Italian Style Stuffed Zucchini Boats

These delicious Italian Style Stuffed Zucchini Boats could not be more delicious, and they are perfect for those big summer zucchini in the grocery store or from your garden. Flavorful roasted zucchini boats stuffed with a homemade meat sauce and topped with melty mozzarella cheese. I love using Lean Jennie-O Ground Turkey in the recipe because the meat is already so tender and makes a perfect quick meat sauce. I’m very excited to partner with  Jennie-O to bring you this recipe today. It’s truly a product that I use weekly in my kitchen!

Start with a 9×13 baking pan and three large zucchini.

Brush the zucchini lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast the zucchini for about twenty minutes, or until they are tender.

while the zucchini are roasting, prepare the meat sauce. A quick homemade tomato sauce is easy to make, and tastes so fresh!  Jennie-O Lean Ground Turkey is perfect in this recipe because it doesn’t need to simmer in the tomato sauce all day to be tender.

While the sauce and zucchini are still hot, divide the sauce and stuff the zucchini.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. I used a reduced fat mozzarella in this recipe and it was perfect!

Return them to the oven and heat just until the cheese melts.

Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and flat leaf parsley.

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Italian Style Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Servings: 6 boats

Ingredients

• 6 large zucchini
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound Jennie-O Ground Turkey
• 1 28 oz can good quality crushed tomatoes
• 4 oz of freshly shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
• flat leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray 9x13 baking dish lightly with non stick cooking spray.
3. Cut zucchini lengthwise and use a small spoon to to scrape out the center.
4. Brush zucchini with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, several turns of freshly ground pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
5. Roast zucchini for about 20 minutes, or until it starts to soften.
6. While zucchini is roasting, prepare ground turkey and tomato sauce.
7. In a large saute pan, cook diced onions and garlic in 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat.
8. Once onions have started to soften, add ground turkey and brown until cooked through.
9. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer.
11. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
12. Once zucchini is ready, remove from oven and fill each boat evenly with turkey tomato sauce mixture.
13. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and return to oven just until cheese melts.
14. Once mozzarella is melted. remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley.

These are so delicious and so filling! One zucchini boat is a good serving size for lunch or with a large side salad. Serve two zucchini boats if serving alone or for bigger appetites.

I’ve partnered with Jennie-O to create this sponsored post and recipe. All opinions are my own. 

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