Go Back
Four halved zucchini boats on a dark roasting pan, filled with seasoned browned ground beef in a rich tomato sauce and topped with golden bubbling melted cheese, garnished with freshly chopped parsley, with the vibrant dark green zucchini skins contrasting against the savory meat and cheese filling.

Ground Beef Zucchini Boats

Tender summer squash halves hollowed out and packed with a rich, savory seasoned ground beef marinara sauce, topped with a thick blanket of bubbling melted mozzarella cheese.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium zucchini Select firm, straight squash
  • 500 g ground beef Lean mince option is best
  • 1 cup marinara sauce Thick premium style herb sauce
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella Provides excellent melting visual coverage
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley Finely chopped for final garnish
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder Adds deep aromatic base flavor
  • ½ teaspoon onion salt Balances the sweet marinara notes

Equipment

  • 1 Large skillet For browning the beef crumble mixture
  • 1 metal baking pan Standard size to hold eight halves easily
  • 1 Small spoon Perfect for clean, precise squash hollowing

Method
 

  1. Slice the fresh zucchini in half lengthwise to create the clean foundational pieces for your boat shells.
  2. Scoop out the pale inner seeds using a small spoon while leaving a sturdy quarter-inch border intact.
  3. Brown your lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remnants remain.
  4. Drain the excess liquid fat safely out of the pan to keep your filling light and clean.
  5. Stir the premium marinara sauce, garlic powder, and onion salt directly into the skillet with the beef.
  6. Spoon the warm savory meat filling generously into the empty hollow channels of your prepared vegetable boats.
  7. Bake uncovered at 200°C for twenty minutes until the vegetable walls become completely soft and tender.
  8. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and broil for two minutes until the top layer is completely melted.

Notes

Sprinkling salt inside the hollowed squash halves and letting them rest upside down for ten minutes removes excess moisture, preventing a soggy final texture in the oven.