Stuffed Enchilada Zucchini Boats

If you love traditional Mexican enchiladas then you need to try these flavorful stuffed ground beef enchilada sauce zucchini boats. These zucchini boats are perfect as an appetizer or a low carb main dish with all the enchilada cheesy flavors. If you love this low carb recipe then you need to try these enchilada stuffed bell peppers too!

Why you'll love this recipe

• Best way to incorporate more veggies into your meals
• The perfect meal not only during zucchini season, but all year round.
• They are fun,really easy to make and easy to devoured

Ingredients you'll need

• zucchini the main ingredient to make the zucchini boats
• shredded zucchini the scraps from scooping the flesh from the zucchini - about ⅓-1/2 cup added to the meat mixture.
• ground beef - I like using ground beef, but ground chicken, ground turkey or your favorite ground meat of choice works here too.
• enchilada sauce - I like using a mild red enchilada sauce
• onion - diced onion
• garlic clove - minced garlic to add flavor to the meat
• spices - cumin, black pepper, garlic salt
• shredded cheddar cheese - for the meat mixture plus more for topping
• olive oil - to sauté the onion and minced garlic
• topping: chopped cilantro to add that extra freshness to the zucchini boats

How to make beef enchilada zucchini boats

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and start cutting the zucchini lengthwise and scooping the flesh with a spoon. When scooping make sure you leave the shell about ¼ inch thick (don't scrape too hard otherwise the zucchini will break).  Don't let the scraps go to waste. I like to save ⅓-1/2 cup of the scraped zucchini, chop it, and incorporate it with the enchilada meat mixture.

Step 2: Over medium-high heat add olive oil and diced onion to a large skillet. Cook the onions until translucent about 3-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic until fragrant about 30 seconds. Then add in the ground beef and spices and break down the ground beef while stirring with the spices. Stir in ½ cup of the zucchini scraps.

Once the meat is browned stir in the mild enchilada sauce and coat all the meat. If you have a lot of juices from the zucchini accumulating then scoop it out wit a spoon. Add in the ½ cup she shredded cheddar and combine. Once the ground beef enchilada mixture starts to bubble up remove from heat and set aside.

How to assemble the ground beef enchilada zucchini boats

Spray with oil or cooking spray a 9x13 baking dish or cookie sheet big enough to fit all the zucchini boats. Place all zucchini boats in the baking dish with the hollowed side facing up.

Scoop in the ground beef enchilada mixture into the zucchini boats. The amount of filling will vary depending on the size of the zucchinis. If zucchini boats are on the smaller size you will have some filling leftover which can be served with another meal or you can enjoy with air fryer corn tortilla chips.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes. After 15 minutes uncover and sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and put back in the oven uncovered and bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve.

How to serve enchilada zucchini boats

I love eating zucchini boats by themselves. However, to serve as a complete meal you can serve with a sided of Mexican red rice, a side cactus salad or your favorite side of choice.

Substitutions and Variations

Ground beef - you can substitute with ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey or any meat of choice.

Mild red enchilada sauce can be replaced with green enchilada sauce.

Cheddar cheese - shredded mozzarella, Mexican blend shredded cheese and Monterey jack are great substitutions

Storing suggestions and tips

You can store ground beef stuffed enchilada zucchini boats in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Don't throw away the zucchini flesh that was scooped from the zucchini. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it in other meals like zucchini meatballs, stuffed ground turkey bell peppers or scrambled them in eggs.

Stuffed Zucchini Enchilada Boats

If you love traditional Mexican enchiladas then you need to try these stuffed ground beef with enchilada sauce zucchini boats.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 Boats

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large zucchinis (8 halves)
• 1 minced garlic clove
• ⅓ cup diced white onion
• 1 lb ground beef
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
• ⅓ cup shredded zucchini
• 10 oz mild red enchilada sauce
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Optional Toppings:

• ¼ cup Chopped cilantro

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Trim the zucchini ends and then cut zucchini lengthwise in half. Carefully scrape out the flesh out with a small spoon. Chop about ⅓ cup of the remains and set aside
• In medium high heat - heat a skillet with olive oil, and sauté diced onion until translucent about 3 minutes. Add in minced garlic until fragrant about 30 seconds
• Then add ground beef, cumin, black pepper and garlic salt and combine
• Add in the chopped zucchini and combine. Cook until meat has browned. (If too much water accumulates from the zucchini, scoop it out with a spoon.)
• Stir in the mild red enchilada sauce and ½ cup of cheddar cheese and combine.
• Add more salt if needed. Once the meat mixture starts to bubble up remove from heat.
• Spray cooking spray or olive oil on a 13x9 baking dish or cookie sheet big enough for all the zucchini boats. Add the zucchini boats in the baking dish and scoop enchilada meat mixture to the hollowed zucchini boats
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and put back in the oven uncovered for 5 more minutes or until cheese has melted
• Serve with chopped cilantro on top.

Notes

If you prefer the zucchini boats to be extra tender you can bring water to a boil in a large pot big enough for the zucchini boats and cook the zucchini boats for 3 minutes, drain water and set aside.

The amount of filling per boat will vary depending on the size of the zucchinis. If zucchini boats are on the smaller size you will have some filling leftover which can be served with another meal like tacos. Or you can do more zucchini boats. 

Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @espressomykitchen on Instagram

Try more delicious zucchini recipes

Check out our popular zucchini meatball recipe or these easy zucchini fritters appetizers.