Spice up your taco nights with these fun and healthy low-carb taco zucchini boats! Zucchini is stuffed with ground beef, taco seasoning, black beans, and corn, and cheesy topping.
This cheesy zucchini dinner is a delicious twist on traditional tacos.
We often make healthy zucchini recipes, especially on taco night! We love to stuff zucchini with ground turkey or beef, chicken, and delicious pizza toppings.
Ingredients For Zucchini Taco Boats
- Zucchini: Look for similarly sized medium or large zucchini for even cooking. Tip: Don't scoop out all the zucchini flesh; leave some to support the filling.
- Lean ground beef: Preferably 90% lean, but any fat content works; drain excess fat to avoid soggy zucchini boats. You can also make a double batch of my taco meat recipe and freeze the leftovers for next time.
- Onion: Adds a mild, sweet, earthy flavor; use regular brown or red onion.
- Shredded cheese: A Mexican blend, Cheddar cheese, Pepper jack, or Monterey jack works too. String cheeses like Mexican Oaxaca cheese would taste amazing here too.
- Corn: Use my corn on the cob or canned corn.
- Black beans are a traditional Mexican staple for extra filling.
- Spices: Use my flavorful taco seasoning mix or combine spices that you already have! Your mix should include at least cumin, chili powder, salt, and oregano. Or go for store-bought option; this also works.
- Salsa: Chunky or smooth, your choice! Salsa (I love Old El Paso) adds some spice and zesty freshness.
- For serving: Fresh cilantro or parsley, sour cream, jalapeno avocado crema, guacamole or Pico de Gallo.
🥒 Read also: 18 Types of Zucchini You Didn't Know About
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How To Make Taco Zucchini Boat Recipe Step by Step (With Photos!)
Preheat your oven to 375°F and prepare an 8 x 11-inch or 9-inch baking dish.
- Step 1: Prepare and hollow zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides until they're about ¼ inches thick, saving the chopped zucchini. You can do this using a spoon or fruit baller scoop. If the zucchini flesh is too watery, dry it with a kitchen towel.
- Bake zucchini. Place the zucchini halves cut side up on the baking sheet and spray them with cooking oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Bake for 15 minutes until zucchini is tender.
- Step 3: Make taco filling. While baking the zucchini, cook the onion in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then cook the beef until it's no longer pink, breaking it apart with a spatula. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Step 4: Stir in the taco seasoning, water, salsa, corn, beans, and the reserved zucchini flesh. If needed, season with salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid has cooked off, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 5: Stuff with filling and bake. Add the ground beef mixture in the center of the zucchini. Top with cheese and bake.
- Step 6: Finish with melty cheese. Return the pizzas to the oven until the cheese is melted and the zucchini filling is warmed through.
Note: You can, but you don't have to, turn on the broiler setting (keep an eye on those boats!). Just for 1-2 minutes. Serve with freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.
How To Meal Prep Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
These taco stuffed zucchini boats are so easy to make ahead of time!
You can make the beef filling two or three days in advance and store it covered in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
However, it's best not to cut and stuff the zucchini more than a day ahead, as the flesh will turn brown!
What To Serve With Taco Zucchini Boats
Serve the stuffed zucchini straight from the oven, piping hot!
For a low-carb dinner recipe, serve with lots of fresh veggies and cauliflower rice. Here are some ideas:
- Easy Pico De Gallo
- Sour cream or yogurt
- Cauliflower rice
- Guacamole or avocado crema (with jalapenos!)
- Mexican Corn Dip
- Quick Mexican Coleslaw
How Long To Bake Zucchini?
How long you bake your zucchini boats depends on the size of your zucchini and how thick the edges are.
Usually, it takes around 15 minutes for pre-baking and up to 7 minutes for the cheese to melt just right.
Get creative with your veggies! You can customize the filling of zucchini boats using different veggies, such as yellow squash, tomato, mushrooms, bell pepper, or green pepper.
Storing Leftovers and How To Reheat Taco Zucchini Boats
- To Store. Cooked zucchini boats will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you have extra zucchini here's a quick guide on how to store zucchini.
- To Freeze. You can freeze these Mexican zucchini boats for up to 3 months. To enjoy later, simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating following the instructions below.
- To Reheat. While you can microwave them, the zucchini may become mushy. Pop them into the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, then finish them under the broiler for a deliciously crispy finish (or use an air fryer).
More Summer Zucchini Recipes
Zucchini boats are the perfect healthy dinner we love to make - try our Chicken Zucchini Boats next time!
Tools
- 8 x 11 baking dish, or you can use 9 x 13, depending on the length of your zucchini!
- Fruit/melon baller scoop
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Recipe Card
Mexican Taco Zucchini Boats (With Ground Beef)
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium zucchini, washed and rinsed
- olive oil, for cooking beef
- ½ pound ground beef
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- ½ tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoon water
- ½ cup salsa
- ¼ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup corn, fresh or thawed
- ½ cup cheddar, grated
- 1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped, or parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and get an 8 x 11-inch (or 9-inch) baking pan ready.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides until they're about ¼ inch thick, saving the chopped zucchini. If the zucchini flesh is too watery, pat them dry with a kitchen towel.2 medium zucchini
- Place the zucchini halves cut side up on the baking sheet and spray them with cooking oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Bake for 15 minutes.salt and black pepper
- While the zucchini are baking, cook the onion in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then add the beef and cook until it's no longer pink, breaking it apart with a spatula. Drain excess grease if necessary.olive oil, ¼ cup onion, ½ pound ground beef
- Stir in the taco seasoning, water, salsa, corn, beans, and the reserved zucchini flesh. Cook until the liquid has cooked off, about 5-7 minutes.2 tablespoon water, ½ cup salsa, ¼ cup black beans, ¼ cup corn, ½ tablespoon taco seasoning
- Take the zucchini boats out of the oven and fill them with the cooked mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top.½ cup cheddar
- Put them back in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve with freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.1-2 tablespoons cilantro
VIDEO
NOTES
- Try a variation: Stuffed Zucchini Boats (With Creamy Chicken)
- Zucchini: Look for similarly sized medium or large zucchini for even cooking. Tip: Don't scoop out all the zucchini flesh; leave some to support the filling.
- Spices: use my flavorful taco seasoning mix or combine what you have! Your mix should include at least cumin, chili powder, salt, and oregano. Or go for store-bought; this also works.
- How To Meal Prep Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats: These taco stuffed zucchini boats are easy to make ahead of time. You can make the beef filling two or three days in advance and store it covered in the fridge until you're ready to use it. However, it's best not to cut and stuff the zucchini more than a day ahead, as the flesh will turn brown.
- To Store: cooked zucchini boats will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: you can freeze these Mexican zucchini boats for up to 3 months. To enjoy later, simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating following the instructions below.
- To Reheat: while you can microwave them, the zucchini may become mushy. Pop them into the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, then finish them under the broiler for a deliciously crispy finish (or use an air fryer).
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
FAQ
There is no need to peel zucchini! Keep the skin on for all those extra nutrients. After giving the zucchini a good rinse under cold water, slice off the stem and discard it.
If the tops are browning too quickly, you can cover them with aluminum foil. But since we only bake them with cheese for 7 minutes, it usually takes more than necessary.
If your zucchini turns out mushy, you've probably overcooked it! Bake the zucchini boats for a shorter duration until they're tender but not overly soft.
To hollow out zucchini, first cut it in half lengthwise. Then, use a metal spoon or teaspoon to scoop out the insides. Leave about ¼-inch of flesh inside the zucchini to ensure it holds shape during baking.
If your zucchini boats are coming out soggy, it's likely because they've been in the oven for too long or you've removed too much flesh from them.
Zach D.
is it cool to add other stuff like mushrooms or bell peppers to these boats? looking for some variety. thanks for the ideas!
Julia
Hi Zach, these additions sound delicious!
Alexis S.
Absolutely in love with the zucchini taco boats recipe! It's the perfect blend of satisfying and healthy. Julia, you've outdone yourself with this one. Gonna share this with all my friends!
Julia
Hi Alexis, thank you so much, it is delicious indeed!
Donnie T
tried baking these zucchini boats they turned out alright. kids were skeptic but they ended eating most of it. success i guess, haha.
Julia
Thank you Donnie!
RJ92
how long can you keep these in the fridge? wanna make sure they don't go bad before i get to eat all of them. meal prep gold right here!
Julia
Hi thank you for your comment! These will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, please refer to the blog post Storing instructions.
Emily K.
I just tried making these taco zucchini boats for the kids, and it's a hit! Swapping out carbs with veggies while still keeping it tasty is genius. Thanks for this recipe, Julia!
Julia
Hi Emily, thank you for your comment!
Julia
You'll love these taco zucchini boats, they are healthy, low-carb and delicious!