Stuffed Zucchini Recipe with Tomato Sauce

Seasoned ground beef and cheese are the perfect fillings for the delicate flavor of zucchini. Smothered in a lively red sauce, this Beef Stuffed Zucchini Recipe with Tomato Sauce is a hearty yet summery dish everyone will run for! Be sure to try my Beef Rice Zucchini Skillet, too!

“I absolutely loved it! I served them on their own without pasta and they were fantastic!”

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Summer is zucchini season and if you have a garden, you know it’s a prolific vegetable that can easily get oversized as soon as your back is turned. This stuffed zucchini recipe with tomato sauce makes perfect use of slightly larger than average zucchinis which have developed a seedy center but have not reached the tough, fibrous overgrown phase.

This baked stuffed zucchini recipe is one I’ve been making for personal chef clients for about as long as I’ve been in business and it’s always a hit!

This meaty stuffed zucchini boat recipe with tomato sauce is:

• Easy with no complicated cooking techniques. There are a number of steps, but overall each step is very simple.
• Make ahead! These stuffed zucchini boats can be assembled two to three days ahead of time and refrigerated, then baked when needed.
• Freezer-friendly! It can be frozen and then baked at a later date.

Let’s make this stuffed zucchini recipe with ground beef!

How to Make Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Tomato Sauce:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this stuffed zucchini recipe, along with how to prep the ingredients. It looks like a lot, but you probably already have much of this! See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Zucchini: You’ll want to use zucchini slightly larger than average–approximately 8 inches long and wide enough for stuffing. You can also use yellow zucchini (not the same as yellow squash).
• Ground Beef: I like ground chuck for most ground beef recipes, but you can also use ground sirloin or something leaner. This recipe also works with ground turkey, chicken, or pork.
• Fresh and Dried Basil? Yes! I use dried basil in the meat filling because the filling gets cooked twice: Once in the skillet and the second time when it gets baked. Dried basil needs a longer cooking time. Fresh basil is used in the tomato sauce and added at the end.
• Fresh Breadcrumbs: I like to use fresh coarse breadcrumbs in this recipe but you can also use dried–preferably panko–which has a nice coarse texture. If using dried, keep in mind they’ll absorb more liquid so cut the amount in half.
• Fresh, Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce: Crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce impart two distinctive flavors to dishes. Crushed tomatoes are minimally cooked so they retain much of the fresh flavor from the vine. Occasionally they are processed with a bit of salt, garlic or basil. However, for the most part, the tomatoes are left alone. Tomato sauce is cooked longer so the fresh tomato flavor isn’t as pronounced. However, tomato sauce is slow-cooked with herbs and spices, adding more flavor to the mix. Fresh, chopped tomatoes add texture and fresh tomato taste.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking dish that’s large enough to hold all the stuffed zucchinis (at least 13 x 9-inch)
• Remove the ends from the zucchinis and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop the seedy center from each zucchini half, creating a trench. (A few seeds left around the perimeter of the trench are fine.)
• Place the zucchini halves on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Brush each zucchini half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Flip them over and brush the other side with olive oil.

• Roast for 10-12 minutes. (You don’t want them too soft, you just want them to soften a little and take on some flavor.) Let cool while making the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.

• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes or until it softens.
• Add the ground beef and cook for 6-7 minutes, breaking the meat up as you go until it’s no longer pink and cooked through. Drain off excess grease.

• Add the garlic, tomato paste, water (preferably water from rinsing out cans of crushed tomatoes and sauce), dried basil, oregano and breadcrumbs. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until water has evaporated. Stir in the parsley and Parmesan cheese. (The ground beef mixture should hold together easily.)

• Fill each “trench” in the zucchinis with even amounts of the filling. Set aside while making the tomato sauce.

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it softens. Add the garlic and tomato and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until it softens.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the fresh basil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

• ASSEMBLY: Spoon 2/3 of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the stuffed zucchini over the tomato sauce. Top the zucchini with even amounts of the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

• Bake!
• MAKE AHEAD: Sprinkle with the cheese, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats or place into a cold oven. Bake as directed until hot, bubbling and the cheese is melted and heated through.

• A little extra cheese on the baked stuffed zucchini boats at the end doesn’t hurt either!

• Serve the baked stuffed zucchini boats over spaghetti or angel hair pasta!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• FLAVOR SAVER TIP!  Pour the water called for in the recipe into the cans of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce to rinse them out so nothing is wasted.
• Be careful not to remove too much pulp from the zucchini. You want a sturdy border to hold that delicious meaty filling.
• Make your own breadcrumbs for the best texture and flavor. Use good bread, cut into chunks, then pulse in a food processor or blender.
• If you have a favorite jarred marinara you love, feel free to use that instead for this stuffed baked zucchini boat recipe to save time.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Serve stuffed zucchini with:

• Roasted Cauliflower with Black Olive Pangrattato
• Lemon Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter and Almonds
• Roasted Red Cabbage Steaks Recipe with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese
• Balsamic Roasted Kale Sprouts with Shaved Parmesan

More great zucchini recipes you’ll love!

• Zucchini Corn Casserole
• Zucchini Jalapeno Fritters with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
• Shrimp Pad Thai with Zucchini Noodles
• Roasted Vegetable Rice with Garlic and Parmesan

Grab all my amazing beef recipes at Beef Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen