Stuffed Italian Zucchini Boats

Name: Stuffed Italian Zucchini Boats
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 4 smallish zucchini - about 4"-5" long; 2 cloves garlic; 1 cup onions (roughly chopped); 1/2 cup canadian bacon or ham (finely minced); 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed; pinch of red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1/2 cup tomato (finely chopped); 1 slice bread (I used a dense piece of whole wheat); 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped); 2 tablespoons basil (chiffonade + extra for serving); 1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella (shredded + extra for sprinkling); sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional)

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Looking for the best stuffed zucchini recipe? This is it! Learn how to make zucchini boats to use up your garden squash with this flavorful Stuffed Italian Zucchini Boats recipe!

Let’s call this a compromise. Scott has a potent dislike for “mushy vegetables”. One minute past al-dente and he’s not interested. Which is why I usually serve them crunchy in salads, char-grilled, lightly sautéed, or oven-roasted. Never boiled for more than 3-4 minutes – and preferably steamed. I agree with him for the most part, having had my share of limp-grayish green beans á la the school cafeteria and a few less-than-experienced cooks. But these Stuffed Italian Zucchini Boats actually dabble in both realms. Tender zucchini stuffed with a savory, pillowy blend of veggies, pork and spice. In my estimation, it’s the best stuffed zucchini recipe.

Best of all – they’re really simple to prep. Heck, most of the work is done in the food processor! I like that!

So here’s How To Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats:

Start by scooping the flesh from the zucchini. I use a melon baller to remove the flesh from the zucchini without damaging the sides – remember you want the zucchini to hold their form. Transfer the scooped zucchini balls to the Cuisinart or food processor, along with the onions and pulse to finely chop. Easy.

2. Hand chop the tomatoes and the Canadian bacon and add them along with the spices to the vegetable mixture. Then heat up a skillet with a little olive oil and sweat the veg for a few minutes. This allows the onions to mellow and lose their sharp bite, as well as making the vegetables more tender and marrying the spice flavors with the filling.

3. Add the soft breadcrumbs and toss to combine. The stuffing mixture for these easy stuffed zucchini should be moist, but not wet — the breadcrumbs help to maintain that balance.

4. Fill the hollowed out zucchini shells generously with stuffing.

5. Here’s where it could get temperamental. If your zucchini don’t want to “sit upright” and instead roll to one side or another, prop them against the side of the baking sheet, or crowd them into a smaller baking dish where they can snuggle against one another without tipping over.

5. Sprinkle the stuffed zucchini boats with cheese and bake!

The zucchini maintains its structure and cooks without being mushy, while the filling is a soft, beautiful balance of spices and a little smokiness — compliments of Canadian bacon.

These easy stuffed zucchini are so good — and pretty, too! Don’t you think? In fact, I think these would be great for a special Mother’s Day dinner!