Flavorful Low-Carb Asian Zucchini Boats

Here’s my go-to recipe for Asian zucchini boats, filled with a tasty mix of ground meat, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce, all topped with melted cheese and green onions.

These zucchini boats have become my family’s favorite way to use up the summer garden harvest. I often make a double batch because my kids always ask for seconds, and they’re just as good reheated for lunch the next day. Who knew vegetables could be this popular at the dinner table?

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For zucchini boats, you’ll want to look for medium-sized zucchini that are about 6-8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. These are perfect because they’re big enough to hold a good amount of filling but not so large that they become watery and lose their shape while cooking. Skip the super-sized garden zucchini – they tend to be less flavorful and have more seeds in the middle. When shopping, pick zucchini that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, shiny dark green skin. A good tip is to choose ones that are similar in size so they’ll cook evenly in the oven.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty flexible and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Zucchini: You can use yellow summer squash instead of zucchini – they have a similar texture and cooking time. Just make sure they’re about the same size as medium zucchini.
• Canned salmon: Feel free to use canned tuna or even fresh cooked salmon. If using fresh salmon, you’ll need about 2 cups flaked. Crab meat would work great too!
• Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work fine, or for a low-carb option, try crushed pork rinds or almond flour. Just note that regular breadcrumbs might make the filling a bit denser.
• Avocado oil: Any neutral cooking oil like vegetable, canola, or light olive oil will work just as well.
• Tamari: Regular soy sauce works perfectly here. For gluten-free options, coconut aminos is a good substitute, though you might need a bit more since it’s less salty.
• Sweet chili sauce: For the sauce, if you don’t have sweet chili sauce, mix 2 tablespoons honey with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Ground ginger: Fresh grated ginger works too – use 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger in place of the ground version.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making zucchini boats is dealing with excess moisture – be sure to scoop out the seeds and pat the zucchini dry with paper towels before filling, or you’ll end up with a watery mess at the bottom of your baking dish. Another common mistake is overcooking the zucchini until they become mushy – aim for tender-crisp texture by checking them around the 15-minute mark with a fork. To prevent a soggy filling, make sure to drain the canned salmon thoroughly and avoid overstuffing the boats, as this can lead to uneven cooking and spillage. For the best results, place your zucchini boats on a wire rack inside the baking sheet to allow hot air circulation and achieve even cooking throughout.

What to Serve With Asian Zucchini Boats?

These Asian-inspired zucchini boats make a great main dish, and while they’re tasty on their own, serving them with some sides can turn this into a complete meal. Rice is an obvious choice – either white or brown rice works perfectly to soak up all that yummy sauce. For some extra veggies, try a simple Asian-style slaw with shredded cabbage and carrots dressed in rice vinegar, or some quick-pickled cucumbers for a cool, crunchy contrast. If you want to keep things super simple, steamed edamame makes an easy side that fits right in with these flavors.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These Asian zucchini boats will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sweet chili mayo can be stored separately in its own container for up to a week – it’s great to have extra on hand for other dishes too!

Prep Ahead: Want to get ahead? You can prep the salmon filling and sweet chili mayo up to 2 days in advance. Just keep them in separate containers in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, hollow out the zucchini, fill, and bake according to the recipe.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover zucchini boats, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes until heated through. The microwave works too, but the topping might not stay as crispy. Add a fresh drizzle of sweet chili mayo and some extra green onions to make them taste just-made!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	35-45 minutes
Total Time	50-65 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1000
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

For the zucchini boats:

• 1 tbsp avocado oil (or any neutral oil like canola)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise)

For the salmon stuffing:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (I use Progresso panko)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced, about 1 tbsp)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (white and light green parts)
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 15 oz canned salmon (drained well, about 1.5 cups)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (for best flavor and aroma)

For the chili mayo sauce:

• 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp low-sodium tamari
• 1 tsp sriracha (adjust to taste for desired heat level)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s)

For garnish and serving (optional):

• Extra sliced green onions
• Cooked white or brown rice (optional for serving)
• Sesame seeds (optional, adds a nice crunch)

Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini Boats and Oven

• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly brush a baking dish with avocado oil.

While the oven heats, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and use a small spoon or melon baller to carefully scoop out the seeds, creating a shallow boat-like cavity—be careful not to puncture the skin.

Arrange the hollowed zucchini halves cut-side up in your prepared baking dish, brush the cut surface generously with avocado oil, and season with kosher salt and black pepper.

This pre-bake step will soften the zucchini just enough to hold the filling while keeping it structurally sound.

Step 2: Pre-bake Zucchini and Build the Salmon Filling

• 15 oz canned salmon
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Place the zucchini boats in the oven and bake for 15 minutes to begin softening them.

While they bake, prepare your filling: drain the canned salmon very well (I press it gently between paper towels to remove excess liquid), then combine it in a bowl with panko bread crumbs, chopped green onions, minced garlic, room temperature egg, mayonnaise, reduced-sodium tamari, toasted sesame oil, ground ginger, and black pepper.

Mix gently with a fork until just combined—you want some texture from the salmon, not a paste.

This timing allows you to prepare the filling while the zucchini softens, keeping your workflow efficient.

Step 3: Fill and Finish Baking the Boats

• salmon filling mixture from Step 2

Remove the zucchini from the oven and carefully blot any excess moisture that has pooled in the boats using paper towels—this prevents a watery final dish.

Divide the salmon mixture evenly among the zucchini boats, packing it gently into the cavities and creating a slight mound on top.

Return the filled boats to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork and the tops are lightly golden.

I like to check them at the 20-minute mark since oven temperatures vary—you want the zucchini soft but not collapsing.

Step 4: Prepare the Asian Glaze

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp low-sodium tamari
• 1 tsp sriracha

While the boats finish baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl: mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, low-sodium tamari, and sriracha.

Taste and adjust the heat level by adding more sriracha if desired.

The glaze should be creamy with a sweet-spicy balance.

Set aside until the boats are ready to serve.

Step 5: Plate and Garnish

• Asian glaze from Step 4
• Sesame seeds
• Extra sliced green onions
• Cooked white or brown rice

Remove the zucchini boats from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes so they’re easier to handle.

Drizzle or dollop the Asian glaze over the top of each boat, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions for color and crunch.

Serve warm, optionally alongside cooked white or brown rice for those who’d like to add carbs to their meal.