Rock The Boat: Stuffed Zucchinis
Zucchini has finally made it on the list of “veggies people will actually eat”. This mighty squash’s versatility goes far past the #zoodle fad. Many recipes now feature zucchinis for carb substitutes in popular dishes such as zucchini lasagna, Italian subs, or zucchini boats that taste like healthy pizza.
While we may not have any real sense of time, we’re about to enter a bountiful summer filled with veggies. Lucky for us, zucchini’s season is summer. Zucchinis are cooked entirely meaning all parts are edible. One large zucchini contains roughly 55 calories, 4g of protein, 1g of fat, and 3g of fiber. A great keto or low-carb option for meal-preps!
Zucchini boats are easy to make, reheat well, and can be customizable to your favorite stuffing. Create a pizza boat, taco boat, 3-meat boat, etc. This recipe features the vegan option of mushroom red sauce along with the ground turkey option. Get creative, use what ingredients you have, and tag @nourishwithnatalia on IG to get featured!
Rock The Boat: Stuffed Zucchinis
Serves 2-4
- 4 zucchini (large)
- 1/2 cup unsalted black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 cup unsalted kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 cup corn (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can tomato paste
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 – 1 cup red vodka sauce (vegan)
- 1/2 white onion (large and chopped)
- 6 asparagus spears, chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cup baby bella mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Non-vegans
- 1 cup shredded cheese (or use vegan cheese)
- 2 cups ground turkey
- optional for topping: cilantro, avocado, vegan sour cream
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lay parchment paper over a baking sheet. Set aside. Slice each large zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to carefully hollow out the center of each zucchini. Lightly sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside with baking sheet.
- In a large pan, add olive oil and warm on medium heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, all beans, corn, cumin, salt and pepper. Lower heat then add tomato paste and vodka sauce. Stir till evenly coated. Meat Option: add the ground turkey in pan, chop, and cook till done and evenly coated with sauce.
- Remove the pan from heat then spoon out the mixture into zucchini boats until they are full. Sprinkle the top with cheese (if using), salt, pepper, then cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Once cooked, allow boats to cool for five minutes. Top with fresh cilantro, additional cheese if desired, avocado slices, and sour cream.
