Greek-Inspired Beef & Feta Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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zucchini boats loaded with meat and feta cheese

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Thanks to paleo diets and spiralizers, zucchini has never been hotter. It’s popping up in all sorts of dishes, and while I’m a huge fan of my one and only zuke recipe (Can I call ’em zukes? Is that a thing?), I figured it was time to branch out.

Enter: stuffed zucchini boats.

zucchini boats loaded with meat and feta cheese
Photos: Candace Braun Davison

It sounds so fancy calling them “boats,” right? Like they should be served on a table set with a white tablecloth alongside basic sides with unnecessarily complicated names (lookin’ at you, haricot vert, AKA green-freakin’-beans). But they’re outrageously easy to make.

Seriously. Just halve a zuke, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds in the center — without cutting all the way through to the bottom — and stuff it with the filling of your choosing. Enchilada and taco-themed fillings are really popular on Pinterest, but lately, I’ve been craving Greek spaghetti from my hometown in Florida, so I decided to replicate that. (If you haven’t had it, you need to: The meat sauce features a hint of cinnamon that adds a whole new dimension of flavor and balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. Or at least that’s what I think.)

Stuffed zucchini boats
You could also cut ’em into coins and cook them for about 8-10 minutes less.

Try it for yourself:

zucchini boats loaded with meat and feta cheese

Greek-Inspired Zucchini Boats

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 43 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground turkey (ground beef also works)
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes, excess juices drained
  • 1/3 c crumbled feta cheese
  • 4 large zucchini

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the ground turkey, onion, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until the meat has browned, breaking it up as you do so. Drain the excess grease and stir in the diced tomatoes. Set aside.
  3. Halve the zucchini and scoop out the seeds, creating a trough in each one. Add the beef mixture, sprinkle with crumbled feta and place the boats on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-43 minutes, or until the feta has lightly browned in parts and the zucchini has softened.

Serves:

Editor’s Note: This recipe originally ran in June 2015. It has since been reviewed and updated to ensure its accuracy (and overall deliciousness).

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