The BEST stuffed zucchini recipe!
Zucchini boats…stuffed with Mexican-flavored ground meat taco goodness?!
Need I say more? OK. I’ll say a little more.
Actually, I’ll say A LOT more, because these Mexican Stuffed Zucchini Boats have been ALL the rage in my house lately. And if you’re not already aware, I am a HUGE taco lover. From Crispy Baked Turkey Tacos and Baja Shrimp Tacos to classics like Flank Steak Fajitas, I love every single one!
But sometimes I want it all—the delicious spicy flavors of Mexican cuisine, packed with veggies and protein, but WITHOUT all of the carbs.
That’s where this recipe comes in to save the day. They’re so easy to make, packed with flavor, and even the pickiest eaters of the family will gobble them up!
First timer to the wonderful world of stuffed squash recipes? You’ve gotta check out these Zucchini Pizza Boats, Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash, or this Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken next!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You can find the exact ingredient amounts and a full recipe at the recipe card below.
- Zucchini: Try to pick zucchini that are similar in size and shape so they cook evenly in the oven.
- Ground meat: Ground beef, turkey, chicken, or even venison all work here. I like using 93/7 for a good balance of moisture and flavor.
- Bell pepper: Red, yellow, or green—they’ll all work great!
- Onion: Any type works (red, yellow, white, or sweet), just make sure it’s finely diced so it softens quickly.
- Taco seasoning: You can whip up a batch of my go-to homemade taco seasoning or use a store-bought packet. If you’re going with packaged, taste before adding extra salt since they tend to be a bit saltier.
- Cheese: Mild or sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend all melt beautifully and add great flavor—just use your favorite!
Step-by-step Instructions
You can find the exact ingredient amounts and a full recipe at the recipe card below.
Prep the zucchini boats.
Preheat oven to 400℉. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the center, leaving a ¼-inch border and a small “lip” on each end to hold the filling in.
Pro Tip: Pick zucchini that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
Par-bake in the oven.
Drizzle the cut sides with oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until just tender.
Pro Tip: Baking them upside down first helps release moisture so the boats don’t get soggy later.
Make the ground meat taco filling.
Cook the onion and bell pepper in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes, then stir in 1 cup of the reserved zucchini flesh and minced garlic. Cook another 1-2 minutes until softened.
Push the veggies to the side, then add ground meat and cook for 7-10 minutes until browned. Turn off the heat and stir in taco seasoning, salsa, and ¾ cup shredded cheese until melted and combined.
Pro Tip: If your beef is really water or has a lot of excess fat, make sure to drain any excess liquid for a less watery filling.
Fill, bake, and dig in!
Flip the zucchini over and fill each boat with the taco mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tops and bake for 10–15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and diced tomatoes and dig in!
Pro Tip: Prep the zucchini and taco filling ahead of time, then just stuff and bake when ready to serve.
What to serve with Mexican zucchini boats?
While these stuffed zucchini taste incredible on their own, there are a few easy ways you can freshen them up once they come out of the oven:
- A bit of finely chopped green onions, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream.
- Diced avocados, diced tomatoes, Homemade salsa, or homemade guacamole add a fresh twist!
- And don’t forget the Instant Pot Black Beans or Refried Black Beans and some Instant Pot Salsa Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice as side dishes!
FAQs
Yes! You can prep the zucchini and make the taco filling up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then assemble and bake when you’re ready.
Baking the zucchini cut-side down before stuffing helps release moisture. Also, avoid overcooking them so they don’t get too soft.
Technically yes, but they’re best fresh. If you freeze them, the zucchini may release extra moisture when reheated. For better texture, freeze just the taco filling and assemble fresh.
Keep leftover taco boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. If you aren’t enjoying these immediately, prepare the boats and taco filling and store separately. When ready to eat, stuff and bake.
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Mexican Stuffed Zucchini Boats Recipe
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Ingredients
- 4 zucchini squash about the same size
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 bell pepper finely diced
- 1 sweet onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 pound ground beef turkey or chicken
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup salsa mild or medium
- 1 cup shredded cheese divided, Cheddar or Mexican blend
Optional Toppings:
- Green onions thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro finely chopped
- Diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Cut both the stem and the blossom ends off of each zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out using a spoon with a slightly sharp edge, leaving about ½-inch of zucchini around all sides. (Reserve the zucchini flesh that was scooped out.)4 zucchini squash
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over all of the insides of the zucchini boats and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Place zucchini flat-side down on a large baking sheet in a single layer and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.3 tablespoons olive oil, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper and onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add 1 cup of chopped zucchini flesh that was previously removed from the boats, and the garlic. Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.1 bell pepper, 1 sweet onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Push vegetables to the side of the skillet and add the ground beef. Cook and crumble for 7-10 minutes, or until the meat is completely cooked through. Drain any excess liquid from the pan when done cooking.1 pound ground beef
- Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the taco seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, salsa, and ¾ cup of the shredded cheese.2 tablespoons taco seasoning, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ cup salsa, 1 cup shredded cheese
- Flip over all of the pre-baked zucchini boats so the hollow cavity is facing up and fill with equal amounts of the taco filling. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Return the zucchini to the oven and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve with chopped green onions, cilantro, and diced tomatoes, if desired.Green onions, Fresh cilantro, Diced tomatoes
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Video
Notes
- Ground meat: You can easily substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken, if desired.
- To Store: Keep leftover taco boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Let the boats come to room temperature, then seal in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Zucchini Recipes
If you still have plenty of zucchini on hand, here are some delicious recipes you can try!
it’s in the oven now ! But instead of salsa, I used enchilada sauce !
Yay! So happy to hear you’re making the recipe, Cindy! Let me know how you liked it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I think this recipe will be very good. Thanks 😊
I hope you enjoy it!
my husband and grandaughter went crazy over this recipe and i can Never get her to eat zucchini.
i used lawyer”s taco seasiong> thank you!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jeanee! I love that people who don’t like zucchini enjoy this dish! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
It was delicious! Used a larger zuchinni, didn’t have salsa so used Pico de Gallo. Even my picky son loved it!
Yay! And I bet pico de gallo still tasted fabulous! Thanks for your comment 🙂
This was a great recipe to use up some of my many garden zucchinis. It was delicious! We try to eat vegetarian so I used to fake meat crumbles instead of ground beef/turkey, I also added in a diced tomato since I have an abundance of those as well.
What a great idea, Jessica!! What type of vegetarian meat did you use? My husband and I like to limit meat sometimes, too, so I’m always looking for great substitutions 🙂
I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a year and finally tried this weekend. It was so damned good I made it the first time on Friday and ended up making it again on Sunday. Tried with both ground turkey and ground chicken breast. Was great with either. I think the jalapeno sweet spot is 4 roasted and diced peppers.
So good! Thanks for posting this.
Yay, Jason! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. And I’ll definitely keep the 4 roasted jalapenos in mind the next time we make them 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
These look amazing! I’m gonna try them this week, and maybe add a little corn and black beans. Thanks for sharing ????
Oh, I just love that idea!! Would love to hear how they turn out 🙂
I haven’t had zucchini in a long time these look delicious! Gonna have to add that veggie to my shopping list and give it a try. 🙂
You totally should!! Zucchini is like the forgotten vegetable sometimes 🙂 Hope you like them!
How much protein?
Hi Nancy! I’m not sure since currently there is no nutritional profiles on the site, but you can use the calorie calculator at My Fitness Pal to see what their estimate is. Hope this helps!
How ever much a pound of ground beef has in it…..
Loved these! Easy too!
Thanks Momma Loree 🙂