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Simple Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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These taco stuffed zucchini boats are a delicious and creative twist for taco night, offering a fun way to enjoy zucchini. They’re low-carb, gluten-free, and perfect for the whole family.

Baking sheet filled with taco stuffed zucchini boats with a sliced avocado and bowl of shredded cheese next to it.

We love turning zucchini into versatile, delicious meals, and these taco stuffed zucchini boats are a new family favorite! Since you all loved these pizza stuffed zucchini boats, I knew I needed to create a zucchini taco version that is just as good!

The inspiration for this recipe came from these taco stuffed peppers that have become one of the most-loved recipes on the blog! You may also love this beef taco skillet recipe.

Let’s be honest, you can pretty much stuff zucchini with almost anything but zucchini stuffed with taco meat and melted cheddar cheese is the BEST! Plus it is a delicious, low-carb meal that is filling and easy to make.

This zucchini recipe is a veggie + protein-packed all-in-one dish that you can even make ahead and bake when ready to eat! See my make-ahead tips below!

Now, let’s dive into making these incredible TACO zucchini boats!

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How To Hollow Out Zucchini

The most effort in this recipe is hollowing out the zucchini. It’s pretty easy to do, here are the simple steps to follow:

  1. Slice the zucchini in half, vertically so you have two halves. 
  2. Use a spoon to scoop out the inside, running the spoon down the center of each zucchini. I like to run the spoon through twice to get a nice clean cavity for the filling. 

That’s it! You can discard the zucchini pulp or mix it into the tasty taco meat mixture if it doesn’t contain too many seeds. 

Next, whip up the easy yet flavorful turkey taco filling, stuff the zucchini boats, and pop them in the oven. Top with cheese and bake until perfectly melty, then dig in!

And of course, don’t forget to load them up with your favorite taco toppings—check out the suggestions below. After all, what’s a taco without all the delicious extras?

Favorite Taco Toppings

  • Avocado
  • Sour cream
  • Lime
  • Cilantro
  • Tomatoes
  • Salsa

Ingredients For Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

You only need a few simple ingredients to make these low-carb zucchini taco boats.

Ingredients for taco zucchini boats with labels over each ingredient.
  • Zucchini – you will need about 4 medium zucchini that are all similar in size. Ensure they are not too big or too wide so you can fit them easily in your pan. 
  • Ground turkey – I used 93/7 lean ground turkey but any ground turkey or ground beef will work! Even ground chicken would be great!
  • Onion + garlic – a medium white onion and some fresh garlic are used to add even more pops of flavor to the taco meat. 
  • Taco seasoning– you can use store-bought or homemade. I love Siete taco seasoning to use in a pinch, but I also love to make my own and have it on hand. 
  • Salsa – any tomato salsa will work fine. I suggest using milder salsa to keep this recipe more family-friendly. If you are not serving these taco boats to kids then use any type you like! If you don’t have any salsa then diced tomatoes also work but you will need to add 1-2 more tablespoons of taco seasoning to bump up the flavor. 
  • Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is used to cook and brown the taco meat. 
  • Salt and pepper – are used to enhance all of the other flavors. 
  • Cheese – I used sharp cheddar cheese that I grated myself but any cheddar cheese or Mexican shredded cheese will work. Use a dairy-free cheddar cheese for a fully dairy-free option. 

Get the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

How To Make Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Here is a summary of the steps for how to make these low-carb zucchini taco boats.

Step 1: Clean, cut, and hollow out the zucchini.

Step 2: Make the turkey taco filling.

Step 3: Fill the zucchini with the taco filling.

Step 4: Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F.

Top the zucchini boats with cheese for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Add your favorite taco toppings and enjoy! They are so GOOD!

Expert Tips For Success

  • Choose zucchini that are dark in color, long, and not too wide but wide enough to hold a good amount of filling. Medium size is best so they don’t take too long to cook, which could result in the meat becoming dry.
  • Make sure to scoop enough of the insides of the zucchini so you have a good surface area for the turkey taco filling. This also allows the zucchini to cook more evenly. 
  • Don’t overfill the zucchini boats. You want to fill the zucchini pretty full but not overflowing, so you can easily pick them up and eat them like a taco. 
  • Add the cheese at the end of the cooking time. I found that adding the cheese for the last 5 minutes of cooking time resulted in perfectly melty cheese without the cheese getting too browned. 

Serving Suggestions

We love to serve these taco-stuffed zucchini boats with fun sides like chips and salsa, Mexican rice, cauliflower rice (to keep it low carb), or some Mexican street corn. Of course, they are also delicious and filling all on their own as a complete all-in-one meal.

FAQs

Can you add other ingredients to the taco filling?

Yes, you can! Here are some things you can add to the filling: canned black beans, corn, bell peppers, green chiles, cooked rice, or cauliflower rice. 

Can you make these cheesy taco zucchini boats ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great make-ahead meal. You can make the taco meat ahead of time and prepare, fill, and bake the zucchini boats when ready to eat! Just cook and store the turkey taco filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before you use it!

How to store and reheat zucchini boats

These taco zucchini boats can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or oven until heated through. 

Check out all of my healthy main dishes on PMG!

More Healthy Zucchini Recipes

Did you try this taco stuffed zucchini boats recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

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Tray with zucchini boats filled with turkey taco filling topped with sour cream, avocado and tomatoes.

Simple Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

These taco-stuffed zucchini boats are a delicious and creative twist for taco night, offering a fun way to enjoy zucchini. They’re low-carb, gluten-free, and perfect for the whole family!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium zucchini
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion – chopped (½ cup)
  • 2 cloves of garlic – peeled and minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey – I used 93/7
  • 3 tablespoon taco seasoning 
  • Salt and pepper – to taste
  • 1 cup tomato salsa
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese
  • Optional taco toppings: avocado, sour cream, lime, tomatoes, cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet or 9×13 pan with cooking spray. 
  2. Prepare the zucchini: Use a sharp kitchen knife and cutting board to slice each zucchini in half, vertically (lengthwise), then use a spoon to scoop out the inside of each zucchini. You can discard the insides or mix them into the taco filling if it doesn’t contain too many seeds. 
  3. Spray the zucchini boats with olive oil spray and sprinkle each one with some salt and pepper. 
  4. Prepare the taco filling: Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stovetop, add the oil, then add the ground turkey. Break the turkey up in the pan as it cooks. Add the onion and garlic once the turkey is mostly cooked. Cook for 2 minutes then add the taco seasoning. 
  5. Toss and cook that all together then pour in the salsa and cook for 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. 
  6. Divide the turkey taco mixture between the zucchini boats, making sure not to overfill them. You should have just enough filling to fill all of the zucchini. 
  7. Bake the filled zucchini in the oven for 20 minutes, remove and top with the shredded cheese, and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted. 
  8. Remove, top with your favorite taco toppings, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Select zucchini that are medium in size, long, and semi-wide but not too wide. Make sure all 4 zucchini are equal in size to ensure more even cooking. 
  • Make sure to scoop out enough of the zucchini so you have enough space for the taco filling. You want about a ¼-1/2 inch border around each zucchini boat. 
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or the oven until heated through.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: main dishes
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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