SkinnyItalian Zucchini Boats – An Easy Dinner You'll Love!
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini (16 oz total)
- 1 (14 oz) jar pizza or pasta sauce (divided) I used Classico traditional pizza or use Rao’s for Keto marinara sauce (about 2 cups)
- ½ pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
- ¾ cup onions, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese (for Paleo, no cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Place on a microwave-safe plate and heat in microwave for 2 minutes, to soften a little. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh. Be sure to leave ¼ inch thick inside zucchini boats. Chop scooped out zucchini in small pieces. Set aside.
- Place ½ cup sauce in bottom of a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Place zucchini boats cut side up in pan.
- In a large, nonstick pan, add ground beef, chopped and scooped out zucchini filling, onions, and garlic. Cook until beef is browned. Pour into a colander and drain any fat. Add beef mixture back to pan. Stir in ½ cup sauce. Season with Italian seasonings and a little salt and pepper. Mix well. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes.
- To fill zucchini boats: To each, add a rounded ⅓ cup beef filling, press down to set. Top each with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese. Repeat for remaining zucchini boats. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until zucchini is cooked and soft.
- If desired, top each with 1 additional teaspoon of Parmesan cheese and serve. Be sure to use a spatula to scoop out each zucchini boat to place on each plate. Add some sauce to each from the bottom of pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1boatCalories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 15gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 646mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gBlue Smart Points: 5Green Smart Points: 5Plus Points: 5