Taco Zucchini Boats

taco zucchini boat on a white plate with a fork

Bursting with flavor and summertime goodness, Taco Zucchini Boats are a dinner the whole family will adore! Hollow out fresh zucchini and fill with a ground beef-onion-zucchini-salsa filling before baking to perfection. Flavorful, satisfying and a brilliant way to use up zucchini when your garden (or CSA box) is overflowing!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings large servings

Calories 262kcal

Ingredients

8 zucchini medium-sized
1 ¼ lb. ground beef (I used 90/10)
½ large yellow onion diced (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons taco seasoning
½ cup salsa
½ cup beef stock low-sodium, if possible

Instructions

Cut the 8 zucchini in half, length-wise, and using a spoon, scoop out the middles. Place the hollowed out zucchinis on a baking sheet for later.
Chop the insides of the zucchini, then set aside. (These will go into the taco filling!)
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 ¼ lb. ground beef, chopped ½ large yellow onion and the insides of the zucchini.
Season the beef and onion with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 ½ teaspoons taco seasoning. Using a wooden spoon, continually move the ingredients around the pan, breaking up and cooking them. (This should take around 15-20 minutes.)
When the ground beef has browned, add ½ cup salsa and ½ cup beef stock.
Cook for an addition 5-10 minutes, or until those ingredients have soaked into the filling.
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Using a spoon, carefully scoop the filling into the hollowed out zucchini.
Once the zucchini are filled, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops of the zucchini boats have browned.
Remove from the oven, and enjoy warm!

Notes

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: I’ve made this ahead a few times, and it has worked like a charm. Personally, I like to make and stuff the zucchini, then cover them and pop them in the fridge to bake later, but you could just as easily make the filling and refrigerate after that step, then stuff and bake the zucchini later.

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS: If you want to add lettuce, tomatoes, crushed up tortilla chips and shredded cheese to the tops of these zucchini boats once they’re out of the oven, feel free!

Nutrition