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Zucchini Boats are my favorite way to turn a pile of summer zucchini into a hearty, cheesy dinner, hollowed out and stuffed with a smoky enchilada beef filling. I made a pan last busy Tuesday and even the kids who claim to hate vegetables went back for seconds. They scratch the same Tex-Mex itch as our smothered beef burritos.
Tender zucchini, a saucy enchilada beef-and-bean filling, and a blanket of melty cheese turn a few simple ingredients into a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Zucchini Boats Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 45 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 65 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 708kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cheesy Tex-Mex beef and beans baked in tender zucchini
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a veggie-packed dinner like our smothered burritos
Quick Answer
To make Zucchini Boats, halve zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers to form boats. Brown ground beef with onion and seasonings, then stir in black beans, corn, and rice. Spread enchilada sauce in a baking dish, fill the zucchini with the beef mixture, top with cheese, and bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Zucchini is the perfect vessel. Hollowed zucchini holds a generous scoop of filling and bakes up tender without going mushy.
- Enchilada sauce adds bold flavor. A layer of enchilada sauce keeps everything saucy and gives that classic Tex-Mex flavor.
- Beef, beans, and corn make it hearty. The protein-and-veggie-packed filling makes these boats a satisfying full meal.
- Cheese on top. A blanket of melty cheese ties it all together and gets golden in the oven.
- A lighter take on enchiladas. Swapping tortillas for zucchini makes this a lower-carb, veggie-forward dinner.
- Great for using up zucchini. It is the perfect recipe for that summer zucchini glut from the garden.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a hearty, cheesy Tex-Mex dinner that sneaks in a whole serving of veggies, and even picky eaters love it.
- It is a lighter, lower-carb way to enjoy enchilada flavors, like a veggie-packed version of our smothered burritos.
- The filling is easy to make ahead, so dinner comes together fast on a busy night.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into these cheesy enchilada Zucchini Boats, a full Tex-Mex dinner in one pan.
- Zucchini: Choose medium zucchini that are sturdy enough to hold the filling. Halve and scoop them into boats.
- Ground beef: The hearty base of the filling. Lean beef or ground turkey both work.
- Black beans and corn: Add fiber, texture, and that classic Tex-Mex flavor.
- Enchilada sauce: Brings everything together with bold, smoky flavor. Use store-bought or homemade.
- Cheese: A mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack melts beautifully on top, just like in our chorizo queso.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Zucchini Boats are easy to customize. Here are a few of our favorite swaps.
- Make it chicken: Swap the beef for shredded chicken or our Mexican shredded chicken.
- Go vegetarian: Skip the meat and double the beans and corn.
- Add rice: Stir cooked rice into the filling to stretch it further.
- Spice it up: Add diced jalapeno or a pinch of cayenne for more heat.
- Top it off: Finish with sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and diced tomato.
How to Make Zucchini Boats
- Brown the ground beef with onion, then stir in the black beans, corn, rice, and taco seasonings.
- Mix the filling together until everything is well combined and heated through.
- Stir together the enchilada sauce and spread some in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers to make boats, then place them in the dish.
- Spoon the beef and bean filling generously into each zucchini boat.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not over-hollow the zucchini. Leave a sturdy shell so the boats hold their shape and filling.
- Pre-bake for tender zucchini. If you like very soft zucchini, bake the empty boats for 10 minutes before filling.
- Drain the beef. Pouring off excess grease keeps the filling from getting greasy.
- Use a saucy bottom layer. Enchilada sauce in the dish keeps the boats moist and flavorful.
- Do not skimp on cheese. A generous layer melts into a golden, gooey top.
- Add toppings after baking. Fresh cilantro, avocado, and sour cream brighten every bite, like on our loaded nachos.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Zucchini Boats are a full meal on their own, but they shine with classic Tex-Mex sides. Add a scoop of Mexican rice, refried beans, or a crisp green salad.
Finish each boat with sour cream, sliced avocado, diced tomato, and fresh cilantro. A spoonful of our chorizo queso takes them right over the top.
Round out taco night with our chicken tinga or a bowl of chicken enchilada soup. Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch.
Zucchini Boats FAQs
Scoop out the seedy centers, which hold the most moisture, and avoid over-hollowing the shell. You can also salt the hollowed boats and pat them dry, or pre-bake them for a few minutes before filling to release extra water.
Not necessarily. The zucchini bakes until tender right along with the filling. If you prefer very soft zucchini, pre-bake the empty boats for about 10 minutes before stuffing and finishing them in the oven.
Yes. Prepare the filling and hollow the zucchini up to a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Assemble and bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes since you are starting cold.
Do not toss it. Chop the scooped zucchini and saute it right into the beef filling for extra veggies, or save it for soups, frittatas, or zucchini bread.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350-degree oven until warmed through. The zucchini softens more as it sits but still tastes great.
Zucchini has a high water content and can turn mushy after freezing, so they are best enjoyed fresh. If you want to freeze, freeze the cooked filling separately and stuff fresh zucchini when ready to bake.
Hungry for more Tex-Mex? Try our smothered beef burritos next.
Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ear of corn cut off cob about 1 cup or canned
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro rough chop
- 6 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 6 large zucchini
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs or plain breadcrumbs
- 3 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese divided
Enchilada Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat.1 pound ground beef
- Add the beans, corn, cilantro, taco seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Mix until combined and cook until fragrant, one minute.15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed, 1 ear of corn cut off cob about 1 cup, 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro rough chop, 6 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the water and mix to combine, lower heat to medium-low, simmer until almost all the water has evaporated but the mixture is not dry for about 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat, and let cool until ready to use again.1 cup water
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, leaving about 1/4 inch of the zucchini flesh. To make this easier I use a melon baller, be careful not to puncture the sides of the zucchini.6 large zucchini
- In a large bowl, add the egg, breadcrumbs, and 1 cup of the cheese. Add the meat mixture and mix to combine. Next, make the sauce.1 egg lightly beaten, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs or plain breadcrumbs, 3 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the butter and let melt over medium heat, add the cornstarch and whisk to combine, cook for one minute.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the chili powder, whisk to combine, and cook one additional minute.2 tablespoons chili powder
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.2 cups chicken stock
- Add the remaining ingredients, whisk to combine. Stir occasionally until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.½ cup tomato sauce, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Add about 1 cup of the sauce to two 9×13 inch baking dishes.
- Distribute the stuffing evenly among the zucchini halves.
- Place each zucchini half into the baking dish, cover with foil and bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, add the remaining cheese and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve with the remaining sauce and toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Feel free to switch up your meat, this is great with ground chicken or turkey as well.
- Add other cheeses, see some suggestions above.
- You can use store bought enchilada sauce if you do not want to make your own.
- Other vegetables can be used, see my suggestions above.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- Easily double this recipe and freeze for a later meal.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Love this recipe, I use peppers instead of zucchini. Also I use the sauce recipe for other things.
YAY, I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for letting us know!
I made this for dinner tonight. I am cooking for only two people, so after I combined the ground beef, beans, corn and seasoning I took out half to use later in the week for tacos or chili. I added one egg, 1/8 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 of cheese to the mixture. I made the entire recipe of enchilada sauce because we love sauce! This recipe turned out awesome! So glad I tried it.
I love stuffed zucchini and this recipe sounds delicious! I love the idea of making them a main dish instead of a side dish by adding ground beef. I will definitely make these soon!