Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Name: Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Home cooking
Ingredients: Zucchini — 300 g; Ground pork and beef — 120 g; Onions — 40 g; Tomatoes — 80 g; Hard cheese — 30 g; Sour cream 15% — 30 g; Garlic — 3 g; Sunflower oil — 8 ml; Salt — 2 g; Ground black pepper — 0.5 g

Hollowed-out zucchini halves filled with seasoned ground meat, zucchini flesh, and onions, baked under a topping of tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese.

Time: 50 min
Serving: 674 kcal
Ingredients: ≈ $3.61
Protein: 31 g

Healthy

Ingredients

1 Zucchini≈ $3.00 per kg 300 g
2 Ground pork and beefpack 500 g ≈ $7.01 120 g
3 Onions≈ $1.60 per kg 40 g
4 Tomatoes≈ $4.67 per kg 80 g
5 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.70 30 g
6 Sour cream 15%pack 300 g ≈ $1.60 30 g
7 Garlic≈ $10.00 per kg 3 g
8 Sunflower oil 8 ml
9 Salt 2 g
10 Ground black pepper to taste

Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.

Method

Wash the zucchini¹, slice lengthwise in half, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, leaving walls about 1 cm thick; chop the flesh into 1 cm cubes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Finely chop the onion³ and mince the garlic⁷. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion for 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the ground² meat and zucchini¹ flesh, cooking over medium heat for 7–8 minutes, breaking up clumps until no longer pink; season with salt and pepper.
Place the zucchini¹ halves in a greased baking dish, stuff with the filling. Top with tomato⁴ slices, dollops of sour⁶ cream, and grated cheese.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes, until the zucchini¹ is tender and the cheese is melted and golden.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Tips

Why it works: Sauté onions until translucent to remove bitterness and soften them before cooking; raw onions release moisture that makes the filling soggy. Cut zucchini flesh into small cubes so it cooks evenly and blends into the meat without clumping.
Substitutions: Use 40g of bell pepper instead of onion for a sweeter taste; replace sour cream with 30g of Greek yogurt for a tangier, thicker topping. Skip garlic if you dislike its flavor.
Common mistakes: Overcooking the zucchini boats makes them mushy. Check doneness when the edges are tender but the center still holds shape. If the filling is too wet, bake uncovered for 5 extra minutes to evaporate excess liquid.
Storing and reheating: Eat fresh or refrigerate for 2 days; reheat in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes until warmed through. Freeze the baked boats for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serve with: Pair with a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil for a balanced meal. Serve as a light dinner after a hearty soup or with crusty bread to soak up the juices.

In short

Marked healthy: the planner picks it more often for the goals “lose weight” and “eat well”.

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Nutrition

Per serving and share of 2000 kcal

Calories	674 kcal	34%
Protein	31 g	42%
Fat	51 g	73%
Carbs	22 g	8%
Per 100 g	110 kcal

Cost

≈ $3.61per serving

Average supermarket prices, BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), October 2026. Your store will differ: products come in packs and each chain sets its own prices. The priciest item here is ground pork and beef.