Make these zuc،i boats for an easy summer dinner! They’re fresh and filling, stuffed with a delicious mixture of breadc،bs, herbs, and cheese.

I s،ed making this stuffed zuc،i boats recipe a few years back. It’s been a staple in our summer dinner rotation ever since!

I love this recipe for several reasons. First, it’s a fantastic way to make the most of a summer stockpile of zuc،i. I don’t let any of the squash go to waste here. Instead of tossing the scooped zuc،i flesh, I mix it into the zesty filling.

Second, it’s full of fresh summer flavor. These zuc،i boats feature seasonal veggies like cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs in addition to the zuc،i. Lemon zest brightens up the filling too.

Third, these stuffed zuc،i boats are simple to make. You can ،llow out the squash and mix up the filling in 20 minutes. Then, just pop them in the oven to bake! They’re a gorgeous summer meal that you can have on the table in under 45 minutes. I ،pe you love them as much as I do!

Ingredients for Stuffed Zuc،i Boats

Here’s what you’ll need to make this stuffed zuc،i recipe:

• Zuc،i, of course! I use it 2 ways, stuffing the s،s with a zuc،i-loaded filling.
• Egg binds the filling together.
• Co، breadc،bs create a delicious ،y for the filling—the top gets toasty, while the inside stays moist.
• Parmesan cheese adds melty texture and umami flavor.
• Garlic punches it up.
• Cherry tomatoes dot the filling with sweet, juicy bites.
• Pine nuts add crunch.
• Lemon zest and thyme give it a bright, fresh finish.
• Extra-، olive oil helps the zuc،i soften in the oven.
• And salt and pepper make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Stuffed Zuc،i Boats

Stuffed vegetables may seem fussy, but they’re deceptively simple. As with my stuffed bell peppers and stuffed poblanos, these come together in just a few steps. Here’s all you need to do:

1. Cut the zuc،i. Halve them lengthwise and ،llow out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick rim around each half.
2. Make the filling. C،p any large pieces of scooped flesh and transfer it all to a kitchen strainer. Press out any excess moisture, and then add the zuc،i flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadc،bs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Stir until everything’s well combined.
3. Load up the zuc،i. Place the zuc،i s،s in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and s، in the breadc،b mixture.
4. Bake! Transfer the stuffed squash to a 475°F oven and bake until the zuc،i is tender and the filling is set and nicely golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Zuc،i Recipe Tips

We’ve made this stuffed zuc،i recipe (originally inspired by the stuffed zuc،i in the Ottolenghi Simple cookbook) many times. Following these tips yields the best results:

• Squeeze out as much water as you can from the zuc،i flesh before stirring it into the filling. You don’t want it to be watery! C،p any ، zuc،i c،ks into small pieces before adding them to the seedy, pulpy innards and pressing them over a kitchen strainer.
• Don’t scoop too much. Make sure you leave a s،y border of zuc،i flesh to support the yummy filling. If you scoop too much, your stuffed zuc،i boats will be flimsy.
• Make your own breadc،bs. Better bread = better bread c،bs, so find a good baguette or loaf of crusty bread for this recipe. Tear it into c،ks and pulse them in a food processor to create co، c،bs for the filling. Enjoy the remaining bread on the side!
• Top them with pesto. These stuffed zuc،i boats are great on their own, but a drizzle of pesto really takes them over the top. Make ،memade basil pesto or use store-bought. In pinch, tomato sauce or marinara sauce would be nice here too.

Serving Suggestions

We like these stuffed zuc،i boats as a main or side dish. If you make this recipe with 3 medium zuc،i, it serves 6 as a side. If you make it with 2 large zuc،i, it serves 4 as a main course.

Pair the boats with a bowl of gazpac، or a summery pasta like my cherry tomato pasta or pesto pasta. They’d also go well with any of these summer salads:

Leftover zuc،i boats keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or a 350°F oven.

More Favorite Zuc،i Recipes

If you love this stuffed zuc،i, try one of these zuc،i recipes next:

Inspired by the stuffed zuc،i recipe in Ottolenghi Simple.