Looking for an alternative to your Taco Tuesday?
These Zucchini Taco boats are made with fresh zucchini stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bell peppers, and topped with cheese and salsa. But the filling could literally be anything, from chicken and corn, to meatballs with tomato sauce!
They are low carb and keto diet friendly.
Start with 3 or 4 small zucchini.
I used a small cookie scoop to scoop out the middle of the zucchini, but you can also use a small spoon. I got a little close to the edge on one of them, but don’t worry about it. The meat filling will cover it up. I love using the insides of the zucchini I scooped out to add filler, so place the insides to the side.
Pour 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa in a baking dish- I used Pace. Lay the boats on top of the salsa and sprinkle each with salt.
Now it’s time to make the filling. Heat a pan over medium-heat and cook the meat. You can use any ground meat, I used ground beef. Once the meat is cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.
Sauté the insides of the zucchini. Make sure to cook it down to reduce the liquid. Then add bell peppers,- any color, I used red and yellow. Sprinkle it with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Add the red onion and garlic. It should start to smell like it’s almost Taco time!
Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Lastly, add the meat back to the pan, and stir together. Once it is combined, it’s time to fill up the boats. Go ahead and fill those babies up- don’t be shy! Let the meat spill over if you need to.
I love cheese and, what’s a taco if it doesn’t have any cheese on it? Cover the filled boats with shredded cheese. I used Cheddar but Monterrey Jack or a Mexican blend would work great, too.
Place the baking dish in the 400°F preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
This recipe is great if you’re looking for a low-carb option for tacos, or need to get more veggies into your diet. Try them out for Taco Tuesday and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Zucchini
- 1lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Mixed Red & Yellow Bell Peppers, finely diced
- 1/2 cup Red Onion, diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Salsa
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F
Prepare your zucchini, cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a measuring spoon (teaspoon) to hollow out the zucchini forming a boat… save the insides and set aside.
Pour salsa into a baking dish.
Place the zucchini boats in the same baking dish and sprinkle a small amount of salt over them.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the same pan and add a drizzle of EVOO.
Add the inside of the zucchini, water will release. Let it cook down to reduce the liquid, then add bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir together and cook for about two minutes. Then add the red onion and garlic.
Continue to cook until vegetables are softened and water has absorbed. Add the meat back to the pan, stir together.
Once combined, fill each zucchini boat with the beef and vegetable mixture.
Top the zucchini boats with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini has softened and cheese is melted.
Serve hot!
Whisk Away Kitchen 