These Taco Zucchini Boats are a fun and healthy spin on traditional tacos. Tender zucchini are baked with flavorful homemade taco meat and cheese, then served with your favorite toppings. It’s an easy and delicious dinner that the whole family will love.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Taco Zucchini Boats Recipe

• Fresh tender zucchini
• Homemade savory Taco Meat
• Topped with cheddar cheese and baked to perfection
• Healthy spin on traditional tacos
• Family friendly

If you’ve never made zucchini boats before, you’re in for a treat! Zucchini boats are such a fun way to serve up so many different meals. They are a healthy blank canvas for all your favorite flavors.

I take fresh zucchini, scoop out the centers and fill with traditional taco fillings, including my homemade taco meat that beats that store bought packet all day long.

Add your favorite toppings like tomatoes, cheese, onions or whatever you like.  I’ve listed some of my favorite topping ideas down below. These are a great way to use up extra zucchini from your garden.

🛒 Ingredients for Zucchini Taco Boats

• Zucchini
• Taco Meat
• Cheddar cheese
• Tomatoes
• Red onion
• Cilantro

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Large skillet
• 9 x 13 Casserole baking dish

🔪 How to Make Taco Boats

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash, dry and slice your zucchini in half lengthwise.

Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh on the inside of each half.

Place the zucchini, cut side up, in a 9 x 13 casserole baking dish that’s been sprayed with olive oil. Spray the tops of the zucchini, then bake for 20 minutes.

While the zucchini are baking, prepare the Taco Meat according to the recipe.

After 20 minutes, take a paper towel and blot off any excess moisture on the tops of the zucchini, then fill each with the taco meat.

Top with the shredded cheddar cheese and bake 5-7 minutes longer or until the cheese has melted.

Sprinkle the minced red onion, chopped tomatoes and cilantro over the tops and serve. You can also add some diced avocado and a squeeze of lime over the tops before serving.

☑️ Storage Instruction

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze.

💡 Tips

• Don’t overcook your zucchini or they will lose their shape and won’t be able to hold the filling.  If you are using zucchini that are on the smaller side, you might only need to cook them for 15 minutes before filling.
• Make sure to absorb any moisture with paper towels before filling.  Zucchini have a high water content and if you skip this step, your taco boats can be watery.
• Take the time to make the taco meat from scratch.  I know it’s easy enough to use a store bought packet, but trust me it’s worth the extra effort and the flavors are much better.
• Try to shred your own cheddar cheese, rather than use the pre-shredded store bought kind.  The manufacturers add in anti-caking ingredients, so taking a block and grating it yourself is really the way to go, unless you are really in a pinch.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

These zucchini boats are a fun spin on tacos, so there’s so many options when it comes to toppings.  I used cheese, red onion and cilantro, but you can add in your favorites. Here are some ideas: 

• Pickled jalapeños
• Sour cream
• Diced avocado
• Sliced black olives
• Finely shredded lettuce
• Chipotle Ranch
• Pico de Gallo

How do you prevent zucchini boats from being soggy?

Baking them before filling, then blotting off any excess moisture helps. Add the filling and bake just for a short time, 5-8 minutes so the zucchini doesn’t have enough time to before soggy. Some like to salt it first, but that step isn’t necessary with this recipe.

Do you have to pre-cook zucchini for zucchini boats?

We do with this recipe, as it helps the zucchini to release some of it’s moisture before filling. That helps prevent your filling from getting watered down.

What are some common mistakes when making zucchini boats?

Not leaving space on the ends to keep the filling inside is a common mistake. You never want to scoop all the way from end to end, otherwise your filling will leak out either side.

Do you eat the skin on a zucchini boat?

Absolutely, it’s the most nutritious part of the zucchini, so don’t miss out on that!

🍽️ More Keto Zucchini Recipes

• Keto Zucchini Fritters
• Keto Zucchini Lasagna
• Buffalo Zucchini Boats
• Zucchini noodle “pasta” salad
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Lasagna Zucchini Boats