If you’re looking for easy and healthy dinner recipes, these ground beef (or turkey) taco stuffed zucchini boats are packed full of protein and veggies, but they are also exploding with flavor! I mean, that’s all it takes is a little cheese and the right seasoning to make that happen. The entire family will love this simple, low carb dinner recipe.
If you’ve ever tried stuffing a zucchini boat before, then you know just how fun these guys are to make. You really can customize the recipe to suit your taste and family needs.
I tend to incorporate any kind of taco ingredients that I already have on hand. As long as you have the zucchinis, ground meat of some kind, taco seasoning and cheese, the rest is customizable.
Trying to cut carbs? Simple, leave out the beans to make them low carb and keto friendly.
Even after baking, the zucchini stays crispy on the outside which really complements the delicious stuffing. Once you try this recipe, stuffing zucchini boats will become a regular obsession. This is a family favorite on busy week nights when we are craving a little more fiber than the usual pizza!
A quick, easy, and healthy dinner idea for busy weeknights.
Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef
- 1/2 small onion (diced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 cup chunky salsa (mild or spicy)
- 1 (1oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1+ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, pepper jack or Mexican blend)
- 1 (15oz) can drained & rinsed black beans (optional)
- salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste
Instructions
- Brown and chop the meat in a large skillet set to medium-high heat.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the taco seasoning, salsa, onion, bell pepper and black beans; simmer for about 20 minutes. Do a taste test to see if you'd like to add any garlic powder, salt, pepper or spice to the mixture.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, cut the zucchinis in half length-wise and use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the flesh to create boats; place the boats in a large foil lined or greased baking dish and sprinkle with a little salt and garlic.
- Scoop the taco mixture into your boats. Press it down firmly to fit as much of the stuffing inside of the boats as possible.
- Top each boat with a generous amount of shredded cheese and cover your dish with foil. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the zucchini is cooked through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Serve as is or with sour cream, salsa, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, rice or anything else you'd like!
Notes
- I like to chop and save the zucchini flesh to eat with an omelet or to make zucchini fritters the next day. You can also add it to just about any meal! It's a great way to sneak veggies into pasta and casserole dishes.
- Want more dinner ideas like this? You might also like these chicken parmesan stuffed zucchini boats. Delish!
Don’t forget to pin and save for later! 🙂
