Stuffed with ground beef and veggies in a marinara sauce, these filled zucchini boats are a breeze to make in the air fryer. This delicious and healthy recipe is one that the whole family will love, and it's so easy to make!
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This is the perfect recipe for the end of summer, when you want to make the most of fresh produce before winter hits, but it's still warm, so you don't want to turn on the oven!
These air fryer zucchini boats are super simple to make, seasoned ground beef and veggies are cooked in a marinara sauce, before being loaded into zucchini boats and topped with cheese. Delicious!
This is a great easy weeknight dinner that can easily be paired with your favorite sides for a meal that everyone will love.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Salmon with Vegetables and Potatoes and Air Fryer Pasta Bake too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Easy: Made with everyday ingredients, these stuffed zucchinis
- Make ahead: You can make the beef filling ahead of time, so it can take less than 15minutes for dinner to be on the table.
- Nutritious: Made with fresh veggies and ground beef, this dinner is full of protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Dietary info: These air fryer stuffed zucchini boats are gluten-free and can easily be made low carb and keto friendly.
Ingredients
- Onion: Yellow onions work well in this recipe as they have a strong flavor.
- Beef: I used a higher fat content ground beef, but you can use a lean beef if you prefer.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic, rather than powdered, for the best taste.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, dried oregano
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite store bought brand.
- Zucchini: Use zucchini that are of a similar size so that they cook evenly in the air fryer.
- Shredded cheese: I used an Italian blend.
How to make stuffed zucchini boats in the air fryer
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Cook the ground beef and onion and stir in the seasonings and marinara sauce (photo 1).
- Scoop out the seeds of the zucchini, season, place in air fryer basket (photo 2).
- Air fry til tender (photo 3).
- Place the beef marinara filling in the boats and top with cheese (photo 4).
- Air fry til the cheese is melted (photo 5).
Serving Suggestions
Stuffed zucchinis are great to serve with a fresh salad for a lighter meal, or potatoes, rice, grains or pasta for a more filling one. Try them with some of these favorites:
Recipe Variations
These air fryer stuffed zucchini boats are easy to make your own.
- The ground beef can be swapped for another ground protein like chicken, pork or Beyond Meat crumbles.
- Instead of marinara, try using a different pasta sauce like vodka or alfredo.
- Add in other veggies. Sweetcorn, bell peppers and mushrooms all make great additions.
- Top the boats with other cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar or parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't peel the zucchini. The skin is edible and it helps hold the flesh of the zucchini together when it is air fried.
This recipe can easily be made low carb and keto friendly by using a no added sugar marinara sauce, either store bought or homemade.
If you don't want anything to go to waste, you can add the zucchini seeds to the meat marinara sauce. They can also be used in soups and smoothies.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make the meat sauce up to 4 days ahead of time and keep it stored in the fridge until ready to use. it can also be frozen for up to two months.
The zucchini boats are best made soon before you are due to serve them. They are not suitable for freezing as they contain a lot of water and can become mushy once thawed.
If you do have leftovers, they will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge and can be reheated in the air fryer to serve.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cooking times may vary depending on how big your zucchini are. Check for doneness around 10 minutes, the flesh should be fork tender.
- Dice the onions finely so that they combine well with the beef.
- Don't scoop too much of the flesh out of the zucchini, or they can collapse.
These air fryer stuffed zucchini boats are full of wonderful fresh flavors, but they are so easy to make! I love that you can make the filling in advance too so you can serve up a super quick dinner later that day. Enjoy!
More Easy Air Fryer Dinners
- Air Fryer Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes
- Air Fryer Honey Soy Marinated Salmon
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
- Air Fryer Pork Meatballs
Air Fryer Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Equipment
Ingredients
For the beef marinara filling
- 1 teaspoon oil any high heat oil like canola, sunflower or avocado
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 12 ounces ground beef - you can use lean or medium (350g)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups marinara sauce
For the zucchini boats
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1 teaspoon oil any high heat oil like canola, sunflower or avocado
- pinch salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons shredded cheese - I used an Italian blend
Instructions
To make the easy beef marinara filling
- Heat the oil in a skillet on the stovetop, on a medium high heat.
- Add in the diced onion and cook til softened and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it down with a spatula. Add the oregano, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally til the meat has browned.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and stir to combine. Turn the heat up and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Take off the heat and place to one side, or store for later use.
Make the zucchini boats
- Cut the zucchinis in half lengthways and scoop out the middle seeds and flesh with a spoon to create your boats.
- Brush the flesh with oil and sprinkle over a little salt and black pepper. Just a pinch.
- Place the zucchini boats in your air fryer basket(s), cut side up.
- Air fry at 360F / 180c for 10 minutes til fork tender (larger zucchinis may need an extra couple of minutes).
- Spoon the beef mixture into the zucchini boats (don't be afraid to pile it high!) and sprinkle over the shredded cheese.
- Place back in the air fryer at 360F / 180c for 3 minutes til the cheese is melted and just starting to brown.
- Serve!
Notes
-
- Cooking times may vary depending on how big your zucchini are. Check for doneness around 10 minutes, the flesh should be fork tender.
- Dice the onions finely so that they combine well with the beef.
- Don't scoop too much of the flesh out of the zucchini, or they can collapse.
- The beef filling can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
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