These cheeseburger zucchini boats make an easy weeknight meal that the entire family will enjoy. Made with a hint of ketchup and mustard, plus melty cheese on top, these boats taste just like your favorite cheeseburger!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender zucchini filled with flavorful ground beef filling and topped with melty cheese, lettuce, and tomato.
Yield: 6 boats
Variations: Use your favorite ground meat and cheeseburger toppings!
Similar to: Taco Zucchini Boats, Pizza Zucchini Boats, Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need about 3 medium sized zucchini (or 4 small zucchini) for this recipe. I used a 9x13 casserole dish, so I looked for zucchini about 9 inches long that would fit perfectly into the pan and fill the space.
- Olive oil - Any neutral cooking oil works.
- Cheeseburger filling - Onion, ground beef, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder create a flavorful cheeseburger filling for your boats. Ground beef could be substituted with other ground meats like bison, turkey, or pork if desired.
- Cheddar cheese - Any melty cheese works here, like monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, or mozzarella.
- Lettuce and tomatoes - Fresh vegetables help cut the heaviness of the cheeseburger filling. Feel free to add your favorite burger toppings here.
How to make zucchini boats
- While your zucchini boats par-bake, brown ground beef and onion in a pan.
- Add ketchup, mustard, and seasoning and stir to combine.
- Divide filling between boats.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake until melty and tender.
Storage
Leftover zucchini boats keep well for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing leftover cheeseburger zucchini boats without the added fresh toppings (like lettuce and tomato), and instead topping your zucchini boats once they've been reheated.
To reheat, zucchini boats can be microwaved or reheated in the oven. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake boats, uncovered, for up to 20 minutes, or until warmed throughout. If frozen, allow to thaw before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini to make zucchini boats. In fact, the skin contains many nutrients and fiber you'd otherwise be missing out on. The skin also helps hold the shape of your boats as they bake.
Technically yes, zucchini boats can be frozen. However, zucchini releases quite a bit of water and gets a little soggy after being frozen and thawed. For best quality, I highly recommend eating your zucchini boats fresh instead of freezing and thawing.
📖 Recipe
Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, about 9-10" long
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 16 ounces ground beef
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
- Cut the stems off your zucchini, then slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scape out some of the flesh from each zucchini half and discard (or save for another recipe).
- Place into prepared 9x13 pan, cut side up. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add onion and cook until lightly browned around the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned and cooked through.
- Add ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Remove from heat.
- Once boats have par-baked, remove from oven and top with beef filling. Sprinkle tops with cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until zucchini can easily be pierced through with a fork.
- Optionally, top with diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce before serving.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Nutrition: Calories shown are for one boat (or one zucchini half), if your recipe makes six boats. One boat can be served as an entrée along with side dish(es), or two boats can serve as a complete meal on their own.
- Storage: Leftover zucchini boats will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, or until warmed throughout.
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