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These Greek stuffed zucchini boats are a light and colorful summertime dish. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, but with endless variation options, it’s a meal that can please any crowd.
I love zucchini when it’s prepared well.
Stuffed zucchini boats? Check.
Lemon and zucchini risotto? Check.
Zucchini noodles (raw or cooked)? Hard pass.
Because of zucchini’s high water content, it can have a mushy texture when cooked that isn’t the most pleasant.
What’s so great about these stuffed zucchini boats is that we’re removing the seeds (getting rid of some of that moisture) so that when they’re roasted, they become this really lovely al dente texture with a boatload (couldn’t resist) of flavor from the filling.
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- zucchini
- green bell pepper
- yellow onion
- carrot
- dried spices: smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, garlic powder, dried oregano
- fire-roasted tomatoes
- chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
- salt & pepper
- fresh parsley (optional) – for garnish
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Prepare the zucchini.
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or a melon baller (you just want something with a slightly sharp edge), leaving about 1/4 inch of the zucchini around the sides and bottom.
- Rub the zucchini with a little olive oil and season freely with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then lay them cut side down on the baking tray. Cook for 10 minutes.
Make the stuffing.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- While the pan heats up, dice the green pepper, onion, and carrot.
- Once hot, add the oil and diced veg to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the spices, salt, and pepper and allow to infuse into the veggies for a minute before adding the fire-roasted tomatoes and chickpeas.
- Cook for a few more minutes allowing some of the liquid to reduce down.
Stuff the zucchini.
- With the cut side facing up, generously fill the stuffing into all the hollowed-out zucchini halves. (You’ll have a little excess depending on the size of your zucchini).
- Put the stuffed zucchini back in the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Make it Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are meant to be used as guides.
How can you make these Greek stuffed zucchini boats using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No green bell pepper? ➝ orange or yellow bell peppers will also work
- No yellow onion? ➝ use white or sweet onions
- Don’t have all the spices? ➝ this is a blend of warm and earthy flavors so just use what you have
- No fire-roasted tomatoes? ➝ canned diced tomatoes will also work
- More variations ➝ If you’re not into the Greek flavors, you can also make taco stuffed zucchini boats, pizza, Thai, etc. So many flavor possibilities!
Check out this what goes well with zucchini post for more ideas.
More Healthy Summer Recipes
- Simple Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
- Noodles with ‘Peanut’ Sauce
- Fennel Slaw
- Roasted Beet Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Greek Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium-large zucchini (about 2.5 pounds)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for seasoning the zucchini
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 14.5 oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes
- 14.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Prepare the zucchini
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or a melon baller (you just want something with a slightly sharp edge), leaving about 1/4 inch of the zucchini around the sides and bottom.
- Rub the zucchini with a little olive oil and season freely with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then lay them cut side down on the baking tray. Cook for 10 minutes.
Make the stuffing
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- While the pan heats up, dice the green pepper, onion, and carrot. Once hot, add the oil and diced veg to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the spices, salt, and pepper and allow to infuse into the veggies for a minute before adding the fire-roasted tomatoes and chickpeas.
- Cook for a few more minutes allowing some of the liquid to reduce down.
Stuff the zucchini
- With the cut side facing up, generously fill the stuffing into all the hollowed-out zucchini halves. (You'll have a little excess depending on the size of your zucchini).
- Put the stuffed zucchini back in the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Top with freshly chopped parsley (optional) and a dollop of greek-style yogurt if desired.
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