In The Kitchen Tip: Laura McKenna’s Zucchini Boats Recipe

I love eating these in the summer fresh from the garden. Here’s the great part about this recipe: I just throw stuff in so it is very forgiving and more of a “guide” than a strict ingredient recipe. So there’s no reason your whole family wouldn’t enjoy it!

Start with a large green zucchini. Slice off the stem and the little butt at the end where you see that dark spot.

Next, take a spoon and scoop out the seeds. They will come out very easily because the inside of the zucchini is soft so be a little gentle in your scooping so you don’t take a lot of the good stuff with the seeds. Toss those (or save them to plant again next year).

Then be creative!

Here’s what I used as filling because I had it all on hand:
-onions
-colored peppers
-portobella mushrooms
-Beyond Beef (I’m a vegetarian but you can use real meat)
-Mrs. Dash seasoning (but seriously, use whatever and however much seasoning you like)
-shredded cheddar

I usually use kale or spinach as well, I just forgot to put it in. I also usually add fresh minced garlic but I was out. But that’s the beauty of this recipe. You just add or subtract whatever you want!

Dice the veggies and saute in a pan until tender. Cook the meat in another skillet. Then combine both in a large bowl and let cool for just a few minutes. Add in a few handfuls of the shredded cheddar (or whatever cheese you like.)

Grease a casserole dish and lay the gutted zucchini with the green skin side down. Fill the “boats” with a heaping amount of filling and then sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top.

Cover with foil. I insert some toothpicks into the zucchini to kinda tent the foil so all the cheese doesn’t melt and get stuck to the foil.

Bake for at least 50 minutes but depending on how big your zucchini are, it’ll probably take closer to an hour or more at 350 degrees. You’ll know they’re done when they sizzle in the pan and a fork can be inserted into the zucchini without resistance.

Then enjoy! But caution, those first few bites will be scorchingly hot so don’t burn your face off or you won’t be able to taste the rest of it. And believe me, you’ll want to!

Have a zucchini recipe you’d like to share? Email anytime, Laura would love to hear from you: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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