Savory Low Carb Zucchini Boats

Here’s my go-to recipe for low carb zucchini boats, filled with seasoned ground meat, melted cheese, and fresh herbs – perfect for anyone watching their carbs or just looking for a lighter dinner option.

These zucchini boats have become a weekly staple in our house, especially during summer when zucchini is everywhere. I usually make a double batch because they’re just as good reheated the next day. Perfect for lunch meal prep, wouldn’t you agree?

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Medium-sized zucchini are perfect for this recipe – you’ll want ones that are about 8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. Look for zucchini that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, shiny dark green skin without any soft spots or blemishes. While you might be tempted to go for the biggest zucchini you can find, avoid the really large ones as they tend to be less flavorful and can have tough skin and large seeds. If you’re shopping at a farmers market or grocery store during off-season, Mexican grey squash (also called Mexican zucchini) makes a great substitute and works just as well for boats.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty flexible and you can switch things up based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Zucchini: You can swap zucchini with yellow summer squash or even medium-sized eggplants. If using eggplants, you’ll need to salt them first and let them sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
• Ground beef: Feel free to use ground turkey, chicken, or even Italian sausage. For a vegetarian version, try using chopped mushrooms or crumbled tempeh as your meat substitute.
• Cheddar cheese: Any melting cheese works great here – try mozzarella, monterey jack, or provolone. For a dairy-free option, you can use dairy-free cheese alternatives or skip the cheese altogether.
• Button mushrooms: Any mushroom variety works well, or you can replace them with chopped celery or extra bell peppers if you’re not a mushroom fan.
• Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper will do, or try using carrots, celery, or even jalapeños if you want to add some heat.
• Garlic powder: You can use 2 fresh minced garlic cloves instead of powder, or onion powder works in a pinch.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making zucchini boats is dealing with excess moisture – to prevent soggy results, don’t skip the crucial step of scooping out the seeds and patting the zucchini dry with paper towels before filling. A common error is overcooking the zucchini until they become mushy, so aim to bake them just until they’re tender-crisp (about 15-20 minutes), as they’ll continue cooking once you add the filling. To ensure the best texture, avoid cutting your zucchini too thin when halving them lengthwise – keeping them about 1/4 inch thick at the base helps them hold their shape and prevents collapse during baking. For extra flavor and stability, try pre-roasting the hollowed boats for 5 minutes before adding your filling, and remember to season both the zucchini and the filling separately to ensure every bite is well-seasoned.

What to Serve With Zucchini Boats?

Since these zucchini boats are already packed with protein and veggies, they pair really well with simple side dishes that won’t overshadow the main course. A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette makes for an easy and refreshing companion, while cauliflower rice is perfect if you’re sticking to low-carb options. For those who aren’t counting carbs, a slice of crusty garlic bread or fluffy quinoa works great to soak up any extra juices from the boats. I often serve mine with a dollop of marinara sauce on the side for extra flavor – it’s such an easy way to add another layer of taste!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Got leftovers? Place your zucchini boats in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge for up to 3 days. The zucchini might release a bit of water during storage, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal! Just drain off any excess liquid before reheating.

Prep Ahead: Want to get ahead on meal prep? You can prepare the meat filling up to 2 days in advance and store it separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just hollow out your zucchini, fill them with the prepared mixture, top with cheese, and bake. It’s a great time-saver for busy weeknights!

Warm Up: To enjoy your leftover zucchini boats, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until heated through. You can also use the microwave for 1-2 minutes, though the oven method keeps the texture better. If the cheese needs a little extra melt, just broil for a minute at the end.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	30-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 700-800
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 45-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-35 g

Ingredients

For the zucchini boats:

• 4 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out)

For the filling:

• salt (to taste)
• 6 white button mushrooms (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 red onion (finely diced)
• black pepper (freshly cracked)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper (finely diced)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (I prefer Cabot for melting)
• 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20 blend works best)

Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini Boats and Preheat

• 4 medium zucchini

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

While it heats, cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the centers, leaving about a 1/2 inch thick shell to hold the filling.

Place the hollowed zucchini halves cut-side up in a baking dish and bake for 5 minutes—this brief head start softens them slightly so they’ll finish cooking perfectly when the filling is added.

Reserve any scooped zucchini pulp if you’d like to add it to the filling for extra vegetable content.

Step 2: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1/2 red onion
• 6 white button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper

While the zucchini pre-bakes, finely dice the red onion, chop the mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces, and finely dice the red bell pepper.

This prep work ensures everything is ready to go when you start cooking the filling, which keeps the beef from overcooking while waiting for vegetables to be cut.

I like to keep my mushrooms bite-sized rather than minced so they maintain some texture in the finished dish.

Step 3: Brown the Beef and Cook the Vegetables

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 red onion
• 6 white button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks, until it’s mostly browned.

Add the diced onion, chopped mushrooms, and bell pepper to the pan, stirring frequently.

Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften and any remaining raw beef pieces finish browning.

The vegetables will release moisture as they cook, which will deglaze the pan and create a flavorful base for your filling.

If you reserved zucchini pulp from Step 1, add it now.

Step 4: Season and Add Cheese to the Filling

• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper

Remove the skillet from heat and add 1/2 cup of the sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Stir everything together until the cheese melts slightly from the residual heat and is evenly distributed throughout the filling.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the filling should be well-seasoned since it will be the main flavor of your boats.

I prefer freshly cracked black pepper and freshly ground garlic powder here rather than pre-ground versions, as they have much more flavor in a dish this simple.

Step 5: Fill and Top the Zucchini Boats

• zucchini boats from Step 1
• filling from Step 4
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Remove the pre-baked zucchini from the oven.

Divide the filling mixture evenly among the zucchini halves, spooning it generously into each hollowed center.

Top each boat with the remaining 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, distributing it evenly so every boat gets a nice cheesy top that will melt and brown slightly during baking.

Step 6: Bake Until Golden and Tender

• filled zucchini boats from Step 5

Return the filled zucchini boats to the 375°F oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden on top and the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork.

Watch the boats toward the end of cooking—you want the cheese bubbly and just starting to brown around the edges, which gives it a richer flavor.

Let them rest for 2-3 minutes after removing from the oven so the filling sets slightly and is easier to eat.