This Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef Recipe is made with a beef and rice filling, fresh herbs, and a melted cheese top. There's no pre-cooking: the raw filling goes into the hollowed zucchini and everything bakes together in one dish.
One batch fills 8 boats and feeds 4 as a main. If your garden hands you more zucchini than you can use, this is the recipe that gets through them.
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What is a Stuffed Zucchini Boat?
A stuffed zucchini boat is a fresh summer zucchini cut in half lengthwise and scooped out, so each half holds a filling. The filling is usually a mix of ground meat, vegetables, rice, herbs, and spices.
The filled boats bake until the zucchini is tender and the filling is cooked through. If you're in the UK, this is the vegetable you know as the courgette.
In Turkey this is two dishes rather than one. Kabak dolması has a raw rice and meat filling, cooks slowly in a tomato paste broth, and comes to the table with garlic yogurt.
Kabak sandal has no rice in it at all, the filling goes in already cooked, and it bakes uncovered under melted kaşar. My recipe takes the filling and the broth from the first and the cheese top from the second.
Why This Recipe Works?
- The filling goes in raw. The beef and rice cook inside the boats, so there's no frying first and only one baking dish to wash.
- Rice in the filling makes it a full meal on its own, not a side.
- The tomato paste broth poured over the dish keeps the boats moist and cooks the rice evenly.
- It's easy to adapt. Swap the grain, the cheese, or the herbs for what's already in the fridge.
- One batch feeds 4 as a main, and the leftovers reheat well for lunch the next day.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Ground Beef - I prefer ground beef with a 15% fat content, sold as minced beef in the UK. If you use lean ground beef, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the filling.
- Zucchini - Sold as courgette in the UK. You need 1 zucchini per person if using medium-sized, or half a zucchini per person for large ones. When buying, pick the straightest and firmest ones available. Yellow summer squash works the same way if that is what you have.
- Onions - They add umami flavor and sweetness to the meat filling. You can use finely diced brown, yellow, or white onion. Shallots would work great as well.
- Olive Oil - I prefer a good quality olive oil but you can use any oil you like cooking with.
- Rice - Any short-grain rice would work with this recipe. Make sure you wash the rice under running cold water to get rid of the starch.
- Tomatoes - One chopped tomato goes into the filling and a spoonful of tomato paste makes the broth. Use a ripe tomato if you can, it breaks down better as the boats bake.
- Tomato paste - It is a staple of Turkish cooking, adding an umami flavor and a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops.
- Herbs - I use a mixture of dill and parsley. Basil, oregano, mint, or chives work as well.
- Cheese - You can use any type of stringy cheese you prefer, such as Kasar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Cheddar cheese, Gruyère, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack cheese to top the zucchini boats.
How to Make Baked Zucchini Boats?
Prepare the Zucchini
Wash the zucchini and dry them well, then cut each one in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or a melon baller to scoop out the flesh, creating a hollow "boat" shape. Keep the scooped-out zucchini flesh aside.
Make sure you leave enough space on the sides and bottom to maintain the shape of the zucchinis.
Sprinkle a little salt inside the hollowed boats, turn them upside down, and leave them for 5 minutes. Zucchini holds a lot of water and this draws some of it out before it can thin your broth. Pat the boats dry before you fill them.
Prepare the Ground Beef Filling
Rinse the rice under cold running water, allow it to drain on a colander, and then transfer it into a large bowl.
Add the ground beef, chopped tomatoes, diced onions, salt, freshly ground pepper, tomato paste, olive oil, and chopped herbs to the bowl.
Mix everything together thoroughly until all the ingredients are nicely combined.
Fill the Zucchini Boats
Preheat your oven to 190° C - 375° F. Place the hollowed zucchini boats in a baking dish approximately the size of 33 cm x 22 cm (13" x 9") with a minimum of 9 cm (3.5") depth.
Generously stuff each zucchini boat with the meat filling. Fill them loosely and do not press the filling down. The rice swells as it cooks and it needs the room.
Dilute 1 tablespoon of tomato paste in 1 ½ cups of hot water and pour it around the boats. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the zucchini. The rice soaks it up as it bakes.
Bake and Serve Stuffed Zucchinis
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and then place it in the preheated oven. Bake them for an hour, then check them. A knife should slide into the side of a zucchini with no resistance and the rice should be soft. Remove the dish from the oven.
Sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese, then place the dish back in the oven. I leave some of the zucchini without cheese and serve them with yogurt or sour cream.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese melts.
Let them cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Choose fresh zucchini that is firm, glossy, and deep green. Avoid ones that are overly soft or have blemishes.
- When cutting the zucchini in half lengthwise, try to make clean and even cuts for consistent cooking.
- When scooping out the flesh, do not take too much. Shells hollowed too thin split open in the oven and the filling spills out.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky.
- Keep an eye on the baking time, as oven temperatures can vary. Adjust accordingly if you notice the dish cooking faster or slower than expected.
- Salt the inside of the hollowed boats and turn them upside down for 5 minutes before you fill them, then pat them dry. This is the step that keeps the dish from going watery.
- Fill the boats loosely. Packed filling cooks unevenly and the rice has nowhere to swell.
- Pour in enough broth to come about halfway up the sides of the zucchini. The rice needs that liquid to cook through.
- The boats are ready when a knife slides into the side of a zucchini with no resistance.
What to Serve with Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats?
Serve the boats hot, with a spoonful of Cacik on the side. The cool yogurt against the hot filling is how it's eaten in Turkey.
Something fresh works next to them: Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe or Lebanese Fattoush Salad both do the job. For a bigger table, add a loaf of crusty Easy Sourdough Bread to mop up the tomato broth.
Recipe Variations
- Replace the ground beef with ground chicken, lamb, or turkey, seasoned the same way.
- Add feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or red pepper flakes to the filling for a more Mediterranean version.
- For a vegetarian filling, skip the meat and use sauteed mushrooms, spinach, quinoa, and bell peppers.
- For an Italian version, swap the rice for cooked orzo, use Italian sausage and marinara instead of the tomato broth, and finish with grated Parmesan.
- For the traditional Turkish version stuffed whole and cooked in a pot, see my Kabak Dolması - Rice Stuffed Zucchini.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
You can mix the filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then scoop the zucchini and assemble when you're ready to bake. You can also assemble the whole dish up to 24 hours ahead. Cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge, and add 5 minutes to the baking time if it goes into the oven cold.
Once cooked, let the boats cool to room temperature, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. A sheet of paper towel in the bottom of the container stops them sitting in the moisture they give off.
I don't recommend freezing the baked boats, because the zucchini turns watery when it thaws. The raw filling is a different story and freezes for up to 3 months, so it is worth making a double batch.
To reheat, place the leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and warm them in a preheated 175° C - 350° F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through.
An air fryer does a good job too, 175° C - 350° F for 3 to 5 minutes. A microwave works as well. Heat them on medium power in short bursts, checking between each one.
Recipe FAQs
No, you don't need to pre-cook the ground beef.
The beef cooks as the zucchini boats bake.
Zucchini holds a lot of water and it comes out in the oven. Salt the inside of the hollowed boats, turn them upside down for 5 minutes, and pat them dry before you fill them. Stick to the amount of broth in the recipe as well, since the rice is what soaks it up.
You can save the scooped-out zucchini flesh and use it in other recipes like soups, and stir-fries, or even add it to omelets for a tasty twist.
If you prefer, you can replace rice with other grains like quinoa, bulgur, or couscous for a different texture and flavor.
They're a balanced full meal, with vegetables, protein, and rice in one dish, at about 487 calories a serving. Use lean beef and go lighter on the cheese if you want to bring that down.
Yes. The skin is what holds the boat together and it softens as the dish bakes, so you eat it along with the filling. There is no need to peel the zucchini.
Related Recipes
For more stuffed vegetable recipes why not try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
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Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 10 ½ oz ground beef (300 grams)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- ½ cup rice
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 medium tomato (diced)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (diluted in 1 ½ cup water)
- 1 ½ cups kasar cheese, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese (150 grams)
Instructions
Prepare the Zucchini
- Wash the zucchini and dry them well.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise.
- Use a small spoon or a melon baller to scoop out the flesh, creating a hollow "boat" shape. Keep the scooped-out zucchini flesh aside.
- Make sure you leave enough space on the sides and bottom to maintain the shape of the zucchinis.
- Sprinkle a little salt inside the hollowed boats, turn them upside down, and leave them for 5 minutes. Pat them dry before you fill them.
Prepare the Ground Beef Filling
- Rinse the rice under cold running water, allow it to drain on a colander, and then transfer it into a large bowl.
- Add the ground beef, chopped tomatoes, diced onions, salt, freshly ground pepper, tomato paste, olive oil, and chopped herbs to the bowl.
- Mix everything together thoroughly until all the ingredients are nicely combined.
Fill the Zucchini Boats
- Preheat your oven to 190° C - 375° F.
- Place the hollowed zucchini boats in a baking dish approximately size of 33 cm x 22 cm (13" x 9") with a minimum of 9 cm (3.5") depth.
- Generously stuff each zucchini boat with the meat filling. Fill them loosely and do not press the filling down, the rice needs room to swell.
- Dilute 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with 1 ½ cups of hot water and pour it around the boats. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the zucchini.
Bake and Serve Stuffed Zucchinis
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and then place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake them for an hour, then check them. A knife should slide into the side of a zucchini with no resistance and the rice should be soft. Remove the dish from the oven.
- Sprinkle on a generous amount of cheese, then place the dish back in the oven. I leave some of the zucchini without cheese and serve them with yogurt or sour cream.
- Bake for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese melts.
- Let them cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Choose firm, glossy, deep green zucchini and avoid any that are soft or blemished. Cut them in half with clean, even cuts.
- Don't scoop out too much flesh. Shells hollowed too thin split open in the oven.
- Salt the inside of the hollowed boats, turn them upside down for 5 minutes, then pat them dry. This is what keeps the dish from going watery.
- Save the scooped-out flesh for soups, fritters, or omelets.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, so the filling doesn't turn sticky.
- Fill the boats loosely, and pour in enough broth to come halfway up the sides of the zucchini.
- Ovens vary. The boats are ready when a knife slides into the side of a zucchini with no resistance.
- You can mix the filling a day ahead, or assemble the whole dish up to 24 hours ahead. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if it goes into the oven cold.
- Swap the rice for bulgur, quinoa, or couscous, and the beef for ground chicken, lamb, or turkey.
- Cooled leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, in an airtight container lined with a sheet of paper towel.
- Freezing the baked boats is not recommended, because the zucchini turns watery when it thaws. The raw filling freezes for up to 3 months.
- Reheat covered with foil in a preheated 175° C - 350° F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or in an air fryer at 175° C - 350° F for 3 to 5 minutes.
Sara says
I served with some salad on the side, went down well with family. Thank you for the recipe.