Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my stuffed zucchini with Italian sausage recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

The filling for this recipe is similar to my stuffed banana peppers:

• Zucchini – This recipe for stuffed zucchini will work with zucchini of any size, but you may need to adjust the amount of stuffing if yours are very small or very large. You can also make it with yellow squash! If you have leftover zucchini use it to make zucchini lasagna next.
• Olive Oil – Used for roasting the squash. You can use any neutral oil, such as avocado oil.
• Sea Salt – I didn’t feel the need to add black pepper because the ausage was already so flavorful, but you can add a pinch on your zucchini if you like.
• Onion – You can use yellow onion, white onion, or sweet onion. Red onion would also work, but the sharp flavor is less ideal in this dish. Red bell pepper can make a nice addition — saute with the onions if you want to add it.
• Ground Italian Sausage – I used pork sausage, but you could also use ground turkey, ground beef, ground chicken, or simply plain ground pork. My sausage had enough heat on its own, but you can add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you want more. If you have leftover Instant Pot chicken breast, you can shred it and use that instead.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves will have the best flavor, but if you’re in a hurry, you can use 1 teaspoon of jarred garlic instead, or just stir 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder into the filling.
• Diced Tomatoes – These add moisture, sweetness, tang, and texture to the zucchini stuffing. You could substitute canned crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, salsa for a different flavor twist, roasted red peppers, or simply chop some fresh tomatoes.
• Parmesan Cheese – This goes inside the filling. I used pre-grated parmesan for convenience, but fresh would taste even better.
• Italian Seasoning – You can use store-bought or make your own Italian seasoning recipe in 5 minutes. If you don’t have all the needed herbs, you can substitute any combination of dried basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary. Fresh herbs (such as fresh oregano or basil) would also work nicely, but you’d need 3 times the amount, as their flavor is less intense than dried.
• Mozzarella Cheese – For the gooey, melty topping! I love mozzarella here, but feel free to use any kind of shredded cheese you prefer.

How To Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

These instructions are for sausage stuffing, but you can follow the same process for all kinds of stuffed zucchini recipes:

1. Roast the zucchini. Slice the squash the long way, and use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the zucchini flesh. Place the zucchini onto a large baking dish or lined baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake until soft.
2. Saute the onions. Heat more olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until they start to brown.
3. Brown the meat. Add the sausage (or other ground meat) to the skillet. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned.

4. Saute the garlic. Make room in the center of the pan and add the minced garlic. Saute until fragrant, then mix into the sausage.
5. Add the other filling ingredients. Stir in the diced tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Adjust salt to taste, if needed.
6. Stuff the zucchini. Dry the squash with a paper towel. Add the filling into the zucchini boats.

7. Bake. Sprinkle the stuffed zucchini with shredded mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted.

TIP: Broil at the end if you like.

If you want the cheese darker, place under the broiler for a few minutes.