These stuffed zucchini boats are overflowing with savory meat, kidney beans, and marinara sauce. Topped with mozzarella cheese and baked to tender perfection, eating vegetables has never been so delectable. Whether you make them for a quiet night in or for feeding a hungry crowd, these stuffed zucchini boats will please any taste bud they touch. Served with a steamy piece of garlic bread or over a bed of pasta, this meal will make weeknights a delicious breeze.
Utilizing zucchini in the late summer/early fall months is a sure sign that cozier weather is almost upon us. As these stuffed zucchini boats have an element of summer freshness, they also dabble into the hardy, comfort foods that will follow in the coming months. This recipe is the perfect segue from summer to fall meals, and combines the best of both seasons in one savory, cheesy vessel. This recipe will provide eight, stuffed zucchini boats. However, the filling will make enough for 16 boats, meaning you can freeze half of it for a simple future meal!
Gettin’ Into The Nitty Gritties
This guide will go through each step with you, and will even provide pictures with each step for a helpful visual!
Needed Equipment
-Cutting board
-Medium sized pot
-9×13 casserole dish
-Meat masher
-Chef’s knife
-Mixing spoon
-Grapefruit spoon (or other similar carving tool)
Needed Ingredients
This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated with any of the brands mentioned/shown.
A little note: as this recipe will yield 8 zucchini boats, you will have enough filling for 16. You have three options: 1. Half the filling ingredients, 2. double the amount of zucchini, or my personal favorite, 3. use half the filling and freeze the other half for an easy meal in the future.
For The Filling:
-1 lb Sweet ground Italian sausage
-12 oz Beef Polska Kielbasa
-48 oz marinara sauce (2 24oz jars)
-31 oz dark red kidney beans (2 15.5 oz cans)
-28 oz San Marzano Style Italian tomatoes, whole peeled
-1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Other Ingredients:
-8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
-4 medium sized zucchini (about 6″ long)
Instructions
Step One: Gather all the ingredients and set the oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet ground Italian sausage in the pot, and begin to cook on medium heat.
Step Two: As sausage begins to brown, add the Italian seasoning and pepper; stir to combine.
Step Three: Chop the kielbasa. Cut into round slices, and then cut each slice into four triangles. Add to the pot with sausage, and stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.
Step Four: While the meat is simmering, begin prepping zucchinis. Cut ends off of each zucchini, and slice each one into two halves.
Step Five: Hollow out each half. Using a grapefruit spoon (or some other efficient tool), carefully scoop out the middle, seeded flesh of each zucchini half. You want to hollow them out enough to hold the filling, but not so much that there’s barely any zucchini left. The goal is to scoop out a majority of the middle, while leaving a retaining wall and a few inches of zucchini below, as shown in the photo. Set zucchini aside.
Step Six: Dump both cans of kidney beans into a colander, and rinse until there are no more bubbles. Add to the filling mixture; stir.
Step Seven: Open the can of San Marzano Style Italian tomatoes, and pluck each one out. You will not need the extra sauce in the can. Place tomatoes on the cutting board, and loosely chop them to make smaller pieces, as shown in the photo. Add to the filling mixture; stir.
Step Eight: Pour both jars of marinara sauce into the mixture and thoroughly mix to combine. Allow mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Ensure all meat is cooked thoroughly.
Step Nine: Arrange zucchini halves in a greased casserole dish. Using a large spoon or ladle, generously fill each zucchini half with the mixture.
Step Ten: Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbles form and zucchinis are tender when poked with a fork. Serve with garlic bread or over your favorite pasta.
The Origin Of This Recipe
This recipe was inspired by the copious amounts of zucchini we used to grow in our garden when I was a kid: my mom had to get very creative when it came to using it all! From breads to muffins to casseroles, she either shredded, gutted, or chopped every zucchini we proudly presented to her. She came up with some delicious concoctions, so I figured I’d give it a try. Thus, this recipe was born.
What Do I Serve With Zucchini Boats?
This meal is versatile in how it can be served. Serving it with ANY sort of warmed bread is a necessity. You can serve the boats just as they are for a healthier meal, or can even place it over a pile of your favorite pasta. Depending on how hearty you want the meal to be, you can spruce it up accordingly!
Leftover Zucchini Boat Filling
As previously mentioned, the ingredients for the filling will make enough to fill 16 boats (or 8 zucchinis, halved). However, 8 boats (4 zucchinis, halved) is enough to feed a small crowd, and is what I tailored this recipe to. So, you have three options: 1. Half the filling ingredients, 2. double the amount of zucchini, or my personal favorite, 3. use half the filling and freeze the other half for an easy meal in the future. This way, all you’ll have to do in the future is hollow out some fresh zucchini, fill, and bake! Doesn’t get much easier than that!
If you’re looking for more easy, freezer-friendly meals, try out my Not-So-Homemade Homemade Spaghetti Sauce!
Kidney Bean & Kielbasa Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Medium sized pot
- 9x13 casserole dish
- Meat masher
- Chef's knife
- Mixing spoon
- Grapefruit spoon or other similar carving tool
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 1 lb Sweet ground Italian sausage
- 12 oz Beef Polska Kielbasa
- 48 oz Marinara sauce Two 24oz jars
- 31 oz Dark red kidney beans Two 15.5oz cans
- 28 oz San Marzano Style Italian tomatoes whole peeled
- 1/4 tsp Ground pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Other Ingredients:
- 8 oz Shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 4 Medium-sized zucchini, halved About 6" long
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients and set the oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet ground Italian sausage in the pot, and begin to cook on medium heat.
- As sausage begins to brown, add the Italian seasoning and pepper; stir to combine.
- Chop the kielbasa. Cut into round slices, and then cut each slice into four triangles. Add to the pot with sausage, and stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until sausage is cooked through.
- While the meat is simmering, begin prepping zucchinis. Cut ends off of each zucchini, and slice each one into two halves.
- Hollow out each half. Using a grapefruit spoon (or some other efficient tool), carefully scoop out the middle, seeded flesh of each zucchini half. You want to hollow them out enough to hold the filling, but not so much that there's barely any zucchini left. The goal is to scoop out a majority of the middle, while leaving a retaining wall and a few inches of zucchini below. Set zucchini aside.
- Dump both cans of kidney beans into a colander, and rinse until there are no more bubbles. Add to the filling mixture; stir.
- Open the can of San Marzano Style Italian tomatoes, and pluck each one out. You will not need the extra sauce in the can. Place tomatoes on the cutting board, and loosely chop them to make smaller pieces. Add to the filling mixture; stir.
- Pour both jars of marinara sauce into the mixture and thoroughly mix to combine. Allow mixture to simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Ensure all meat is cooked thoroughly.
- Arrange zucchini halves in a greased casserole dish. Using a large spoon or ladle, generously fill each zucchini half with the mixture.
- Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes, or until bubbles form and zucchinis are tender when poked with a fork. Serve with garlic bread or over your favorite pasta.
Notes