Turkey Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

July 2, 2021 By Steph 34 Comments

Halved zucchini are perfect vessel for serving this meal: turkey taco stuffed zucchini boats. Lean ground turkey, black beans and corn all come together to flavor this stuffing. Topped with melted cheese and fresh cilantro, this makes a delicious, filling and healthy option for lunch or dinner. This meal is filling enough on its own, or perfect served alongside rice or a salad.

All about this recipe

This recipe is packed with flavor and nutrition. The main components of this recipe include: hollowed out zucchini to form a vessel for stuffing, ground turkey breast seasoned with taco seasoning, the pulp of the zucchini, corn, black beans, rotel, cilantro, and Mexican-blend cheese. I recommend serving this dish with other flavorful components such as avocado, sour cream, and salsa (or whatever else you enjoy eating your tacos with!).

This dish takes a little bit of time to bring together, but it’s very easy. The turkey mixture needs to cook for about 15-20 minutes, and the stuffed zucchini boats need to cook for about 45 minutes. Even though there is some cooking time involved here, it is not a complex recipe to execute, and a lot of the oven cooking time is inactive time, where you are just waiting for the dish to bake.

This makes a great meal prep, because it makes four generous servings and reheats really well. It makes a great lunch meal prep because it’s filling and nutritious without being heavy for a mid-day meal.

What will I need to make this recipe?

To make this recipe, here are the ingredients you will need:

zucchini
ground 99% fat free turkey breast
red onion
reduced sodium taco seasoning
corn
black beans
kosher salt
Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
fresh cilantro
reduced fat Mexican blend cheese
for serving (suggested):
- avocado
- sour cream
- salsa

How to make turkey taco stuffed zucchini boats

Preheat the oven to 400F. To make this recipe, start off with four medium-sized zucchini. This recipe makes four really generous portions; each portion is equivalent to one whole zucchini (two zucchini boats). To prep the zucchini, trim the ends off, and then slice the zucchini lengthwise. Scoop the insides of the zucchini out into a bowl to use later.

Next, it’s time to prep the filling. This is really simple. Add the ground turkey to a large frying pan (with deep sides) and break it up with a wooden spoon. Chop the onion and cook in the same pan as the turkey, at the same time. Take the zucchini pulp and squeeze out all of the excess water. When the turkey is no longer pink, add the zucchini to the same pan, along with the taco seasoning and kosher salt, followed by the rotel and water. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Then, add the corn and beans, and the fresh cilantro. Cook this mixture for another 5 minutes or until the flavors are combined.

Next, lay the zucchini halves in a baking dish. Spray the zucchini with olive oil spray, and season them with kosher salt and pepper. Then, add about 1 cup of filling to each zucchini boat, and top with the cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for about 40 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and chives.

For serving, top with fresh avocado slices, sour cream, and salsa, or your other favorite toppings.

How to store and reheat turkey taco stuffed zucchini boats

These zucchini boats store so well. Keep them in a glass container covered in the fridge (I keep these stored in the glass baking dish I used to cook them). To reheat, simply microwave, air fry, or reheat in the oven. Any method is totally acceptable, and whatever is easiest and most convenient for you, is the best option!