This recipe for stuffed zucchini with ground beef and rice is one of those dinners that looks way more impressive than the effort it requires. Tender zucchini halves packed with taco-seasoned beef, fire roasted tomatoes, and rice - all topped with melted cheese and fresh cilantro. It's ready in under 45 minutes and great way to enjoy garden zucchini when it's coming in faster than you can eat it.
Quick Look: Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef and Rice
- ⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 25
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🥒 Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 485 calories per zucchini half
- 🌮 Flavor Profile: Hearty taco ground beef, rice and cheese stuffed into tender zucchini halves.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy. Perfect weeknight dinner.
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I started making these at the height of summer when zucchini season hits and suddenly every neighbor, farmers market stand, and garden bed is overflowing with it! This is definitely one of my favorite ways to use up the most abundant vegetable of the summer season. The taco-style filling does all the heavy lifting here and makes this one a family favorite zucchini recipe on repeat.
If you're on a zucchini kick right now, you're going to want to bookmark my garlic parmesan zucchini fries and my personal favorite grilled zucchini and corn salad with feta. Both great ways to put that garden bounty to work!
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef and Rice
- Why you will love this recipe
- Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef and Rice Stuffed Zucchini Step by Step
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage
- What to serve with stuffed zucchini boats
- More easy weeknight dinners
- Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef and Rice
Why you will love this recipe
- It's a quick and easy complete meal in one dish - protein, veggies, and carbs this recipe has it all.
- It's one of the best uses for garden zucchini when it's in peak season and you have more than you know what to do with.
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings and mix-ins.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and make a great next-day lunch.
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini - Medium-sized zucchini are your best bet here. Too small and there's not enough room for the filling. Large zucchini can get watery and lose its shape. If you're pulling these straight from the garden, aim for ones around 7-8 inches long. They should feel firm and have smooth, shiny skin. You can also substitute yellow squash.
- Ground beef - I use 80/20 ground beef for the most flavor. Leaner beef works too, but you may want a small drizzle of oil in the pan. Ground turkey or ground chicken are easy swaps if that's what you have on hand. Use black beans to make it vegetarian!
- Taco seasoning - One packet of store-bought taco seasoning keeps this super simple and weeknight-friendly. If you prefer to control the salt and spice level, a homemade blend works just as well.
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes - I like the subtle smokiness they bring to the filling. Regular diced canned or fresh tomatoes also work, especially if they're from your garden!
- Cooked Rice - The recipe calls for already cooked rice, so plan ahead or use leftovers. Day-old white long-grain rice or brown rice is actually ideal since it's drier and stirs into the filling without making it mushy.
- Cheese - I like to use melty Chihuahua cheese here. Any Mexican blend or pepper jack for a little kick works here.
Ground Beef and Rice Stuffed Zucchini Step by Step
Step 1: Prep the zucchini. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp knife, slice the stem end off each zucchini and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the seeds and pulp from the center of each half to create your boats. Leave about a quarter inch of zucchini flesh around the edges so they hold their shape during baking. Set them aside.
Step 2: Make the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Break it up as it cooks and brown until nearly cooked through. Add in the taco seasoning and stir until the meat is evenly coated. Pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes, reduce to medium-low and let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked rice.
Step 3: Fill and bake. Place the hollowed out zucchini halves in a baking dish. Spoon the beef and rice filling inside of the zucchinis, pressing it in gently to pack it in. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. That initial covered bake is what gets the zucchini tender all the way through without drying out the filling.
Step 4: Add the cheese and finish. Remove the foil, sprinkle cheese evenly over each boat and return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
If you love easy one-dish dinners like this, my sheet pan sausage, potatoes and green beans is another weeknight staple that comes together with almost no effort.
Recipe Tips
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out and pack the filling into the zucchini shells. Makes it so much easier!
- Don't skip covering the zucchini first. That first 15 minutes covered with foil is what gets the zucchini tender all the way through. Skip it and you risk the filling getting overcooked before the zucchini is done.
- Use day-old rice. Fresh hot rice can make the filling a little sticky and wet. If you have leftover rice from the night before, this is the recipe to use it in. It holds its texture better and the filling comes out perfectly scoopable. For more easy mains recipes that are great for using up what's already in your fridge, there are tons of ideas to keep things interesting all week long.
- Draw out extra moisture from garden zucchini. Homegrown zucchini can sometimes be extra watery, especially if they've gotten a little large. After scooping out the pulp, sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt inside each boat and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel before filling.
- Got extra filling? I usually manage to use it all up with the right size zucchini bit if you have some leftover, there are options. Wrap it in a tortilla or make a quesadilla. Got half a red pepper hanging out in the fridge? Add the leftover filling, bake it off and make yourself a perfect little stuffed pepper for lunch the next day.
- Customize it. Italian seasoning with garlic, marinara sauce, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Make it Greek style with oregano, lemon and a little feta. Keep it simple with just your favorite seasoning and some tomato sauce. Go wild!
Recipe FAQs
No. I recommend making this fresh. The rice will absorb too much liquid while sitting in the fridge and could make the filling mushy.
No. Zucchini has a high water content, so the texture changes dramatically after freezing. These are best enjoyed fresh or stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork all work great. For a meatless version, swap in a can of black beans or a mix of beans and corn. My fiesta salad uses a similar flavor profile if you want some inspiration for meatless mix-in ideas.
The zucchini should be tender when pierced with a fork but still holding its shape. You don't want it so soft that it collapses when you serve it. The covered bake time gets it most of the way there, and the final uncovered bake finishes it off while the cheese melts.
Storage
Store leftover stuffed zucchini boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing for best results.
What to serve with stuffed zucchini boats
- Chips and your favorite salsa and guac is the best side dish option in my opinion
- A simple green salad
- Sliced avocado, sour cream, or a drizzle of cilantro lime dressing on top
- A margarita, cold beer or a big sparkling water with lime - summer dinner vibes!
Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning or 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes or 1.5 cups fresh diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup cooked rice long-grain rice
- 4 ounces Chihuahua cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f. Slice the stem end off of the zucchini and then slice them in half lengthwise.
- Use a small spoon or melon baller to scrape out the zucchini pulp and seeds.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until some pink remains and add in taco seasoning. Brown for another 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add in tomatoes. Stir and let simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice.
- Place zucchini boats in a baking dish and fill each half with the meat and rice mixture. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes until zucchini is tender crisp.
- Uncover, sprinkle the top of each zucchini boat with cheese and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with fresh cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out and pack the filling into the zucchini shells. Makes it so much easier!
- Don't skip covering the zucchini first. That first 15 minutes covered with foil is what gets the zucchini tender all the way through. Skip it and you risk the filling getting overcooked before the zucchini is done.
- Use day-old rice. Fresh hot rice can make the filling a little sticky and wet. If you have leftover rice from the night before, this is the recipe to use it in. It holds its texture better and the filling comes out perfectly scoopable.
- Draw out extra moisture from garden zucchini. After scooping out the pulp, sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt inside each boat and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel before filling.
Jessica
These are so easy and a really fun and delicious way to enjoy zucchini. My family loves them!