Delish Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats

This is my weeknight hero when I want enchiladas without the whole tortilla situation or a sink full of dishes. Think: cozy, saucy ground beef tucked into tender zucchini “boats,” blanketed in melty cheese, and finished with a confetti of cilantro, lime, and maybe a reckless dollop of sour cream if I’m feeling bold. It’s hearty but lighter, fast but satisfying, and shockingly good leftover straight from the fridge when you’re hiding from your kids in the kitchen. We’ve all been there.

My husband calls these “enchiladas with abs,” which… is a choice. The kids scoop out the cheesy middles and then remember the zucchini is delicious too, especially when it hits that soft-but-not-mushy sweet spot. I’ll make a pan when we’ve had a long day, crank the oven, and by the time backpacks are dumped and the dog is walked, dinner is bubbling and the house smells like cumin and victory. This one quietly became a staple: 15-ish minutes of prep, 20-ish minutes in the oven, feeds 4 with a couple leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Happy days.

How to Make It

Grab 4 medium zucchinis, slice them lengthwise, and scoop a little trench down the middle—leave some walls or they’ll flop like sad canoes. Salt them so they shed a bit of water while you do the fun part.

In a skillet, sauté a chopped onion in a splash of oil till it goes glossy. Toss in a pound of ground beef with garlic, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Brown it hard—don’t baby it—then stir in a cup-ish of enchilada sauce and a handful of corn or black beans if you’re in a bonus mood. Taste. Salt. If it makes you go “oh wow,” you’re there.

Pat the zucchini dry (seriously, pat them) and nestle them into a baking dish. Spoon the beef filling into each boat, shower with cheese, and send the whole thing into a 400°F oven until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is doing that bubbly, browned thing—about 18–22 minutes. Hit it with cilantro and lime and try to let it cool for five minutes so you don’t scorch the roof of your mouth like I do every time.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Zucchini: Medium ones are perfect. Too big = watery; too small = can’t hold enough goodness. If yours are giant, pre-bake 5–7 minutes.
– Ground beef (1 lb): I like 85/15 for flavor. Drain if extra greasy so the boats don’t go slip-n-slide.
– Enchilada sauce (1 to 1 1/4 cups): Red is classic. Use your favorite jar/can; if it’s thin, simmer with beef a minute to thicken.
– Onion + garlic: Don’t skip—these are your flavor backbone. A pinch of salt on the onions helps them soften faster.
– Spices (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika): The trio that makes it taste like “dinner.” Add cayenne if you like heat; I do a pinch.
– Cheese (1 to 1 1/2 cups): Monterey Jack or a Jack-cheddar mix melts like a dream. Pre-shredded is fine on a Tuesday.
– Corn or black beans (optional): A half cup of either (or both) bulks it up and makes leftovers stretch. Drain/rinse beans well.
– Cilantro + lime: The fresh finish that wakes everything up. Forgot them once—won’t do it again.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Heat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Halve 4 medium zucchinis lengthwise, scoop a shallow trench, and sprinkle with salt; set aside.
3. Sauté 1 chopped onion in 1 tbsp oil until soft, then add 1 lb ground beef, 2–3 minced garlic cloves, 1–2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook until browned.
4. Stir in 1 to 1 1/4 cups red enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup corn or black beans (optional); simmer 2 minutes to thicken, then taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Pat zucchini dry, arrange in the dish, and fill with the beef mixture; top with 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar.
6. Bake 18–22 minutes until zucchini is tender and cheese is bubbly; rest 5 minutes, then finish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

What to Serve It With

– A quick tomato-corn salad with lime and a sprinkle of cotija.
– Cilantro-lime rice or cauliflower rice if you’re keeping it light-ish.
– Chips and guac because we are people of culture.
– Simple slaw with lime and a little mayo—crunch against melty cheese is perfection.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Salt and pat the zucchini so your boats don’t pool water.
– Don’t over-scoop—leave 1/4-inch walls so they hold shape.
– If your sauce is thin, reduce it a minute with the beef. Watery sauce = watery boats.
– Cheese getting pale? Broil 1–2 minutes at the end, but watch it like a hawk.
– Want softer zucchini? Pre-bake shells 5–7 minutes before filling.

✔Storage Tips

Pop leftovers into an airtight container and keep in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10–12 minutes or microwave in 45-second bursts so the zucchini doesn’t collapse. Cold straight from the fridge is… surprisingly great. Breakfast? Add a fried egg and call it a win.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Turkey or chicken: Swap the beef 1:1; add a tiny splash of oil if it’s very lean.
– Meatless: Do a black bean + corn + quinoa mix with the sauce. Extra cumin helps.
– Dairy-free: Use a melty DF cheese or skip and add avocado after baking.
– Sauce swap: Green enchilada sauce works if you lean into it with extra lime.
– Low heat for kids: Use mild chili powder and skip the cayenne.
– Spice swap: Chipotle powder or adobo sauce = smoky magic.
– Out of cumin? A little extra chili powder + smoked paprika can still carry the vibe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats

All the flavors of beef enchiladas baked into lighter zucchini boats—savory seasoned beef, red enchilada sauce, melty cheese, and fresh, zesty toppings in every bite.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 4 zucchini zucchini medium, halved lengthwise and hollowed
• ▢ 1 pound lean ground beef 90% lean
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 0.5 cup yellow onion diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup red enchilada sauce
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• ▢ 0.75 cup black beans canned, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 0.75 cup corn frozen, thawed
• ▢ 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• ▢ 2 count green onions thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
• ▢ 0.5 cup sour cream for serving

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Trim ends from the zucchini, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the centers with a spoon to create boats, leaving about 0.25 inch thick shells. Finely chop about 0.5 cup of the scooped zucchini flesh to add to the filling.
• Brush the cut sides of the zucchini boats with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place them cut-side up in the baking dish. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
• Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
• Stir in chopped zucchini flesh, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
• Pour in enchilada sauce, then fold in black beans and corn. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Spoon the beef mixture evenly into the zucchini boats. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove foil, sprinkle the tops with shredded Monterey Jack, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and zucchini are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Finish with cilantro, green onions, and lime juice. Serve hot with sour cream.

Notes

For extra saucy boats, spoon 0.25 cup enchilada sauce into the baking dish before adding the boats. Swap Monterey Jack with pepper jack for more heat. Leftovers keep up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat covered at 350°F until warm.