Save The smell of basil always pulls me back to this tiny apartment kitchen where I first made these boats, windows steamed up, radio playing something muffled. I was trying to use up an abundance of zucchini from a farmers market impulse buy, and honestly, I expected them to be bland. But when they came out of the oven, bubbling and golden, my roommate leaned over the stove and just said okay, wow. We stood there eating them straight from the baking dish.
Years later, I made these for a summer dinner on a friend's back porch, and someone took a bite and went quiet for a full ten seconds. That's the best review I've ever gotten. The way the zucchini softens but still holds its shape, the way the pesto sinks into every crevice, it's the kind of food that makes people put down their forks and talk with their hands.
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini: Pick ones that feel heavy and firm, with skin that's bright and unblemished. Larger ones work, but you'll lose some structural integrity and end up with boats that sag mid-bake.
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes: They burst and release their juices into the filling, creating little pockets of sweetness. Grape tomatoes work too, but cherry feel more substantial.
- 1/2 small red onion: Finely chopped so it melds into the filling instead of staying in distinct crunchy bits. Yellow onion is too sharp here.
- 1 clove garlic: Minced fresh. Garlic powder would disappoint both of us.
- 1/3 cup basil pesto: Homemade with good olive oil, or a jarred brand you actually like. The pesto is the backbone, so don't use the dusty one from the back of your pantry.
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or rice: Optional but recommended if you want this to feel like a main course. It absorbs the pesto flavor and makes the filling more substantial.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan: Salty and nutty, it sharpens everything else. Buy a wedge and grate it yourself. The pre-grated stuff tastes like sawdust.
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella: For the melt and pull. Low-moisture part-skim gives you that beautiful cheese stretch without greasiness.
- 1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese: Ricotta is luxurious. Cottage cheese is what I actually use most often because I always have it, and it disappears into the filling anyway.
- 2 tbsp pine nuts or chopped walnuts: They toast as they bake, adding a buttery crunch. Skip if you're watching costs, but they do make it feel special.
- Salt and pepper: Season at every stage. The zucchini needs it, the filling needs it, and the final dish will taste flat if you hold back.
- Olive oil: For brushing the boats and drizzling over everything before it goes into the oven.
Instructions
- Get your oven ready:
- Preheat to 400°F and line a baking dish with parchment. You'll thank yourself later when cleanup takes thirty seconds.
- Hollow out the zucchini:
- Slice them lengthwise and scoop out the centers with a spoon, leaving about a quarter-inch shell. Chop the scooped flesh fine—every bit of it goes into the filling.
- Prep the boats for baking:
- Arrange them cut-side up in your dish, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. This step is easy to skip but makes the zucchini taste like itself, only better.
- Build the filling:
- In a bowl, combine the chopped zucchini flesh, cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, pesto, cooked quinoa or rice if you're using it, ricotta or cottage cheese, and half the Parmesan. Mix thoroughly and taste it. Add more salt or pepper now, before it's too late.
- Fill the boats:
- Spoon the mixture into each zucchini half, mounding it slightly. Top with mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan, then scatter pine nuts or walnuts across the top if you're feeling fancy.
- Bake until golden:
- Twenty to twenty-five minutes at 400°F. You're looking for tender zucchini and cheese that's bubbling with spots of golden brown.
- Let them rest:
- Give the dish a few minutes before serving. The filling sets up slightly and becomes easier to eat, plus you avoid that too-hot-to-taste first bite.
Save These became my default bring-to-everything dish after I showed up to a potluck with them once and watched them disappear in under seven minutes. There's something about food that comes in its own edible container that people find irresistible, and the combination of warm, melty, fresh, and salty hits every craving at once.
Make It Your Own
I've made these with sun-dried tomatoes instead of cherry when I needed pantry dinner energy, and honestly, the concentrated tomato flavor worked beautifully. Chopped spinach or bell peppers would add color and nutrition without disrupting the flavor profile.
Serving Suggestions
A crisp green salad with a vinaigrette cuts through the richness. Crusty bread for sopping up any escaped cheese is never a bad idea. If you drink, a chilled white wine or light red makes the whole meal feel like a restaurant experience.
Make Ahead Strategy
You can assemble the boats up to a day in advance, cover them tightly, and bake when you're ready. They'll take an extra five minutes in the oven if they've been refrigerated. The texture holds up beautifully, which makes them excellent for meal prep.
- Wrap baked leftovers individually and reheat at 350°F for about fifteen minutes
- Frozen unbaked boats last up to three months and go straight from freezer to oven, just add ten minutes
- The texture softens slightly after freezing, but the flavor remains intact
Save These boats have fed me through tight budgets, last-minute dinner invitations, and nights when I just needed something warm and forgiving. They're simple food that feels special, and sometimes that's exactly what a recipe should be.
Common Questions
- → Can I make this dish vegan?
Yes, substitute dairy cheeses with plant-based alternatives and replace ricotta with cashew or tofu cheese for a vegan variation.
- → What is the best way to scoop zucchini?
Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the center, leaving about a 1/4-inch thick shell to hold the filling without breaking.
- → Can I add other vegetables to the filling?
Absolutely! Chopped spinach, bell peppers, or olives can be mixed into the filling for extra flavor and texture.
- → How do I know when the zucchini boats are done baking?
Bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese topping is bubbly and golden, usually about 20-25 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- → What nuts work best in this dish?
Pine nuts or chopped walnuts add a nice crunch and complement the pesto, but they are optional based on preference or allergies.
- → Is this dish gluten-free?
Yes, using gluten-free pesto and quinoa or rice ensures the dish remains gluten-free.