Cheesy Herb Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Coming up with satisfying vegetarian dinners that the whole family will actually eat can feel like solving a puzzle. Between picky eaters who push vegetables around their plates and busy weeknight schedules that leave little time for cooking, it’s easy to fall back on the same tired pasta dishes night after night.

That’s why these vegetarian stuffed zucchini boats have become such a regular feature at our dinner table – they’re quick to put together, packed with good-for-you ingredients, and customizable enough that everyone can add their favorite toppings to make them their own.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For zucchini boats, you’ll want to look for medium to large straight zucchini that are about 7-8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide – this size gives you the perfect “boat” to hold all your tasty filling. Fresh zucchini should feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, blemish-free dark green skin. Try to avoid the super-giant zucchini you might find at the end of summer, as these tend to be more watery and have larger seeds. When prepping your zucchini, give them a good wash and trim off both ends before cutting them lengthwise and scooping out the centers to make your boats.

Options for Substitutions

This zucchini boat 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 work exactly the same way and have a similar mild flavor. Just make sure they’re about the same size as medium zucchini.
• Smoked gouda: Don’t have smoked gouda? Try smoked mozzarella, regular gouda, or even sharp cheddar. Each cheese will give a different but tasty flavor profile to your boats.
• Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano make great substitutes for parmesan. If you’re out of hard Italian cheeses, you can use more of your main cheese instead.
• Dried herbs: Fresh herbs work great here too – just use about 1.5 teaspoons each of fresh basil and oregano instead of the dried ones. You can also try different herb combinations like thyme or Italian seasoning.
• Olive oil: Any neutral cooking oil will work fine here – try avocado oil or even butter if you prefer.

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 completely and pat the zucchini dry with paper towels to prevent a watery final dish. A common mistake is not pre-cooking the zucchini boats for about 5 minutes before stuffing them, which helps prevent the filling from getting soggy and ensures even cooking throughout. When scooping out the flesh, leave about 1/4 inch of zucchini intact on all sides to maintain structural integrity and prevent the boats from collapsing during baking. For the best results, place your zucchini boats on a wire rack over your baking sheet – this allows hot air to circulate underneath and helps achieve that perfect tender-crisp texture rather than ending up with mushy zucchini.

What to Serve With Zucchini Boats?

These cheesy zucchini boats work great as a main dish when you pair them with some simple sides. A cup of marinara sauce on the side makes a perfect dipping option, while a fresh arugula salad with lemon dressing keeps things light and bright. For a more filling meal, serve these boats alongside some fluffy quinoa or brown rice to soak up all that good cheese. If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, garlic bread makes an excellent addition – because let’s be honest, you can never have too much garlic!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These yummy zucchini boats can hang out in your fridge for up to 3 days. Just pop them in an airtight container once they’ve cooled down. The cheese might not be as gooey as when they’re fresh, but they’ll still taste great!

Make Ahead: Want to prep these in advance? You can prepare the boats and stuff them up to 24 hours before baking. Just cover them well with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge. When you’re ready, just add the cheese topping and bake as directed.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftover zucchini boats, heat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until they’re heated through. You can also use the microwave for 1-2 minutes, though the texture won’t be quite as nice as the oven method.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	30-35 minutes
Total Time	50-65 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 400-450
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 30-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 20-25 g

Ingredients

• 3 medium to large zucchinis
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup cubed smoked gouda cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 slices gouda cheese (for topping or as desired)
• Extra basil and oregano (to sprinkle before baking)

Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini

Begin by washing the zucchini thoroughly.

Using a sharp knife, slice the zucchini length-wise, ensuring each half lies flat without rocking.

With a sharp paring knife, carefully cut out the center flesh of the zucchini, leaving a small border and layer of flesh intact to maintain the structure.

Use a kitchen teaspoon or tablespoon to gently scrape out any extra flesh without exposing the skin’s interior.

Reserve the removed flesh for later use.

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

Dice the extracted zucchini flesh into small pieces.

Next, dice the onion and mince the garlic, setting them aside for sautéing.

Cut the gouda cheese into small cubes in preparation for the filling.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat.

Once heated, add olive oil.

When the oil begins to shimmer, add the diced onion.

Sauté the onion for about 7 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.

Then, add the diced zucchini flesh and continue to sauté for an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure even cooking.

Step 4: Incorporate Cheese and Seasonings

As the vegetables cook, add the cubed gouda, some grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and herbs (such as basil and oregano) to the pan.

Stir continuously as the cheese melts into the vegetable mixture, which usually takes about 3 minutes to become creamy and well combined.

Step 5: Stuff and Bake the Zucchini

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Lay the zucchini shells on a foil-lined baking pan.

Scoop spoonfuls of the vegetable and cheese mixture into the hollowed-out zucchini halves, distributing the filling evenly.

Place sliced gouda on top of each stuffed zucchini.

Sprinkle a little more basil and oregano over the top for added flavor.

Step 6: Bake and Serve

Bake the stuffed zucchini in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the cheese on top is golden brown.

Once baked, allow the stuffed zucchini to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy your delicious and cheesy vegetable creation!