Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats stuffed with chipotle seasoned ground turkey, black beans, cheese and all your favorite toppings. It’s the perfect healthy, gluten free and low carb meal for any night of the week!
I’m pretty sure I could eat zucchini boats every single day! It’s one of my favorite meals to make when I’m trying to eat healthy, but don’t want to feel deprived. They’re filling, low carb, high in protein and gluten free. Pretty much all the things I want in a healthy dinner!
I like to think of them like tacos without the tortilla, but still just as good.
Because naturally I compare EVERYTHING tacos.
These stuffed zucchini boats are filled with an amazing ground turkey recipe that’s seasoned with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, sauteed onions and tomatoes, garlic, chili powder and cumin. To brighten up the rich and smokey flavors from the chipotles, I added some freshly chopped cilantro and a generous pinch of salt.
Toss in some cooked black beans for a little extra fiber and the filling is ready to go!
How to Make Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats
To prepare the zucchini, simply cut off the ends, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the inside to create a little “boat.”
I find that a little melon baller like this is the perfect size for scooping out the pulp, but a regular spoon also works.
Once they’re scooped out, place the zucchini in a large baking dish and lightly spray or brush the insides with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes in a 400°F until tender, then fill them with the ground turkey filling, top with cheese and bake for another 10 minutes or so until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.
I served mine with some more fresh cilantro and chopped tomatoes, but you can also serve it with sour cream, your favorite hot sauce and chunky salsa.
I hope you like this stuffed zucchini recipe as much as I do! If you’re looking for more low carb recipes, take a look at these!
- Calabacitas
- Zucchini Enchiladas
- Healthy Chicken Nachos
- Low Carb Enchilada Cabbage Rolls
- Chicken and Green Chile Egg Muffins
Watch how to make these ground turkey zucchini boats
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, divided
- 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the ends of the zucchini, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the center using a spoon or melon baller to create little zucchini "boats."(I like storing the scooped out pulp in a storage container in the fridge and using it in stir-frys throughout the week. You can also chop it up and add it to the skillet when cooking the ground turkey in this recipe.)
- Place zucchini in a large baking dish and brush the insides with 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While zucchini is baking, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, until it has softened and is beginning to caramelize.
- Add the ground turkey, tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, chipotle peppers and salt (and the zucchini pulp if desired). Mix together and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and fully cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the black beans and cilantro. Toss together to combine, taste and season with more salt if necessary.
- When the zucchini is finished baking, remove them from the oven and fill the boats with the ground turkey mixture. Top with the shredded cheese and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted and the zucchini is tender. Garnish with your favorite Mexican toppings and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition Information
Excellent!! I put rice instead of beans. And topped with cheese and olives.
I’ve made this 2 times now! Just love the flavors ! Used green bell peppers and canned tomatoes (drained) as substitutes. We’ve made a very similar one to this as stuffed peppers!! Delicious!
This is AMAZING. We are two people, so I prepared one large zucchini. Didn’t have time to bake, but I microwaved on a platter, with a little bit of water, all tucked in a bag, run on high for about 5 minutes total. I shaved a bit of the skin off the bottom to steady the ‘boat’, which helped in the serve.
I had a small patty of homemade chorizo (grnd turkey & pork…yummm) and followed all other ingredients. Slopped that mixture all over the zucchini, cut fresh cilantro, sprinkled mixed mex cheese, and a big dollop of sour cream, and man…what a great lunch.
This is a real keeper…just as it is (even though it clearly lends itself to different modifications). Love it.
Made these today. They were yummy 😋. I’ll be freezing the leftovers that didn’t fit inside the zucchini boats. Very easy!
I’m so happy you liked them, Elizabeth! Thank you so much!