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Zucchini Lasagna Boats

Zucchini lasagna boats with layered beef marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella baked until the cheese top turns golden and bubbly. These lasagna stuffed zucchini deliver lasagna-style comfort with tender baked zucchini shells for a low carb lasagna night.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini boats base
  • 4 zucchini, halved lengthwise
Meat marinara layer
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste
Ricotta layer
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 0.25 cup parmesan grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.25 salt and pepper
Cheese topping
  • 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 0.25 extra parmesan and fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prep zucchini shells
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F so it’s hot and ready for baking.
  2. Halve zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers, leaving a 1/4-inch shell; chop the removed flesh and set it aside.
Cook the beef marinara filling
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add chopped zucchini flesh, marinara sauce, and Italian seasoning, then simmer 5 minutes.
Mix the ricotta layer
  1. Mix ricotta with egg, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper until smooth.
Assemble and bake
  1. In each zucchini shell, add a layer of meat sauce.
  2. Spoon a portion of ricotta over the meat sauce in each zucchini shell.
  3. Add another layer of meat sauce over the ricotta.
  4. Top each boat with shredded mozzarella.
  5. Bake 25–30 minutes at 400°F until the top is golden, bubbly, and the zucchini is tender.
  6. Garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil before serving.

Notes

For the best “lasagna” texture, keep the zucchini shells around 1/4-inch thick so they bake tender without collapsing. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 375°F oven or skillet until warm. Freezing is not recommended because zucchini releases water and the layers soften after thawing. To make this dairy-reduced, use part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella while keeping the same layering method.