Throughout childhood and college, zucchini boats was my go to dinner. They’re super simple and easy to make and you can stuff them with anything you have on hand from ground meat, to beans, to just more veggies. Zucchini is seasonal in summer, so it’s very easy to find! With my love of mediterranean food and spices, I decided to make a version that combines these flavors and took a little over an hour to prep and make.
I am a huge zucchini fans over here (hello Zucchini Fritters and Zucchini Summer Salad) because it can be used in so many different ways, but also is full of vitamins, high in antioxidants, and can improve digestion.
The best part of making this recipe is there are endless options to be able to get in your share of vegetables and protein. You could make some of the boats vegetarian and the others with meat, or you could use different grains or beans in each. This dish is filling for a meal and requires minimal prep!
Substitution ideas:
- Mushrooms: you can use any vegetables like carrots, peppers, or eggplant
- Olive Oil: you can use avocado oil
- Quinoa: you can swap in any grain, brown rice, farro, buckwheat or a bean
- Chickpeas: you can swap in any bean, black beans, cannellini beans, or a grain
- Mint: you can use basil or oregano instead
Mediterranean Zucchini Boats
Cooking & Baking Supplies
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
- Staub Rectangular Baking Dish
Ingredients
Zucchini Boats
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup onions
- olive oil (enough to coat base of pan)
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup quinoa or chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
Sauce
- olive oil (enough to coat base of pan)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh mint (optional)
- 1 28oz can of tomatoes (peeled, diced, or crushed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out the inside of the zucchini to remove all seeds and make an indent for the filling. Make sure not to break the skin.
- Chop up the inside of the zucchini that you removed.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and saute onions, mushrooms, zucchini (chopped insides), and 2 cloves of garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add balsamic and chickpeas or quinoa and mix into the pan. Remove mixture from heat and place in a bowl and set it to the side.
- In the pan, add olive oil to coat the base of the pan, then add in 1 clove of garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add in tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in lemon juice and mint and cook for another minute.
- In a baking pan, add ⅔ of the tomato sauce to the base of the pan, then place the zucchini halves on top. Fill the zucchini with the chickpea or quinoa mixture until full and top with the remaining tomato sauce.
- Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and cover it fully with tin foil and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle some mint on top, and ENJOY!
