Liven up your meals with these delicious Mexican zucchini boats. Loaded with seasoned beef, beans, and veggies, they’re packed full of flavor and so easy to make!
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What’s in Mexican Stuffed Zucchini?
Made with fresh veggies and natural ingredients, these zucchini boats are high in protein, making for a healthy ground beef recipe. Everyone will love the bright Mexican flavors, and you’ll love all the healthy ingredients!
- Zucchini: Look for similarly-sized medium or large zucchini so they cook evenly in the oven.
- Olive Oil: Helps the beef brown without burning,
- Ground Beef: I like 90% lean ground beef, but you can use fattier beef. Just be sure to drain off the excess fat to prevent soggy zucchini boats.
- Onion: Adds a mild earthy and sweet flavor.
- Bell Pepper: Mild, sweet, and crunchy! I like red for the pop of color, but yellow, orange, or green would also work.
- Garlic: Enhances the earthy flavors of the veggies.
- Black Beans + Corn: Classic Mexican flavor staples that bulk up these zucchini boats to make them super filling!
- Spices: Cumin, chili powder, salt, and oregano add Mexican flair to these taco boats!
- Salsa: Adds zesty freshness!
- Cheese: Creamy, gooey cheese holds the filling together. I like Mexican blend or cheddar, but feel free to use your favorite!
Pro Tip: Don’t scoop out the zucchini all the way to the skin. Leave a bit of flesh to support the filling.
Variations on Stuffed Zucchini with Ground Beef
There are so many ways to change up these zucchini boats to suit your personal tastes. You could swap the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey, or you could make them vegetarian and simply add more of your favorite diced vegetables, like squash, tomato, mushroom, or peas.
For spicier zucchini boats, add some cayenne pepper to the ground beef or add some diced jalapeños to the filling. You could also swap out the cheese for pepper jack.
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These Mexican stuffed zucchini boats are great to make ahead. You can make the beef filling 2 or 3 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to use it. It’s best not to cut and fill the zucchini more than a day ahead of time, or they can start to brown.
There’s no need to peel the zucchini in this recipe. The skin is delicate, so it is easy to slice right through. Plus, it contains a lot of nutrients!
Unfortunately, as written, this recipe is not keto-friendly. Beans and corn do not fit into the keto diet.
Cooked zucchini boats will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days. You can quickly heat them through in the microwave, but the zucchini can get a little mushy this way. I prefer to heat them in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, then place them under the broiler to finish them off.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Mexican zucchini boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through or in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. You can broil the boats for extra melty cheese.
How to Freeze
Freeze Mexican zucchini boats in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Tightly wrap each boat in plastic wrap before placing them in a large Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These zucchini boats are great with more than just salsa and cilantro. Top them with sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo! They pair great with cilantro lime rice, basmati rice, or a healthy quinoa salad. Street corn pasta salad, Parmesan roasted potatoes, or a crisp taco salad would also be delish!
Mexican Zucchini Boats Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 zucchini sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound 90% lean ground beef
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed (1 can)
- ½ cup corn frozen or canned
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ cup salsa store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup shredded cheese Mexican blend or cheddar, divided
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a spoon, hollow out the middle of each zucchini half (a grapefruit spoon works well for this) leaving enough intact around the edges so that the zucchini is still sturdy and retains its shape. Set the inside scraps aside for another use or discard. Place zucchini boats in a 9×13-inch baking dish.3 zucchini
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spatula.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ pound 90% lean ground beef
- Once browned, add the onion, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.½ yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the beans, corn, and spices to the skillet and stir until well combined.15 ounces black beans, ½ cup corn, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Add the salsa and half of the shredded cheese, mix until incorporated then turn off the heat.¾ cup salsa, 1 cup shredded cheese
- Spoon an even amount of the mixture into each zucchini half and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to fully melt the cheese.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.Chopped fresh cilantro
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- When removing the flesh from the zucchini, leave enough intact around the edges so that the zucchini is still sturdy and retains its shape.
- Use lean ground beef for a healthier meal.
- Try swapping the beef for ground turkey or chicken.
Nutrition Information
I made this recipe just as it is written and it was an instant hit with the family! Great flavor!
In step 1, preheat the oven to 375°F, and in step 8 cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes to fully melt the cheese. Hope this helps!
Love this recipe! Thank you for you for your time to bring it to us. I Meal prep and this is perfect for me. I make a pound. Eat of it once or twice fresh( nom nom nom ). Freeze into individually servings. Dethaw overnight for lunch or in morning before work for dinner using fresh zucchini. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Taste great, versatile. Five stares in my book.
Thanks for sharing, Jody!
Delicious and easy! I have a similar recipe for stuffed peppers and actually prefer this recipe using the zucchini better. Will add this recipe into our dinner rotation. Thank you :)
Thanks for sharing, Jill!