecipes.

Nutrition: per 100 g: 86.9 kcal, protein 9.6 g, fat 3.6 g, carbs 4.2 g