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Air fried beef zucchini boats with melted cheese on a serving plate.
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Air Fryer Beef Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Stuffed with ground beef and veggies in a marinara sauce, these filled zucchini boats are a breeze to make in the air fryer.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 311kcal
Author Slow The Cook Down

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.
Nutritional values are an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Potassium: 1182mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1030IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 4mg