Grilled Keto Zucchini Boats
These stuffed keto zucchini boats are a delicious and healthier pizza variation made with ground sirloin beef, Italian sausage, low-carb marinara sauce, and shredded Italian cheese. Ready in 15-20 minutes, this veggie-packed low-carb dinner recipe is quick, simple, and delicious! You only need a few simple ingredients, so let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a great way to satisfy pizza cravings on a low-carb diet.
- This low-carb zucchini recipe is perfect for meal prep and busy weeknights.
- This easy recipe packs 28 grams of protein per serving!
- It’s the perfect way to use up garden zucchini.
- It’s a nutritious recipe the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh Zucchini- you’ll need 4 medium zucchini or large zucchini, whichever you prefer or have on hand.
- Seasoning– salt, pepper, and optional fresh parsley for garnish.
- Olive oil spray– you’ll need a good quality cooking spray, like olive or avocado for spraying the skillet and spritzing the zucchini prior to grilling.
- Ground beef– I used ground sirloin, but any ground beef will work for this recipe. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Italian sausage– for mild spice, go with mild Italian sausage. To kick up the heat, you can use hot Italian sausage. You can buy this ground or in links, just be sure to remove the casing.
- Fresh garlic- for a filling flavor boost
- Marinara sauce– for a keto-friendly option, go with a low-carb marinara sauce. I used Pomi, but Rao’s Homemade or Primal Kitchen made good options). I also love using homemade marinara sauce when time allows. Go with your favorite pasta sauce here that works for your personal dietary needs.
- Shredded cheese– an Italian cheese blend is great here. I used one with Aged Asiago, Mozzarella, Fontina, and Aged Parmesan. You can also use shredded mozzarella cheese.
How To Make Keto Zucchini Boats
Step 1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with olive oil. Add the ground sirloin and ground Italian sausage to the skillet and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
Step 2. Drain any fat from the meat mixture, add it back to the skillet, and stir in the garlic. Cook for about a minute until the garlic is soft. Stir in the marinara sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 1-2 minutes more, remove from the heat, and set aside.
Step 3. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds and hollow out the center.
Spray the zucchini skins with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut side down for 3 to 4 minutes on medium direct heat.
Step 4. Remove the zucchini boats to a baking sheet, fill with the ground meat mixture, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and carefully place them back on the grill, close the cover and cook for 3-4 minutes more until the cheese is melted.
Recipe Tips
- For extra Italian flavor or a substitution for fresh parsley, sprinkle the stuffed zucchini with Italian seasoning before topping it with cheese.
- I love the texture of the zucchini in this grilled version, but you can bake them, too! To bake the zucchini boats, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Follow the directions to cook the filling. Place the zucchini boats into a casserole dish sprayed with olive oil spray. Fill with stuffing and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted.
- Make the filling in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes and use as directed.
Variations
Here are a few different ways to make delicious zucchini boats:
- Veggie boost: Add chopped fresh tomatoes (make sure that they are seeded and use a firm tomato, like Romas) to the meat mixture for an added fresh veggie boost. You can also add chopped bell peppers to sauté with the meat mixture.
- Taco night variation: you can make taco zucchini boats by using all ground beef, swapping the marinara for taco seasoning, and sprinkling with cheddar cheese or a Mexican cheese blend. Serve with sliced avocado, salsa, and sour cream. Check out this Tex-Mex Stuffed Yellow Squash recipe for another delicious variation.
- Stuffing shortcut: Stuff zucchini with shredded rotisserie chicken tossed in store-bought or homemade pesto sauce or alfredo sauce and top with shredded Italian cheese.
Storing
Store cooked zucchini boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended. However, you can make the filling in advance and freeze it for later. I often double the filling recipe and freeze the other half. This way, I just thaw overnight, heat, and use as directed in the recipe. It’s a great time-saver!
More Delicious Low-Carb Recipes
Low Carb Loaded Crustless Quiche
Low Carb Chicken Broccoli Casserole
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*This recipe was inspired by this recipe for Grilled Pizza Zucchini Boats from my friend, Mary over at Cooking with Mary and Friends.
Stuffed Grilled Keto Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini cut in half length-wise
- olive oil cooking spray
- 1/2 lb ground sirloin beef
- 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/2 cup low-carb Marinara sauce I used Pomi marinara in the carton, but any low-carb/keto-friendly sauce will work here.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz shredded Italian cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
- optional: freshly chopped Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with olive oil.
- Add the ground sirloin and ground Italian sausage to the skillet and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
- Drain any fat from the meat, add it back to the skillet, and stir in the garlic. Cook for about a minute until the garlic is soft.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 1-2 minutes more, remove from the heat, and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds and hollow out the center. Spray the zucchini boat shells with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill cut side down 3 to 4 minutes on medium direct heat.
- Remove the zucchini boats to a baking sheet, fill with the beef mixture, sprinkle with shredded cheese and carefully place them back on the grill using a wide spatula, close the cover and cook for 3-4 minutes more until the cheese is melted.
Notes
- For extra Italian flavor or a substitution for fresh parsley, sprinkle the stuffed zucchini with Italian seasoning before topping it with cheese.
- I love the texture of the zucchini in this grilled version, but you can bake them, too! To bake the zucchini boats, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Follow the directions to cook the filling. Place the zucchini boats into a casserole dish sprayed with olive oil spray. Fill with stuffing and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted.
- Make the filling in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes and use as directed.
Nutrition
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