Under 60-Minute Meatball Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Growing up, zucchini wasn’t exactly a hit at our dinner table. My kids would push it around their plates, and my husband would politely take the smallest piece possible. But everything changed when I started making these meatball stuffed zucchini boats.

What I love about this recipe is how it takes something that might seem boring – like zucchini – and turns it into a meal that even the pickiest eaters enjoy. It’s basically just zucchini filled with the same meatballs you’d put on spaghetti, but somehow, serving it this way makes all the difference.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For zucchini boats, you’ll want to look for medium-sized zucchini that are straight and uniform in shape – this makes them easier to hollow out and fill. The best ones are about 6-8 inches long and feel firm when you give them a gentle squeeze. While both dark green and lighter varieties work well, try to avoid oversized zucchini as they tend to be watery and have larger seeds that can make your boats soggy. When prepping your zucchini, look for ones that can sit flat when cut in half (this helps prevent your filling from spilling out during baking), and don’t forget to pat the cut sides dry with a paper towel before adding your filling.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Ground veal: If veal isn’t your thing or you can’t find it, ground beef, pork, or turkey all work great here. For a lighter option, ground chicken is good too – just add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to keep it moist.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work just fine, or try crushed crackers, crushed pork rinds (for keto), or gluten-free breadcrumbs if you need to avoid gluten.
• Zucchini: Yellow summer squash makes a great alternative and cooks the same way. You could even try this with hollowed-out eggplant – just increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes.
• Strained tomatoes: Regular crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce work well – just cook it down a bit longer. In a pinch, you can blend whole canned tomatoes until smooth.
• Parmesan cheese: While fresh Parmesan is best, you can use Romano or Pecorino cheese. For a different flavor, try Asiago or even mozzarella on top.
• Milk: Any type of milk works here – from whole to skim, or even non-dairy options like unsweetened almond milk.

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 pre-bake them for 10-12 minutes before adding the filling to prevent a watery final dish. A common error is overcrowding the meatballs in the zucchini boats, which can lead to uneven cooking – instead, make smaller meatballs (about 1-inch diameter) and space them evenly along the boats. To ensure your meatballs stay tender and juicy, avoid overmixing the meat mixture and don’t skip the milk-soaked panko step, as this adds necessary moisture and helps bind the ingredients together. For the best results, let the finished dish rest for 5 minutes before serving, allowing the cheese to set slightly and making it easier to transfer the boats to plates without breaking them.

What to Serve With Zucchini Boats?

These cheesy, meaty zucchini boats are filling on their own, but they pair really nicely with a few simple sides to round out your meal. A light green salad with Italian dressing makes a perfect fresh companion, while some warm garlic bread is great for soaking up any extra tomato sauce. If you want to keep things low-carb, try serving them alongside some roasted mushrooms or a quick sautéed spinach with garlic. For a family-style dinner, I like to put everything on the table with some extra grated parmesan cheese so everyone can help themselves.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These tasty zucchini boats will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get even better as they sit, making them perfect for meal prep. Just make sure they’ve cooled completely before storing to keep the zucchini from getting too soft.

Freeze: You can freeze these boats for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. I recommend wrapping them individually in foil first, then placing them in a container or freezer bag. This makes it easy to grab just what you need later!

Reheat: To warm them up, pop them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 20-25 minutes if frozen, or 15 minutes if refrigerated. Cover with foil to prevent the top from drying out. You can also microwave them, but the texture might not be quite as nice as oven reheating.

Make Ahead: Want to prep these in advance? You can assemble the boats up to 24 hours before cooking – just keep them covered in the fridge. When you’re ready, bake them according to the recipe instructions, adding an extra 5 minutes since they’ll be cold from the fridge.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	30-35 minutes
Total Time	45-55 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups strained tomatoes (375 ml, passata)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (125 ml)
• 4 small zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup panko crumbs (20 g)
• 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
• 3/4 pound ground veal (340 g)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (35 g), plus extra for serving
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Step 1: Prepare the Sauce

In a pot over medium-high heat, add oil and lightly brown garlic with ground fennel, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

Once fragrant, add strained tomatoes and broth, then let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Pour this flavorful sauce into a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) rectangular baking dish, spreading it evenly over the bottom.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

With the oven rack in the middle position, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

This ensures the oven is ready and evenly heated by the time your zucchini and meatballs are prepared.

Step 3: Prepare the Zucchini

Using a small spoon, scoop out some of the flesh from each zucchini half, creating a long well down the center.

Be sure to set aside the scooped-out flesh as it will be used later in the recipe.

Step 4: Make the Meatball Mixture

In a medium-sized bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk, allowing them to soak for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped zucchini flesh along with the remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl.

Season with pepper and mix everything together well using your hands.

The mixture should be soft and well-combined.

Step 5: Form the Meatballs and Assemble

With lightly oiled hands, form the meatball mixture into 40 small balls, using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture for each.

Place 5 meatballs along the length of each zucchini half.

Next, arrange the stuffed zucchinis over the sauce in the baking dish.

Step 6: Bake and Serve

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and the zucchini is tender.

Once done, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top to taste.

Serve your deliciously stuffed zucchini with a side of rice or pasta of your choice for a complete meal.