Use up all of your garden zucchini with these Taco Zucchini Boats! Fresh zucchini stuffed with a beefy, cheesy taco inspired filling. A delicious and healthy low carb dinner that the whole family will enjoy!
Love making low carb recipes? Try our easy ITALIAN DELI ROLLS, like an Italian Sub without the bread! This comforting PORK EGG ROLL SOUP is one of our kids favorites…or our famous NAKED TACOS!
Taco Zucchini Boats Recipe
If you grow zucchini in your garden, we know you’ve got it coming out of everywhere right about now. These Taco Zucchini Boats are one of our favorite ways to use them up!
Not only is this zucchini recipe low carb, but it’s a ridiculously delicious without being too over the top. There’s a smooth creaminess to this beefy filling with the addition of cream cheese, but you can definitely leave it out if you want to.
How Do You Make Zucchini Boats?
We love all kinds of zucchini recipes as a side dish. But these taco zucchini boats turn a side into a main course!
You could also serve this recipe as an accompaniment for a simple meal like a bowl of soup or a Caesar Salad, too.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and place on a large baking sheet or baking dish. Scoop out the inside flesh and seeds to make a well in each zucchini half. Dry out any moisture with a paper towel. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until softened, then add the beef breaking up until browned through. Drain any grease from the pan, then add the garlic and cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese is melted into the filling.
- Stir the tomato paste, salt, pepper, cumin, taco seasoning and diced tomatoes into the filling, then remove from the heat.
- Divide the filling between the 4 zucchini halves then bake, covered with foil for 25 minutes.
- Take the zucchini out of the oven and remove the foil. Top the zucchini boats with cheddar cheese and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Variations On The Recipe
Try using ground turkey, ground chicken, and even ground pork. And if you’re not mega taco obsessed like we are, it’s no problem. Just leave out the taco seasoning and possibly the cumin and add the spices that you like.
A steak seasoning would be delicious, or just salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pretty much any way that you like a hamburger filling to be flavored, you can do in this recipe.
You can also add different vegetables to these zucchini boats like peppers, mushrooms or corn.Just add the vegetables to the pan with the beef filling to soften them up first.
Can You Make Zucchini Boats Ahead Of Time?
Absolutely. These taco zucchini boats are an easy, make ahead dinner recipe! Make the recipe up to the step that you stuff the zucchini boats with the ground beef filling.
Now refrigerate the zucchini boats until you’re ready. About 45 minutes before dinner time, remove the zucchini boats from the refrigerator to take the chill off.
Bake at 400 degrees, covered for 25 minutes and then add the cheese and bake for 5 more.
Even if you’re not following a low carb diet, I really think everyone will love this recipe! Our boys loved these, pretty much anything taco flavored is going to be a win with them.
But they liked this zucchini even more than we thought that they would. And when everyone at the table loves dinner at the same time, we know that’s the biggest win.
Looking For More Low Carb Recipes?
- Sausage and Vegetable Soup
- 30 Low Carb Dinner Ideas
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Cauliflower Pork Fried “Rice”
Taco Zucchini Boats
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeUse up all of your garden zucchini with these Taco Zucchini Boats! Fresh, sweet zucchini stuffed with a beefy, cheesy taco inspired filling!
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise
- Olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 ounces cream cheese (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the zucchini on a large baking sheet or baking dish. Scoop out the inside flesh and seeds to make a well in each zucchini half. Dry out any moisture with a paper towel. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until softened, then add the beef breaking up until browned through. Drain any grease from the pan, then add the garlic and cream cheese (if using) stirring until the cheese is melted into the filling.
- Stir the tomato paste, salt, pepper, cumin, taco seasoning and diced tomatoes into the filling, then remove from the heat.
- Divide the filling between the 4 zucchini halves then bake, covered with foil for 25 minutes.
- Take the zucchini out of the oven and remove the foil. Top the zucchini boats with the cheese and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
