Looking for a tasty and healthy zucchini recipe? Try these vegetarian zucchini boats stuffed with a flavorful mixture of tomatoes, feta, garlic, herbs and cauliflower rice.
Zucchini has become somewhat of a staple at mealtime here, which always seems to be the case around this time of year when they’re at their most plentiful. I’ve put them on the grill, rolled them up, sautéed them and made them into noodles but lately it’s these vegetarian zucchini boats that have been getting all the attention.
What are Zucchini Boats?
Also known as stuffed zucchini, zucchini boats are simply zucchini that have been halved, hollowed out and stuffed with a variety of fillings before being baked in the oven.
While most classic stuffed zucchini boat recipes are heavy on the meat, sauce and cheese these lighter and healthier veggie stuffed zucchini boats depend on a filling of cauliflower rice tossed with spinach, herbs, garlic, tomatoes, and a sprinkling of feta for a Mediterranean inspired flavor.
It’s a simple dish that’s both naturally gluten-free and vegetarian (*vegan option below) and comes together easily. The filling can even be made ahead of time and the zucchini stuffed and baked right before serving. You can serve these zucchini boats as a side, a light lunch or as a main course with a salad on the side. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Zucchini - Choose medium-sized zucchini that are large enough to scoop and stuff but aren’t oversized.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra-virgin olive oil.
- Cauliflower Rice - Use either fresh or frozen pre-riced cauliflower.
- Spinach – You’ll need some fresh baby spinach leaves.
- Garlic – You’ll need 1 large garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane.
- Herbs – Use fresh parsley or a mixture of parsley and basil.
- Tomatoes – Use vine or Roma tomatoes.
- Feta – Use sheep’s milk feta for the best flavor or substitute a vegan feta for a dairy-free/vegan option.
How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Halve your zucchini lengthwise then using a small spoon scoop out the seeds and spongy center to create the shells. (Medium sized zucchinis work best for this recipe.) Give those a quick rub with some olive oil and a pinch of salt and pop them in the oven cut side down to start baking.
- Meanwhile make the filling by sautéing the cauliflower rice along with the spinach then stirring in some fresh herbs and chopped tomatoes.
- After a few minutes you’ll pull the zucchini out of the oven, flip them over and stuff them with your filling. A sprinkle of feta across the top and back they go into the oven to bake until tender. (*For a vegan version simply omit the feta or use a vegan feta.)
Serve warm and enjoy! And if you have any leftovers, they’re delicious cold from the fridge the next day as well.
More Stuffed Vegetable Recipes:
Vegetarian Zucchini Boats
Looking for a tasty and healthy zucchini recipe? Try these vegetarian zucchini boats stuffed with a flavorful mixture of tomatoes, feta, garlic, herbs and cauliflower rice.
Ingredients
For the zucchini:
- 4 medium zucchini
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Olive oil for brushing
For the filling:
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra virgin olive oil
- 8oz/227g cauliflower rice either fresh or frozen
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon black pepper
- 2oz/56g baby spinach, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (or a mixture of parsley and basil)
- 1 medium vine tomato, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 oz/56g sheep’s milk feta, crumbled (omit or use a vegan feta for a vegan version)
Instructions
Prepare the zucchini:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, set aside.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds and spongy center. Sprinkle with salt and lightly brush insides with olive oil. Place the zucchini halves cut side down on the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Make the filling:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook cauliflower rice over medium to low heat for 3-4 minutes (stirring as necessary to prevent sticking or burning) or until just tender.
- Add in the chopped spinach and garlic and continue to cook while stirring constantly until just wilted (1-2 minutes). Take pan off heat and stir in parsley, chopped tomatoes and half the feta.
- Remove zucchini from oven, flip halves over and stuff generously with prepared filling. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese and return to oven for another 15 minutes or until the zucchini boats are tender and the filling
is golden. - Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
VARIATIONS:
Substitute your favorite vegan feta or omit entirely for a vegan version.
STORAGE:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
DIETARY INFO:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 71Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 187mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Chris says
Really nice recipe. Thanks for sharing.