Cheesy Zucchini Boats Recipes

CHEESY GRILLED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill. Preheat your grill to High heat (400-450 degrees F). Place a 12" cast iron skillet on your grill and allow that to preheat as well.
• Make the sausage filling. Cook the ground sausage in the skillet until golden brown. Drain off the rendered fat and then stir in the softened cream cheese until evenly incorporated with the sausage.
• Stuff the zucchini. Use a spoon to scrape out and discard the seeds and pulp from inside the zucchini to form the boat shape. Spoon the cream cheese sausage filling into each of the zucchini boats. Spread about 1/2 Tablespoon of basil pesto on top of the sausage mixture in each boat. Sprinkle each boat with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella.
• Grill the zucchini boats. Place the stuffed zucchini boats onto the grill and close the lid. Grill for 4-5 minutes, then rotate the boats around the grill to avoid any hot spots. Close the lid and grill for 4-5 more minutes. You want the cheese to be melty and the zucchini to be tender-crisp. It should be softened, but still firm enough to remove from the grill to your serving tray without falling apart.
• Remove from the grill and serve. Promptly remove the zucchini from the grill. Top with chopped Italian parsley before serving, if desired.

CHEESY TACO STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place 1/4 cup of salsa in the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Use a small spoon or metal 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to hollow out the center of the zucchini halves then place them cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Leave approximately 1/4-inch thick shell on each half.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking oil. Add in the onion and cook for approximately 2 minutes.
• Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up into small crumbles as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink then add in the garlic, spices, green chiles, cauliflower rice and remaining 1/2 cup of salsa. Taste for seasoning.
• Mix everything together until combined and cook until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.
• Divide the taco filling equally into the hollowed zucchini boats pressing it in firmly.
• Top with shredded cheese then cover with foil and bake 25-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.
• Top with the chopped tomatoes, cilantro and serve with extra salsa on the side.

ZUCCHINI BOATS WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Cut zucchini in half and remove the seeds. Set aside.
• Place chicken, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl and mix well; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture into zucchini halves; place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini boats are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• While zucchini bakes, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms in the hot oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
• At the same time, pour mushroom soup into a pot and cook over medium-low heat until warmed. Stir sauteed mushrooms into the soup. Spoon mixture over baked zucchini boats and serve.

MUSHROOM-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Cut the stem end off the zucchinis and slice them in half lengthwise. With a table spoon, scoop out just the pulpy center that contains the seeds, and put the zucchini cut-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes, until just slightly softened.
• While the zucchini are cooking, in a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the liquid cooks off, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the mixture with garlic powder, stir in the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Remove the zucchini from the oven and turn them over on the sheet pan so they are cut side up. Divide the mushroom mixture between each zucchini, spooning it into the carved-out channel where the seeds were removed. Return the zucchini to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the oven, sprinkle each boat with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven or to the broiler and cook until the cheese is melted, 5 minutes or less.

CHEESY ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a small spoon, scoop out the zucchini flesh, leaving a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick shell.
• Wrap the zucchini flesh in a paper towel and squeeze out any excess liquid; discard the liquid and set aside the flesh.
• Place the zucchini shells cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 T olive oil over high heat.
• Add the zucchini flesh and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the remaining 1 T oil and the bread crumbs, and toast the bread crumbs for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the nuts and oregano, then combine with the vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
• Flip over the zucchini shells and line the bottoms with the mozzarella.
• Pack in the filling.
• Sprinkle with parmesan on top.
• Bake until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork, 20-25 minutes.

ZUCCHINI BOATS STUFFED WITH CHEESY GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise to create 2 long pieces. Scrape a small, ideally pointed spoon down the center of the zucchini halves to remove and discard the flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh intact. Place the zucchini boats on the prepared baking sheet.
• Place a saucepot over medium heat and add the butter. Heat until melted, then brush the cavities of the zucchini boats with the butter. Add the chicken stock and reserved hominy liquid to the remaining melted butter and heat until simmering. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits have softened and thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the pimientos, beans, chives, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup hominy (save the remaining hominy for another use). Season to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly. (The grits will continue to thicken as they cool.)
• Sprinkle the zucchini boats with salt and pepper. Spread about 1/4 cup of the grits into each zucchini boat, mounding the filling over the edges. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the boats.
• Roast until the boats have softened and the cheese just starts to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley and serve immediately.