Description
These Mexican Zucchini Boats are a vibrant and healthy dish featuring hollowed zucchini filled with a flavorful mix of ground beef, black beans, corn, and spices, topped with melted cheese and fresh cilantro. Perfect as a wholesome dinner option, they combine satisfying textures and classic Mexican flavors in a low-carb, nutritious package.
Ingredients
Scale
Zucchini Boats
- 3 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Filling
- ½ pound 90% lean ground beef
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
- ½ cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ cup salsa (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar, divided)
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to ensure an even baking temperature for the zucchini boats.
- Prepare the zucchini: Using a spoon, hollow out the middle of each zucchini half carefully, leaving the edges intact to keep their shape. Place the hollowed zucchini halves in a 9×13-inch baking dish and set the scooped flesh aside.
- Cook the ground beef: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the lean ground beef and cook it until browned, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned beef. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly.
- Add beans and spices: Stir in the black beans, corn, ground cumin, chili powder, Kosher salt, and dried oregano, mixing thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
- Incorporate salsa and cheese: Add the salsa and half of the shredded cheese to the skillet, stirring until well combined. Turn off the heat.
- Fill the zucchini boats: Spoon the prepared filling evenly into the hollowed zucchini halves. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of each boat.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, remove the foil so the cheese can melt and brown slightly.
- Garnish and serve: Once baked, garnish the zucchini boats with freshly chopped cilantro if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy this flavorful, wholesome meal.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with crumbled tofu or a plant-based meat alternative.
- Use low-fat cheese or reduce cheese quantity to decrease calories and fat content.
- Leftover zucchini boats can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven to retain crispness.
- Frozen corn works well; just thaw before using or add directly to the skillet if precooked.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder to suit your preferred spice level.
