Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Easy + healthy meal recipe (2024)

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BySharon Rhodes

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This keto-friendly stuffed zucchini boats recipe is loaded with tuna and cheese for a low-carb, healthy dinner option. Perfect for lunches, too! Ready in under 30 minutes.

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We love quick and easy healthy dinner recipes like these keto zucchini boats that use veggies instead of bread or pasta. Other dinner faves include this keto BBQ chicken casserole or these Zucchini Pizzas. Check out all of our Dinner Recipes for some inspiration.

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IN THIS POST: Everything you need to make Zucchini Boats

Ingredients for this recipe:

  • zucchini – try to choose smallish zucchinis that are around the same size so the portions are equal.
  • olive oil – this is to rub on the zucchini when it roasts
  • tuna – look for pole and line-caught tuna
  • celery – buy just the single stalk at the grocery store instead of chucking the rest in the garbage 😉
  • red onion – you could also use a shallot
  • fresh lemon juice – about half a lemon
  • dill – use fresh or dried
  • sea salt and pepper
  • cheese – use what you have – I use both parmesan and feta cheese

This is a spin on the old-school tuna melt. You know the one. We are turning it into zucchini boats – keto version.

How to make Stuffed Zucchini Boats:

Start by lining a baking dish with parchment paper and setting it aside. Then get started on the stuffed zucchini.

First, using a sharp knife, slice the stalk off the top of the zucchini and then slice it in half.

Second, using a spoon, scoop out the zucchini flesh and add it to a bowl.

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Third, place the sliced and hollowed zucchini onto the lined baking sheet and bake until it is tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the tuna salad stuffing. Add the tuna, minced celery and onion, fresh lemon juice, and dill to the bowl with the scooped-out zucchini and mix it up well.

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Once the zucchini is roasted, remove it from the oven and set the oven to broil. Add the tuna stuffing to the boats and top with the cheese.

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Next, broil until the cheese is melted, browned, and bubbling.

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Finally, serve with your choice of side – or on its own as a light lunch! We love these keto zucchini boats. Lots of good nutrition, such as protein and fiber yet low carbohydrates and low calories.

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FAQs, Tips, and Substitutions:

  • Can you use different protein besides tuna? Yes! There are so many variations that can be made with these zucchini boats. Use cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or Italian sausage with some tomato sauce or marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese for a pizza boat. Top with fresh basil!
  • Try a bbq version with a pulled pork and bbq sauce mixture or tex mex flavors with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, cumin, corn, and black beans, and top with shredded lettuce.
  • If you want a more rich-tasting tuna melt experience with these keto stuffed zucchini add a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise to your tuna mixture before broiling.
  • Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.

More healthy low carb recipes:

  • Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Bake
  • Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil
  • Oven Baked Walleye
  • How to Make Parmesan Zucchini Chips
  • Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns
  • Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
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*This recipe was originally posted on July 2, 2014, updated on August 7, 2019, and updated again on May 9, 2022, with recipe notes, writing, and new photos.**

If you’ve tried my stuffed zucchini boats, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!

Be sure to follow me on social media! I love pinning to Pinterest, sharing on Facebook, and posting pics to Instagram. See you there. 🙂

Amazon Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Easy + healthy meal recipe (10)

Stuffed Zucchini Boats – Easy + healthy meal recipe

Sharon Rhodes

This keto-friendlystuffed zucchini boatsrecipeis loaded with tuna andcheesefor alow-carb, healthy dinner option. Perfect for lunches, too! Ready in under 30 minutes.

4.80 from 60 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 servings

Calories 353 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 small zucchini
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 can of tuna drained
  • 1 celery stalk minced
  • ¼ medium red onion minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about half a lemon
  • ¼ tsp dried dill *or 2 tsp fresh dill
  • ½ cup shredded or crumbled cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Slice the zucchini in half and using a teaspoon, scoop out the center, about an inch deep. Place them on the lined baking sheet and brush the four zucchini halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

  • Put the sheet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. This will depend on the size of your zucchini. You want them to be tender, but not mushy. Use a fork to see how easily you can pierce the side and do a little touch test. Look for them to begin browning slightly on the sides.

  • Meanwhile, mix together the tuna, celery, onion, and dill with the other tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice.

  • Once the zucchini is done, take it out of the oven and turn on the broiler. Fill your canoes with the tuna mixture and top with the cheese.

  • Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has browned and is crispy on top.

  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • There are so many variations that can be made with thesezucchini boats.Use cookedground beef,ground turkey, orItalian sausagewith sometomato sauceormarinara sauce,Italian seasoning, andsprinklewithmozzarella cheesefor a pizza boat. Top with freshbasil!
  • Try abbq version with a pulledporkandbbq saucemixtureortex mexflavorswith shredded chicken, enchilada sauce,cumin,corn,andblack beans,and top with shreddedlettuce.
  • If you want a more rich-tasting tuna melt experience with these keto stuffed zucchini add atablespoonor two of mayonnaise to yourtuna mixturebefore broiling.
  • Sprinkleon somered pepper flakesfor a bit of heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 26gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 402mgPotassium: 711mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 725IUVitamin C: 41.9mgCalcium: 250mgIron: 2.3mg

Keyword keto zucchini boats, zucchini boats

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Easy + healthy meal recipe (2024)

FAQs

How many calories is a zucchini boat? ›

Nutrition Facts

1 stuffed zucchini half: 312 calories, 20g fat (9g saturated fat), 81mg cholesterol, 337mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 2g fiber), 24g protein.

How many carbs are in stuffed zucchini? ›

Stuffed Zucchini Boats (4 servings) contains 30.8g total carbs, 22.9g net carbs, 49.2g fat, 67.6g protein, and 828 calories.

Can I freeze zucchini boats? ›

CAN YOU FREEZE ZUCCHINI BOATS? We don't recommend freezing zucchini boats, simply because the zucchini will be quite mushy upon thawing. That being said, you can absolutely freeze the meat filling for these boats for up to 2 months. Simply thaw the filling, spoon it into fresh zucchinis, then add cheese and bake.

Is zucchini and squash good for weight loss? ›

Like other fruits and vegetables, zucchini is low in calories but contains satiating fiber and water that can help keep you full. Substituting it for empty-calorie snacks or replacing parts of your meals with zucchini may reduce the number of calories you consume overall, helping you lose weight.

Are zucchini low in calories? ›

Calories. One cup raw, chopped zucchini (124g) provides 21 calories, 60% of which come from carbs, 25% from protein and 15% from fat. Zucchini is a low calorie, high-volume food.

Is zucchini a healthy carb? ›

At 3 grams of carbs per cooked cup (232 grams), zucchini provides a great low-carb alternative to pasta for those looking to reduce carb intake. It can be spiralized or sliced to replace spaghetti, linguini, or lasagna noodles in dishes.

Can you eat zucchini on keto? ›

Yes, zucchini is keto. A medium zucchini has about 6 total grams of carbs and 2 of them are fiber. So one whole zucchini has 4 net carbs. Zucchini is very popular on the low carb diet.

Is zucchini high carb or low-carb? ›

Zucchini

"Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and folate. It's also low in calories and provides fiber, which can aid in digestion," she says. Additionally, since it's lower in carbs, it won't spike your blood sugar. Per the USDA, 1 cup of cooked zucchini has less than 5 grams of carbs.

How do you keep zucchini boats from being watery? ›

Once sliced, zucchini slowly releases water, or "sweats", as it sits. Using a tea towel or paper towels, gently pat both sides of your zucchini dry before continuing with the recipe. This method works well for roasted zucchini, grilled zucchini, zucchini boats, and breaded zucchini that's baked or fried.

Do you eat the skin of zucchini? ›

Unlike other types of squash, zucchinis have soft skin that's easy to digest. The skin, flowers, and seeds are all edible. Eating the skin also contributes to your daily intake of fiber.

Is it better to freeze zucchini cooked or raw? ›

While freezing zucchini is a great way to extend its life, it's not as simple as just popping a few squash into your freezer. Raw zucchini gets weepy and watery after thawing. To effectively save it, you should chop and blanch it first. This helps set the texture and color and makes it last longer.

Can you eat zucchini raw? ›

Can you eat zucchini raw? In most cases, raw zucchini is safe to eat with little or no side effects. However, sometimes you may encounter some bitter fruit. This bitterness comes from cucurbitacins, a group of compounds found in members of the cucurbit family, such as pumpkins, zucchini, and gourds.

What animal eats zucchini in garden? ›

Raccoons, skunks, rabbits, rats, and groundhogs are all attracted to zucchini blossoms. If you find sharp, smooth, and angled damage usually low on the plant, you have bunny damage. An uneven, ragged cut characterizes deer damage. You may also find black droppings and deer hoof prints around.

What are the benefits of eating zucchini? ›

There are many health benefits to eating zucchini. Zucchini is high in antioxidants and can improve eye health, digestion, and heart health and lower a person's blood sugar levels.

Are zucchini noodles high in calories? ›

Zoodles are strands of zucchini that are made into the shape of noodles. They're very low in calories, low in carbs, gluten-free, easy to use in many recipes to replace regular noodles and quick to make. Benefits of zoodles include providing vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, potassium and antioxidants.

How many calories are in an average sized zucchini? ›

Zucchini nutrition facts

One medium zucchini has: 33 calories. 2 grams protein. 1 gram fat.

How many calories are in a zucchini wrap? ›

There are 140 calories in 100 g of The Health Food Co Zucchini Wrap.

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