Delicious Feta Greek Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Looking for a family-friendly dinner that’s both healthy and satisfying can feel like an endless challenge. Between juggling work deadlines, after-school activities, and trying to get everyone fed before bedtime, it’s tempting to fall back on the same old pasta dishes night after night.

That’s where these Greek stuffed zucchini boats come to the rescue: they’re packed with good-for-you ingredients, easy to prepare ahead of time, and can be customized to please even the pickiest eaters in your household.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

Medium-sized zucchini are your best bet for this recipe – look for ones that are about 6-8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. These are perfect for stuffing since they’re not too small to hold the filling but not so large that they’ve become seedy and watery inside. When shopping, pick zucchini that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, shiny dark green skin free from cuts or blemishes. If you can only find larger zucchini, they’ll work too, but you might want to scoop out the seedy center before stuffing them to prevent excess moisture from making your dish soggy.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Zucchini: You can swap zucchini with yellow summer squash, or even medium-sized eggplants (though you’ll need to adjust cooking time for eggplants by adding about 10 minutes).
• Ground turkey: Feel free to use ground chicken, beef, or even plant-based ground meat alternatives. For a vegetarian version, try a mixture of chopped mushrooms and cooked lentils.
• Tomato paste: If you’re out of tomato paste, use 1 cup of tomato sauce reduced down to about 1/3 cup by simmering. In a pinch, you could also use 3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato pesto.
• Fresh oregano: The recipe already mentions dried oregano as an option, but you could also use Italian seasoning or a mix of dried basil and oregano.
• Feta cheese: While feta gives that classic Greek taste, you can top with grated parmesan, crumbled goat cheese, or dairy-free cheese alternatives.
• Red onion: Yellow or white onions work just fine here. Even shallots would make a good substitute – use about 2 medium shallots to replace the red onion.

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, then let them sit cut-side up for about 10 minutes to release more water. A common error is not pre-cooking the zucchini before stuffing them, which can lead to a watery final dish – try roasting them empty for 10-12 minutes at 400°F first. When preparing the filling, avoid overcrowding the boats with too much mixture, as the meat will expand while cooking and could overflow – leave a little room at the top for the filling to grow. For the juiciest results, don’t overcook the ground turkey mixture before stuffing (it will continue cooking in the oven), and remember to let the boats rest for 5 minutes after baking to help the filling set properly.

What to Serve With Zucchini Boats?

These Mediterranean-style zucchini boats are filling on their own, but they pair really nicely with a few simple sides to round out your meal. A light Greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives makes perfect sense here, picking up on those same fresh flavors. For a heartier meal, serve them alongside some fluffy cooked quinoa or brown rice to soak up all the tasty juices. If you’re keeping things low-carb, try a simple side of roasted cherry tomatoes or a lemony cauliflower rice instead – both options work great with the Greek-inspired seasonings in this dish.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These Greek zucchini boats stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. They make great leftovers for lunch or dinner throughout the week, and the flavors actually get even better after a day or two as everything melds together!

Freeze: You can freeze these stuffed zucchini boats for up to 3 months. Just wrap them individually in foil and place them in a freezer bag. Keep in mind that the zucchini might be a bit softer when thawed, but the filling will still taste great.

Make Ahead: Want to prep these in advance? You can prepare the filling and hollow out the zucchini boats up to a day ahead. Store them separately in the fridge, then assemble and bake when you’re ready to eat. If you’re using feta cheese, it’s best to add it fresh just before serving.

Reheat: To warm up leftover zucchini boats, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. Add a fresh sprinkle of feta and parsley to make them taste like new!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	65-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 30-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 20-25 g

Ingredients

• 3 zucchini (sliced in half lengthwise)
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 6 ounces tomato paste from can
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use half now and half later)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Crumbled feta and chopped parsley for topping (optional)

Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Begin by slicing a VERY thin strip off the rounded back part of each zucchini so they can lay flat skin-side down.

Reserve these strips for later use.

Next, scoop out the center and seeds of the zucchinis, setting the scooped centers aside as well.

Place the halved, hollowed zucchinis on a rimmed baking sheet or large casserole dish.

Step 2: Draw Liquid from Zucchini

Chop up the reserved strips and seeds of the zucchini and place them on a kitchen towel.

Sprinkle the chopped zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes.

During this time, the salt will draw out the excess liquid from the zucchini.

Step 3: Prepare the Turkey Mixture

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, tomato paste, 2 eggs, 2 cloves of minced garlic, onion, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Mix these ingredients until well combined.

Step 4: Incorporate Zucchini into Turkey Mixture

Wring the chopped, salted zucchini firmly with the kitchen towel, squeezing as much liquid out as possible.

Once the excess water is removed, mix the zucchini into the turkey mixture, ensuring it’s evenly distributed.

Step 5: Fill and Bake the Zucchini

Spoon and evenly distribute the turkey mixture into each of the halved zucchinis on the baking sheet or casserole dish.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Step 6: Garnish and Serve

Once cooked, remove the zucchini from the oven.

For an optional garnish, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Enjoy your delicious stuffed zucchini!