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Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Ground beef zucchini boats with Italian-seasoned beef in tomato sauce, baked until tender with mozzarella melted golden and slightly charred on top. These beef stuffed zucchini are an easy low carb beef dinner that comes together in one skillet plus the oven.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 590
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini boats
  • 4 zucchini Medium, halved lengthwise
  • 1 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for best flavor
  • 1 onion Small, diced
  • 3 clove garlic Minced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Drained
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper To taste
  • 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese Shredded
  • 0.25 cup parmesan Grated
  • 0.25 fresh parsley For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then scoop out the center of each half, leaving about a 1/4-inch shell; chop the removed flesh and set it aside.
  3. Arrange the zucchini shells cut-side up in a greased baking dish.
Cook the beef filling
  1. Brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add the minced garlic, chopped zucchini flesh, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the skillet.
  3. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fill each zucchini shell with the beef mixture and top with shredded mozzarella.
  2. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top of each boat.
  3. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly; garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t hollow the zucchini too thin—leave a 1/4-inch shell so the boats hold together while baking. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until hot. Freezing: not recommended because the zucchini texture can soften. Dietary swap: use turkey (or a plant-based ground) in place of ground beef for a lighter option.