Mexican Zucchini Boats

Zucchinis are such a versatile vegetable that can be made into so many different dishes. I love the subtle sweetness of these vegetables and I've experimented with them in so many different ways on my blog. I've made them into fries, chips, as a breakfast hash, and now into cute little boats! I decided to use some Mexican flavors in the filling to take this dish to another level. I hollowed out some zucchinis and filled them with a carne-asada flavored ground beef and vegetable mix. I then baked them and served them as a side dish to the main course for dinner!

When serving these, I added a dollop of sour cream to each one for a cool and creamy addition to the savory beef and vegetables!

I like zucchini with a bit more of a crunch, however if you like them softened, bake them for about 5-10 minutes longer than suggested.

My mom always used to make zucchini boats when I was living at my parents' house. It was such an easy and quick food to make, and went perfect alongside soup, salads, pastas, really anything! I have seen these created in so many different ways but I decided to take a new route when cooking them. I used Mexican spices and used more vegetables than people normally do. It brought beautiful flavors together and they were extremely delicious!

This was my husband's first time trying them and he had no nothing but amazing feedback. The biggest compliment he gave was going back for seconds! These zucchini boats are fairly healthy, if you don't include the cheese, and are extremely filling as well! My favorite part is that the zucchini is baked so the dish itself doesn't have a lot of oils or excess grease on it! You guys will definitely enjoy these!

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Prep Time: 5 minutes Serves: 6 People

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Green Zucchinis, sliced in half and hollowed out

• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

• 1 Small Yellow Onion, diced

• 1 Orange Bell Pepper, diced

• 1 Roma Tomato, diced

• 1 Lb. Ground Beef

• 2 Tbsp. Carne Asada Spice

• 1 Tbsp. Seasoned Salt

• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder

• 1 tsp. Onion Powder

• 1 tsp. Paprika

• 1/2 tsp. Tajin Seasoning

• 1/2 tsp. Dried Parsley

• 1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

• Sour Cream, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place the sliced and hollowed out zucchinis on the tray. Set aside. I used a spoon to hollow out the zucchinis. Be gentle or you will break the exterior.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and bell peppers and saute them for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften.

3. Add in the tomatoes and saute the vegetables for another 3-4 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and there isn't much juice left from the tomatoes.

4. Mix in the ground beef and chop it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Continue to let it cook for about 10 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and there is no more liquid in the skillet.

5. Add in all of the spices and coat the beef and vegetables evenly. Saute the ingredients for another 2-3 minutes to incorporate all the flavors together.

6. Spoon the filling into each prepared zucchini. Sprinkle cheese on top of each filled zucchini and bake them in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the zucchini is fully cooked.

7. Serve with sour cream and enjoy!