Turkey zucchini boats
Hollowed zucchini halves filled with a tomato and turkey filling, baked with cheese.
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Total time
51 min, show breakdown
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 28 min
- Clean up 8 min
- Pans
- 2
- Ingredients
- 11
- Cost/serving
- $3.48
Per serving
- Calories
- 359
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 3.2 g
- Net carbs
- 8.6 g
- Fat
- 21 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin B12 70%, Vitamin B6 56%, Niacin (B3) 53%, Selenium 53%, Vitamin C 46%, Riboflavin (B2) 41%, Zinc 38%, Vitamin K 24%, Calcium 20%, Potassium 20%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 2
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You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
250 g ground turkey, 93% lean
Same amount as: 8¾ oz.
- 2 medium zucchini (400 g)
1 tbsp olive oil (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
- ¼ medium onion (28 g)
2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)
Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.
1 tsp dried oregano (1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (0.3 g)
¼ cup canned crushed tomatoes (60 g)
Same amount as: 60 mL, about ⅛ can.
2 tbsp parmesan, grated (10 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
¼ cup mozzarella, part-skim (28 g)
Same amount as: 60 mL.
2 tbsp fresh basil (5.2 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
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Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 2 servings.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (402 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 359 | ||
| Total fat | 21 g | 27% | |
| Saturated fat | 6.1 g | 31% | |
| Cholesterol | 105 mg | 35% | |
| Sodium | 482 mg | 21% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 12 g | 4% | |
| Dietary fiber | 3.2 g | 11% | |
| Total sugars | 7.2 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 8.6 g | ||
| Protein | 32 g | 64% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.44 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 258 mg | 20% | |
| Iron | 2.9 mg | 16% | |
| Potassium | 955 mg | 20% | |
| Vitamin A | 77 mcg | 9% | |
| Vitamin C | 41 mg | 46% | |
| Vitamin E | 1.9 mg | 13% | |
| Vitamin K | 28 mcg | 24% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.22 mg | 18% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.54 mg | 41% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 8.5 mg | 53% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.95 mg | 56% | |
| Folate | 68 mcg | 17% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.7 mcg | 70% | |
| Magnesium | 78 mg | 19% | |
| Zinc | 4.2 mg | 38% | |
| Selenium | 29 mcg | 53% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Halve the zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out the middle with a spoon, leaving a 1 cm (½ in) wall. Chop the scooped flesh.
Brush the zucchini with ½ tbsp oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake cut side up in the baking dish 10 minutes.
Done looks like: Starting to soften but still holding its shape. Meanwhile, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the rest of the oil in the skillet on medium-high. Cook the turkey and onion 6–7 minutes, breaking up the turkey.
Done looks like: No pink left in the turkey. 74 °C / 165 °F. Add the garlic, oregano and pepper flakes. Stir 30 seconds. Add the chopped zucchini, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer 3–4 minutes.
Done looks like: Thick, with no liquid pooling in the pan. Stir in the parmesan. Pour off any liquid in the zucchini, then pack in the filling. Top with mozzarella.
Bake 12–15 minutes. Top with torn basil.
Done looks like: Cheese browned in spots. A knife slides easily into the zucchini.
Equipment
Baking dish, about 20 × 20 cm (8 × 8 in) $10–25
What to look for
- Glass or ceramic, oven-safe
- Fits your oven with room around it
Skip: Non-stick coated metal dishes; glass lasts longer.
Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60
What to look for
- Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
- Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat
Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Watery boats | Filling not cooked down, or zucchini liquid left in. | Simmer until thick and pour off any liquid before filling. |
| Collapsed, mushy zucchini | Walls scooped too thin or baked too long. | Leave a 1 cm (½ in) wall and check at 12 minutes. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 25 min, total 51 min. | 359 kcal 32 g protein 3.2 g fiber 8.6 g net carbs 21 g fat |
| Dairy-free | No parmesan, no mozzarella. Hands-on 25 min, total 51 min. | 304 kcal 27 g protein 3.2 g fiber 8.1 g net carbs 18 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook ground turkey to 74 °C / 165 °F. Use pasteurized mozzarella.