Mediterranean Zucchini Boats

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I have a winner to share with you. My Mediterranean Zucchini Boats have quickly reached the top of my “must make again soon” list. I just love this recipe and the flavors that are stuffed into those beautiful summer zucchinis.

I am a sucker for cumin and cinnamon together with meat, the warm flavors remind me of the flavors in Kibbeh. In this recipe the meat is cooked and mixed together with rice and tomato sauce along with some of my favorite spices: cumin, cinnamon, paprika, basil and oregano.

The rice and meat mixture is then stuffed into hallowed out zucchinis, baked and topped with freshly shredded cheese. The cheese is melted and topped with a sprinkling of fresh parsley. This recipe can be a bit more time consuming than some, but I promise it is totally worth it!

If you like Mediterranean beef recipes you also might like my mediterranean kabobs, lebanese meat pie or this mediterranean ground beef stir fry.

Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Zucchini Boats Recipe

Here are more reasons it’s a must-try dish:

• Easy Preparation: Despite a fairly long list of ingredients, these zucchini boats really don’t take a lot of hands on preparation, only 20 minutes then the oven does the rest of the work for you.
• Versatile: This recipe can be easily adapted to suit your own tastes. Swap the beef and lamb for other ground meats, swap the meat for sauteed vegetables, swap rice for other grains. In other words make the dish your own!
• Seasonal: This is a great seasonal recipe, the perfect way to use up the zucchini growing in our gardens when they are at their very best.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions. 

• Rice: I use cooked rice to fill the zucchini boats, use white or brown rice.
• Zucchini: This recipe serves 4, so I allow 1 large zucchini per person. I like to use large zucchini that way you can get enough of the filling into the boat. Also, look for even-sized zucchini so that you get a more consistent cook.
• Cheese: I use part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded to top the zucchini boats. {or cheese of your choice}
• Ground Meat: I like to use a combination of ground beef {I used 80/20} and ground lamb.
• Onion: For flavor I like to use a sweet onion.
• Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic, although frozen garlic or garlic puree can work here too.
• Dried Herbs: I flavor the filling mixture with dried basil and oregano.
• Spices: I season the meat filling with a variety of spices including ground cinnamon, cumin, paprika, cayenne red pepper and black pepper.
• Tomato Sauce: I use tomato sauce to bring all the filling ingredients together.

Recipe Variations

• Ground Meat – I used a combination of ground beef and lamb, but you can use any variety of ground meat, try turkey, chicken or pork too. Mix it up or just use one variety, whichever you prefer.
• Rice – swap the rice for other grains like bulgur wheat or farro.
• Vegetables – I’ve used zucchini, but you could use this same rice, ground beef and lamb mixture to fill other vegetables like bell peppers, eggplant or portobella mushrooms.
• Cheese – I’ve opted for mozzarella, but feel free to top the zucchini boats with your favorite cheese, try cheddar, Swiss or Monteray jack cheese.
• High Protein – swap the rice for cooked quinoa or lentils.
• Vegetarian – Make vegetarian zucchini boats by swapping the meat filling with a combination of your favorite sauteed vegetables, try mushroom, bell peppers, onion, corn kernels, green beans. Also ensure you use a vegetarian cheese.

How to Make Zucchini Boats

Step 1. Cook the Rice: Bring water and white rice to boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes {if using brown rice, cooked according to package}.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Step 2. Prepare the Zucchini: Scoop out the flesh from the zucchini halves using a melon baller or a cookie dough scoop, starting about 1/2 inch from the end creating a boat. Reserve the zucchini flesh. Place the boats face down on the greased cookie sheet. Bake boats in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. While the boats are baking heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Step 3. Prepare the Filling: Cook beef, lamb, onions and garlic and spices until the meat is done and no longer pink. Drain and discard the grease. Mix with meat mixture, rice and tomato sauce together and stir until combined.

Step 4. Filling the Zucchini Boats: After 15 minutes remove the zucchini from the oven. Flip over the zucchini halves using tongs. Scoop the rice and meat mixture into the zucchini boats and bake for 25 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender to the touch of a fork.

Step 5. Add the Cheese: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Step 6. Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips for Perfect Mediterranean Zucchini Boats

• You can use a variety of tools to scoop the flesh out, from a basic metal teaspoon to a grapefruit spoon {this is my favorite} to a cookie dough or ice cream scoop.
• Don’t cut away too much of the zucchini flesh otherwise you risk the sides of the zucchini falling in. Leave enough flesh so that the boats remain rigid.
• I like to bake the zucchini a little bit before stuffing them as this helps to create a very tender zucchini boat. 
• What to do with the excess zucchini flesh you removed to make the boat shape? I recommend cooking it over medium high heat with cumin and cinnamon. It is also nice to add a little tomato sauce in for extra flavor. I am all about zero waste.

Storage Tips

Store leftover zucchini boats in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When ready to enjoy, place on a baking sheet and return to a hot oven to warm through.

I don’t recommend freezing zucchini as they can become soggy once thawed. However, when making zucchini boats I often make double the filling, freezing half for an easy meal another day. The filling will store for up to 3 months in the freezer. Then when ready to cook, I defrost the filling, cut the zucchini boats fresh and finish the recipe.