Stuffed Zucchini Ground Beef (Printable)

Tender zucchini filled with savory beef, topped with cheese and baked until golden and bubbly.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

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 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 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 oven. Fill each boat with beef mixture, packing gently.
08 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over stuffed boats.
09 - Return to oven and bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns a humble vegetable into something that feels like a real dinner, not just a side dish pretending to be important
  • The beef and cheese combo makes it completely satisfying even for people who normally turn their noses up at zucchini
02 -
  • If you skip the pre bake step, the zucchini will still be crunchy when the cheese is already burning, and there is no recovering from that texture mismatch
  • Patting the scooped zucchini flesh with a paper towel before adding it to the skillet prevents the filling from becoming waterlogged
03 -
  • Set the stuffed boats on a wire rack inside the baking dish so hot air circulates underneath and the bottoms do not get mushy
  • A quick pass under the broiler for the last two minutes guarantees that restaurant quality cheese crust without overcooking the filling

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