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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Meat + Chicken » Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Aug 12, 2014(updated June 23, 2022)

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

4.34 from 146 votes
By Dani Spies
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Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Clean & Delicious®

Zucchini is in full swing this time of year so I wanted to share a recipe that would show case zucchini and get us all super excited about eating it!

These turkey stuffed zucchini boats are perfect, right?

Not only do they use up a ton of zucchini but they are super family friendly (my kids love them), can be prepared ahead of time and make great leftovers.  Whats not to get excited about?

The only catch with this recipe is that it does require a bit of preparation time, but I promise you they are super easy to make, they just ask for a bit of your effort and attention.

You can easily swap out the turkey for ground beef, bison, or chicken and if you prefer a vegetarian option, quinoa or lentils could make a great stuffing as well.  So as always, make them work for you.

And most importantly, enjoy.

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Clean & Delicious®
Print Recipe
4.34 from 146 votes

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Course: DIET, DINNER, meat + chicken
Cuisine: gluten free, Italian, low carb + keto
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 103kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini about 2 lbs.
  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1/2 green pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup reserved zucchini meat from the center of zucchini
  • 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup strained tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese shredded
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and pre-heat oven to 350.
  • Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon (or melon baller) to scoop out the center, leaving about 1/4 inch zucchini shell all around (see video for demonstration). Be sure to save the zucchini you scooped out.
  • Place zucchini in pot of boilingwater for one minute.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat before adding in ground turkey. Using a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into smaller pieces and cook until lightly browned.
  • Add in garlic, onion, green peppers, zucchini meat, Italian seasoning, strained tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the veggies are tender and all the flavors have come together.
  • Place zucchini halves in a baking dish and fill each zucchini boat with about 1/2 cup filling. Top each turkey stuffed zucchini boat with 1 tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and everything has heated through. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Gluten Free, Low Carb + Keto, Meat + Chicken, Popular, Recipes, Video

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

Reader Interactions

Yum! I love this recipe.

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    If you loved this recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Questions are also welcome. Cheers!

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. suhani says

    August 15, 2014 at 8:28 am

    5 stars
    Dani,
    I am a vegetarian. Is there any possible way to substitute the turkey with a vegetarian option? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 15, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      5 stars
      I agree with Darren – you can do lentils, beans, quinoa, barley, faro, etc. OR perhaps some tofu or tempeh:)

      Reply
  2. Cat says

    August 15, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    5 stars
    Maybe I missed something in the recipe, wondering why you need a large pot of boiled water?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 15, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      5 stars
      It is to bar boil zucchini before stuffing. You can skip it if you don’t want to do the extra step but your zucchini will be more al dente!

      Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      August 14, 2016 at 10:07 am

      5 stars
      Exactly! Kept rereading the directions! Makes no sense! Coming from someone who has to follow the directions to a “t” the boiling pot doesnt fit with anything in the directions.

      Reply
    • Jaye says

      May 11, 2017 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      I was wondering the same thing! How long do you put the zucchini in the water?

      Reply
      • Dani says

        May 15, 2017 at 9:03 am

        5 stars
        Sorry for the confusion. I just fixed the recipe – the zucchini goes into the water for just one minute!

        Reply
  3. Darren Stehle says

    August 15, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe and so easy to make!

    Suhani, why not use a firm tofu that you can crumble in place of the ground turkey? Or you could mix ground nuts with beans, or lentils, barley or bulgur.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 15, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      5 stars
      all great ideas!

      Reply
  4. Jen Standridge says

    August 15, 2014 at 9:15 pm

    5 stars
    Made these tonight, we can’t stop talking about how good and flavorful they are, and such low calories!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 15, 2014 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      awesome! so glad to hear it!

      Reply
  5. suhani says

    August 16, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks both Darren and Dani. I am looking forward to using those choices to make this dish. 🙂

    Reply
  6. agnes says

    August 22, 2014 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    Hello, what kind of Italian seasoning do you recommend? Is there a specific brand? Thank you =]

    Reply
  7. Jules says

    August 28, 2014 at 2:15 am

    5 stars
    Wow! These are delicious! We’re cutting out carbs for dinner and this was the first recipe I tried. So good, it’ll definitely be on high rotation. Next, I’m going to try a variation with zucchini noodles, turkey meatballs (using the meatball muffin recipe), tomato sauce (from this recipe) and cheese. Yum.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      September 2, 2014 at 6:26 am

      5 stars
      So glad you liked them! I’ve been dying to try zucchini muffins myself…

      Reply
  8. Sarah says

    September 14, 2014 at 8:29 am

    5 stars
    I feel silly even asking this, but “strained tomatoes”? Is that canned diced tomatoes that have been drained or crushed tomatoes? Probably won’t make or break the final product but I wanted to check. 🙂 thanks!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      September 15, 2014 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      /yes – very similar to crushed tomatoes but without the seeds. Honestly – crushed tomatoes would be perfect!

      Reply
  9. Kendall says

    October 6, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    5 stars
    When do you boil the zucchini and for how long?

    Reply
  10. Jacqui says

    October 9, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Dani,

    I look forward to your emails every time and have passed many of your recipes along to friends and family. I have made the Zucchini Boats twice now. Didn’t have ground turkey so I used ground beef and just drained off the grease. The second time I made them I didn’t pull up your recipe. It is such an easy recipe I was so proud of myself for remembering how to do it. Something was lacking the second time though….what could it be?? I pulled up the recipe and realized I forgot the garlic!!! :/ How on earth did I forget that!? (Like you, I don’t think there is any dish I have ever made without fresh garlic.) So I gave them a good douse of garlic powder. It helped a lot but not quite the same. I won’t forget the garlic next time. Also, I like the idea of substituting the lentils or beans for meat (my boss is vegan) I’m so glad I found you!

    Reply
  11. Beth says

    November 4, 2014 at 10:03 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for this recipe! All my family loved this yummy boats!

    Reply
  12. Kristen says

    December 15, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this recipe. We talked about this recipe for 3 days after we made it, it was so flavorful and delicious. I can’t wait to make this again.

    Reply
  13. Sherry says

    February 17, 2015 at 11:17 am

    5 stars
    Thanks dani..
    Came out gr8…
    🙂

    Reply
    • Dani says

      February 19, 2015 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      Glad to hear it, Sherry!

      Reply
  14. joe says

    May 28, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    5 stars
    Why not use a blueberry pancake and deep fry it you vegan retards – I feel bad for Dani to have to see everyone’s “what ifs” and “what about my sensitive gastrointestinal issues?”

    Reply
  15. Judi says

    June 26, 2015 at 4:51 pm

    5 stars
    Made these for lunch today. They were awesome very flavorful. Will be making them again for sure. Great addition to my recipe book.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 29, 2015 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      So glad you liked them Judi!!

      Reply
  16. Penny says

    July 13, 2015 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    Made the zucchini boats last night and they were very well received and filling die my family. Delicious!! Love your site! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      July 20, 2015 at 11:27 am

      5 stars
      Thanks Penny! I love those zucchini boats too:)

      Reply
  17. Jess says

    November 7, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these tonight! They were so delicious. Would highly recommend. Served with brown rice and the meal was great. Even my 1.5 yr old devoured! Thanks for the recipe. We didn’t have the green peppers and it didn’t seem to make a difference. Also used a bit of garlic powder in the meat mixture. Yum!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      November 8, 2015 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      So glad you all enjoyed them! They are a favorite in my house as well!

      Reply
  18. Kai says

    March 1, 2016 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    I was wondering if anyone has frozen these and, if so, how they proceeded and  what the results were? 🙂

    Reply
  19. Cindy giron says

    March 24, 2016 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    Can I use Marinara sauce instead of tomatoes?
    What tomatoe sauce do you recommend?

    Thank you 

    Reply
    • Dani says

      March 25, 2016 at 7:31 am

      5 stars
      Hi Cindy – that would definitely work. But you will have a saucy end result:) As for sauce I usually try to find brands that have under 6 grams of sugar per serving. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  20. Natalie E Kittrell says

    May 9, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve just finished my first week of CLEAN Eating… and THIS recipe has been an eye opener on how delicious and fun that simple, clean, whole foods can be. I’ve fixed this twice in this past week and I love it! Thank you for all the work you put into your videos…. PS – I love the Bloopers you add at the end… they make me laugh and realize you’re really just a normal, everyday woman like the rest of us, and not some perfect-Martha-Stewart-wanta-be. (lol) You’re just the best!!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      May 9, 2016 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      Awe! Thanks so much Natalie – I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes!!

      Reply
  21. Shelly says

    November 3, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    5 stars
    Any chance you can add the part about putting the zucchini shells in the boiling water and for how long? I follow recipes to the “t” and this step is missing. Thank you. I found out what you were supposed to do with them in the comments but it didn’t say how long.
    Can’t wait to try them tonight.

    Reply
  22. hannah says

    February 12, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    5 stars
    Mine cane out very watery. I used Italian sausage instead could that be why? I also skipped the tomato part cause I forgot to buy it but it still turned out good I just had to take the extra water out of my boats

    Reply
    • Dani says

      February 16, 2017 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      Hmmm, I’m not sure why that would be. Ground turkey is pretty lean so maybe it was the sausage.

      Reply
    • Jessie V says

      May 16, 2017 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      The extra water comes from the vegetables (mostly the zucchini). You can drain the excess after cooking and before stuffing the boats. When you bake them the boats will release more water. Carefully tip each boat to the side and drain each one.

      Reply
  23. Marwa says

    April 18, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    5 stars
    can we freeze zucchini boats?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      April 24, 2017 at 7:20 am

      5 stars
      I haven’t tried it yet, but my guess is that you can!

      Reply
  24. Randi NW says

    April 30, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    What can you serve as sides with these?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      May 1, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      5 stars
      I love a simple green salad with lots of crunchy veggies!

      Reply
  25. debbie Fremming says

    June 23, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the great ideas. My zucchini plant got alway from me while I was out of town so now I’m looking for a good option to use up a couple of them. I also have tomatoes and bell peppers in my garden but will probably use a canned tomato product for less watery consistancy. Spaghetti sauce over the top and a different cheese would work also. I want the zucchini al dente but don’t want the extra water so will probably par boil as suggested.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 28, 2017 at 10:07 am

      5 stars
      Sounds good!! Enjoy them:)

      Reply
  26. Layla says

    August 4, 2017 at 2:55 am

    5 stars
    How long do these keep in the fridge for (cooked)?
    P.S
    All the recipes I’ve tried are amazing !!! 🙂

    Reply
  27. Jill says

    August 4, 2017 at 9:28 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! I have made it twice and everyone loved it including my husband who doesn’t normally enjoy many veggies. Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s perfect for my low carb way of life! I also love watching your videos!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 10, 2017 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      Awesome!! So glad to hear how much you loved this recipe. This is a staple in our house, especially when zucchini is in season!!

      Reply
  28. DLo says

    August 10, 2017 at 11:49 am

    5 stars
    Very good. My partner loved this. Even hustled all of our leftovers for his lunch at work.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 10, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      LOL! Love that you all enjoyed it so much. Thanks for taking the time to let me know:)

      Reply
  29. Linda says

    August 21, 2017 at 8:17 pm

    5 stars
    At what oven temp. ?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      September 7, 2017 at 9:20 am

      5 stars
      350 degrees Farhenheit

      Reply
  30. Robin says

    September 16, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    5 stars
    Super yummy!!!!!

    Reply
  31. Karen Berry says

    August 12, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    Did you leave the seeds in the zucchini meat that you scooped out?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 15, 2019 at 8:28 pm

      yes! I did 🙂

      Reply
  32. Sabrina Fulton says

    August 9, 2021 at 4:46 pm

    1st time ever doing zucchini boats! Super excited to try this new recipe for my family! Only thing I have forgot was to boil for a minute.

    Reply
  33. Sammie says

    May 23, 2022 at 6:00 pm

    5 stars
    These were SO good!!!! Thanks so much for an awesome recipe! We used the butterball ground Turkey from Costco and the ratios were perfect we just adjusted them for a higher amount of turkey. This recipe was so easy to follow and it tastes great. I also made my own Italian seasoning because 1/2 way through I realized I didn’t have any:) I will definitely be looking for more recipes from this author!

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      May 26, 2022 at 11:16 am

      YAY! This is a family favorite in our house – so I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed them.

      Reply
  34. Renee says

    October 16, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy! This is the 2nd time we have had this great recipe, tonight we are having it again! Love it! & love your video Dani, such a great help! Boiling for a minute or so works great too! Hubby & I love how tender they are. Your video explains everything, not sure why some don’t get it on here lol. I love I can make it ahead of time too.
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      January 27, 2023 at 7:23 pm

      Hi Renee! I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe. It’s on of our favorites as well!

      Reply
  35. Orma says

    January 27, 2023 at 7:10 pm

    5 stars
    My family and I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. I made a few modifications and it was still delicious. This will be a bi-monthly meal! Thanks, Dani, for a wonderfully simple recipe.

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      January 27, 2023 at 7:20 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Orma! Thanks for letting me know.

      Reply
  36. Sam says

    March 16, 2023 at 11:13 pm

    5 stars
    Your recipe is terrific! I added cajun seasoning and fresh jalapeño because I have to and that sent it over the moon for me. Thank you for a healthy, delicious and filling recipe that has been added to my rotation.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Dani.

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