Italian Zucchini Boats

Every year our garden produces an enormous amount of zucchini. I use them in a variety of ways in cooking and baking recipes. Italian Zucchini Boats feature the flavors of Italy, by adding mild Italian sausage, tomatoes, spices and cheese to each zucchini boat. They are mildly spicy, cheesy and so flavorful. A great low-carb meal that celebrates the best of my garden.

Zucchini are so versatile, as you can cut them into spirals and saute them with onions and tomatoes to serve as a side dish, or shred them and add them to your favorite cake batter to make delicious cupcakes. The ways to dress them up are endless. One of our favorite ways to eat zucchini as the star of the dish is by making Italian Zucchini Boats. All the flavors of Italy in a recipe that comes together in about 30 minutes.

Planting zucchini in your garden will ensure that you have plenty of these green beauties to use in your cooking and baking. Pick them while they are about 8 inches in length for the best results in cooking. Once they get big, they become full of seeds. Using them while they are small is more manageable and keeps them tender and flavorful.

Italian Zucchini Boats

Makes 4 servings.

• 4 small zucchini, about 8 inches in length
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 6 small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered (such as Campari)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh mozzarella cheese

How to make Italian Zucchini Boats?

This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and makes 4 servings.

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or a sharp knife, remove the center core to form a boat. Lay them on a sheet pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle each zucchini with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a bit of bread crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes.

• While the boats are baking, make the filling. Brown the mild Italian sausage and the onions in a medium skillet over medium heat.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, until thick and combined. Stir in the Italian seasonings.

• Remove the sausage mixture from the heat. Using a spoon, place filling in each zucchini boat. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle with a bit more bread crumbs.

• Bake the boats for 22-25 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees, until zucchini is cooked through and cheese is melted. Cheesy, spicy and flavorful, these Italian Zucchini Boats make a great weeknight meal.

For more Italian dishes, check out these recipes for Italian Meatball Subs, Italian Sausage and Chicken Soup with Spinach, and Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells. This is by far our favorite cuisine, we just adore Italian food!