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Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Ground beef zucchini boats with a tender 1/4-inch zucchini shell, filled with a savory skillet mixture and baked until the mozzarella turns golden. Finished with fresh basil and a marinara drizzle for a hearty American weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

zucchini boat base
  • 4 large zucchini Halved lengthwise; scoop out centers leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
meat filling
  • 1 lb ground beef Brown in a skillet and drain excess fat.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes From a can.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella Top the filled zucchini.
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Grated; sprinkle over mozzarella.
  • fresh basil Finish with fresh leaves.
  • marinara Drizzle to serve.
  • salt and pepper Season to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F, then place zucchini halves on a sheet pan and scoop out the center of each, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.
Make the beef-zucchini filling
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the fat.
  2. Add the diced onion and chopped zucchini flesh and cook for 4 minutes.
  3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika, then cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fill and bake
  1. Fill each zucchini shell with the beef mixture and top with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan.
  2. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden.
Serve
  1. Finish with fresh basil and drizzle marinara over the top before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest boats, leave the zucchini shells at a consistent 1/4-inch thickness so they bake tender without collapsing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the zucchini texture can soften further. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef or swap in ground turkey for similar filling flavor.