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Zucchini, one of summer’s most bountiful harvests, has a bit of a reputation for being bland, but with these cheese stuffed zucchini boats, you’ll find them to be a deliciously and versatile side dish that comes together with minimal prep work.
We’ve been making these cheesy stuffed zucchini boats for decades – ever since we had a big garden at our home in Rhode Island. If you’ve ever grown zucchini yourself, you know that once the plants really start producing, you need to have a few good recipes at your fingertips so they don’t go to waste.
This tasty side dish recipe has always been one of our favorites and it’s easy to make. We prefer to make our stuffed zucchini without meat so we simply chop up the flesh of the zucchini removed to make the “boats” and sauté it with onion and garlic, then combine it with crumbs and a smooth-melting, mild cheese like Muenster. This same technique can be used to make stuffed sweet onions.
Featured Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
ZUCCHINI: Zucchini is pretty low in calories and carbs, but it has plenty of nutritious vitamins and minerals. Despite being somewhat bland on its own, zucchini is the perfect blank canvas for a wide variety of ingredients. These meatless stuffed zucchini boats highlight a savory, cheesy filling, but you can easily add meat for a more protein-rich option.
PANKO BREADCRUMBS: Crispy panko provides structure for the filling, as well as adding a bit of crunchy, toasty brown texture on top.
SHREDDED CHEESE: The cheese you select for your filling is up to you, but we like options that melt easily like mozzarella, Muenster or fontina. Once the cheese melts, it gives the zucchini filling a beautiful creaminess.
PARMESAN CHEESE: Parmesan adds a bit of saltiness, nuttiness and umami to any dish. The flavor of Parmesan is a bit stronger than the other cheese, so it will help elevate the other flavors while also adding some depth.
Overview
How to Make Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
First, scoop out the insides of the zucchini halves and salt them to get rid of extra water. Then, pre-bake them a bit.
Next, sauté the onions, garlic, and the scooped-out zucchini until it’s a little caramelized. Mix that with breadcrumbs, cheese, and Parmesan for the filling.
Stuff the zucchini boats, top with more breadcrumbs and cheese, and bake until it’s all melty and golden.
Discover More Ways to Cook with Zucchini
If you find yourself with an abundance of zucchini from your summer garden, we have some other delicious side dishes for you to try, like oven-fried zucchini sticks or fritters. If you’re looking for a main dish featuring our favorite summer squash, try a delicious pasta dish like cheese tortellini or linguine with shrimp.
You can even bake with zucchini! For something a little sweet, try our chocolate zucchini bread.
Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, about 2 lbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 cup finely shredded cheese, mozzarella, Muenster or fontina, divided
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and coat a shallow baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Halve the zucchini lengthwise and, using a melon baller, hollow out each half, leaving a wall of about 1/4-inch on the sides and bottom. Reserve the flesh you removed.
- Season the zucchini halves with salt, arrange them on the prepared baking sheet and set aside for 10 minutes to allow some of the moisture to be drawn out.
- Blot the zucchini dry with paper towels, then bake until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the zucchini pre-bakes, roughly chop the reserved zucchini flesh.
- Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Sauté until soft and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute longer, then add the zucchini.
- Turn the heat to medium high, season the mixture with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the entire mixture is soft and slightly caramelized and most of the liquid has cooked off, 5 to 7 minutes longer.
- Add 5 tablespoons of the panko, 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese and all of the Parmesan to the sautéed vegetables. Combine well.
- Divide the zucchini-onion mixture between the hollowed "boats." Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and 3 tablespoons of panko, and sprinkle the mixture on top of each boat.
- Return the zucchini to the oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the "boats" are tender when pierced with a knife and the cheese and panko mixture is toasty.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! I made a half recipe, and it was very good! My husband, who would prefer that every vegetable be served deep-fried, enjoyed these, too! Victory! These are easy to prep in advance. I didn’t pre-bake the empty “boats”. I just baked the stuffed zucchini, covered, for about 30 minutes, then uncovered to brown. The broiler works well, too, to get the tops browned and crunchy.
Thanks!!
Hi Amee,
I’m glad to hear that both you and your husband enjoyed the zucchini. I like your alternative to pre-baking too. Thank you for sharing the tip.