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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Smoky Beef-Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Charred Onions

Tender roasted zucchini boats filled with smoky paprika beef, black beans and sweet corn, topped with melty queso fresco and served with sweet, charred onion wedges.

Smoky Beef-Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Charred Onions

Ingredients

  • 4 medium800 gZucchinihalved lengthwise, centers scooped out and chopped
  • 1 lb450 gGround beef, 90% lean
  • 3 medium330 gYellow onion1 diced, 2 cut into wedges
  • 1½ cups250 gBlack beans, canned, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup130 gCorn kernels, frozen
  • 7 oz200 gDiced tomatoes, canned
  • 3 cloves9 gGarlicminced
  • 1 tbsp8 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)smoked
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 2 tsp2 gDried oregano
  • 2 tbsp24 gOlive oil
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • ⅔ cup crumbled80 gQueso frescocrumbled
  • ⅔ cup chopped10 gFresh cilantrochopped
  • 2 tbsp30 gLime juice

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a large sheet pan with foil.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: halve the zucchini, scoop out the centers and chop them; dice one onion and cut the other two into wedges; mince the garlic.
  3. On the sheet pan, toss the zucchini halves and onion wedges with half the olive oil, a quarter of the salt and the black pepper. Arrange the zucchini cut side up and roast 12 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining half of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef and diced onion, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F (71°C), about 8 minutes.
  5. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute.
  6. Add the chopped zucchini centers, black beans, frozen corn kernels, diced tomatoes and the remaining three quarters of the salt; simmer 5 minutes until the corn is hot and the filling is thick.
  7. Spoon the beef filling into the zucchini boats on the sheet pan, keeping the onion wedges alongside, and scatter the queso fresco over the top.
  8. Roast 15 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the onions are charred at the edges.
  9. Drizzle with the lime juice, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve two boats per plate with the onions.

Contains: Milk.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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