Zucchini boats are a fun meal and they are super easy as well. I call this the non-recipe recipe, because you can adjust and use a variety of ingredients to change the flair. This time, I went Italian.
It boiled down to having some fresh mozzarella that needed to be used, plus a ton of tomatoes and...you guessed it...zucchini in the garden that was calling my name.
So here are the basics:
- Cut two zucchinis lengthwise.
- Using a melon baller (preferably) or a small spoon, hollow out the seedy area of the zucchini.
- Place skin-side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
This is where you can get creative! Figure out your fillings as you'll want to cook those first.
- Brown 1/2 of a small onion, chopped
- Add a protein such as grass-fed ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken. For two large zucchinis, 1/2 lb. will do it.
- Cook until near done
- Add 1 1/2 tsp of Rubarama No. 4
Next, toss in your veggies: First I stirred in the finely chopped carrots and let those cook a bit in the beef, since they take a bit longer. Then, I added a bit of the zucchini balls, chopped fresh tomatoes, parsley, basil, and oregano from the garden.
While the veggies are cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
When the vegetables are done (they will be bright and tender), remove the mixture from the heat and carefully spoon the Rubarama/meat/veggie combo into the zucchini boats. Topped with chopped Kalamata olives and fresh mozzarella cheese, and place on the center rack of the oven, and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melty and gooey and gorgeous.
Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes, and serve. Serves 2-4
Some variations
- Vegetarian? Skip the meat and use beans and/or quinoa
- Vegan? Do the beans and/or quinoa and skip the cheese
- Want to mix it up? Go South of the Border! Swap the herbs for cilantro, add some peppers, and top with a bit of salsa.
- Try ground pork and top with a fruity salsa, such as pineapple.
Enjoy!
Cindy