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Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats are perfect for summer zucchinis, stuffed with lean Italian chicken sausage, then topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats are perfect for summer zucchinis, stuffed with lean Italian chicken sausage, then topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

You can fill zucchini boats with just about anything! Some of my other favorite stuffed zucchini recipes are Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats and Turkey Santa Fe Zucchini Boats.

If you have a ton of zucchini in your garden you will want to make these!! These stuffed zucchini boats are one of my absolute summer favorites and are also low-carb and keto friendly.

One boat fills me up, but you can enjoy two and still keep it at around 300 calories. I love Polly-O part-skim mozzarella because it melts beautifully as you can see in the photo. I’m pretty picky about my Italian sausage, but I love al fresco’s sweet Italian chicken sausage, you forget it’s chicken while you eat it and it’s 75% less fat that pork sausage, and it’s gluten-free. Turkey sausage will also work fine.

Next up on my list to try is a cheeseburger stuffed zucchini, what do you think? Would love to hear your ideas of what I should stuff them with!

What To Serve with Zucchini Boats

These are pretty filling, so I would go with a crisp, light garden salad on the side.

How To Make Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

More Zucchini Boats You Will Love

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Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

4.95 from 20 votes
7
Cals:153
Protein:13
Carbs:9
Fat:7
Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats are perfect for summer zucchinis, stuffed with lean Italian chicken sausage, then topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Serving Size: 1 boat

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups quick marinara sauce
  • 4 medium zucchinis, 31 oz total
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 small onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 14 oz lean Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing (Al Fresco)
  • 1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella, Polly-O
  • 8 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4" thick. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.
  • Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water.
  • Place 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12" baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up.
  • In a large saute pan, brown sausage, breaking up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside.
  • Heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook about 2-3 minutes.
  • Combine with sausage and cook a few more minutes.
  • Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup cooked sausage, pressing firmly.
  • Top each with 2 tablespoons each of sauce, 1 tablespoon each of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon each of parmesan cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 boat, Calories: 153 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 13 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 372 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g

Categories:

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats – my favorite LOW-CARB summer recipe!

 

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Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats – my favorite LOW-CARB summer recipe!

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417 comments on “Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats”

  1. So so so tasty! I used the chicken sausage from TJ and just did a fine dice. Think they may benefit from salting the zucchini and removing some of the liquid. Flavor was SPOT ON and so easy! Thank you Gina for making eating healthy easier!! 💕

  2. The chicken sausage stuffed zucchini boats are very flavorful and delicious! I highly recommend this recipe. Haven’t tried the other stuffed zucchini boats yet but definitely will.

  3. These are yummy.   I didn’t preboil the zucchini.   I also salted the zucchini pieces to remove some of the moisture.    I had some hot  Italian turkey sausage In the freezer, so used that.   Definitely going in the rotation.

  4. I made these tonight and they taste great but are so watery and the zucchini boats are mush. If I made these again which I will, I will not boil the zucchini (at 1/4 inch thickness cooked at 400 for 35 minutes I see no reason they need to be boiled ahead), and I’ll take the foil off for the last 10 minute of baking to get rid of some moisture. I like my zucchini to not totally disappear. I will also add a tiny bit of salt to the zucchini ‘guts’ and strain them while the rest of the inside ingredients sauté to get more moisture out.  It flavor wise it’s good, added red pepper flakes at the end. 

  5. Delicious! My husband and 6 year old also loved it!  I used a jar of spaghetti sauce and the recipe was quick and easy. Will make again. 

  6. Avatar photo
    Fallon Wingard

    Another recipe that is better than you’d expect! Grand slam. Even my picky eaters were pleasantly surprised. Thanks so much!

  7. Just wanted to tell you I loved this recipe.  My husband said it’s a keeper.
    Nice light dinner with a side salad. 🤩 I’ll be making more often. Thank you for a new 
    Zucchini recipe.

  8. Great recipe! I did not pre-boil the zucchini nor did I cover with foil. Turned out perfect. The boats had the perfect texture. Not too firm, not soggy.

  9. Im 75+ my kids and grandkids have been getting zucchini boat mac n cheese, or meatballs, or pizza toppings, or lasagna filling ever since 1972. Driven by affordability and the novelty of eating “the bowl.” The filling flavors are a great way to dress up leftover ingredients in my home.

  10. Love love LOVE this recipe! I found myself getting very exhausted from carving out the zucchini for the boats, so I decided to turn the chicken sausage, onions, peppers and tomato sauce into a sauce to serve over zoodles! (I bought the zoodles already cut and cooked using your zoodle recipe ☺️). It tasted delicious and saved me some time and points on the cheese as well! Sooo yummy!! 

  11. I make something similar in Buffalo Chicken from another site, so I knew we liked the stuffed zucchini concept. This recipe didn’t disappoint. I used my home-canned tomato sauce from my garden, so it was a little watery (my fault, not the recipe’s). But, the flavors were just like a lasagna or parmesan dish, but without all the carbs. My husband ate two servings, so I will definitely be making this again! I found the chicken sausage at the meat counter at Whole Foods.

  12. Yummmmm! I did use fresh chicke Italian sausage from my Italian market so probably more calories but this was good! Oh and easy!  

  13. Gina, these are so delicious and I am thrilled that even my pickiest eaters eat the zucchini! But I have so much trouble finding the kind of sausage you recommend. Thoughts? Harris Teeter and Costco do not have them. I have used ground pork, but know it is not as healthy. Any tips you can share would be greatly appreciated!

    1. I, too, have a hard time finding this kind of sausage. I use the recipe for the turkey sausage patties from her airfryer cookbook and instead of making patties, I just sauté the meat with the spices in a frying pan. It turns out amazing. It’s inexpensive to boot!

  14. I made these and it was great! I made my own “beef sausage” since I only had ground beef on hand. The minute quick marinara sauce – easy and tastes better than store bought! I omitted the bell pepper as I don’t care for cooked peppers.

  15. Great recipe! There is a canned tomato shortage in my county so had to buy jarred marinara but still such a refreshing recipe!

  16. Made this as a side dish last night,  they were delicious.  I will make this dish again as I have been getting a lot of Zucchini out of my garden

  17. Avatar photo
    David H Moody

    Love this dish, we have made it multiple times. However, I have an issue with the prep time listed. You say 10 minutes. I say, unless one is lucky enough to have s sous chef, it will take between 30-50 minutes prep time, depending on one’s knife and organizational skills.
    Nonetheless, I would rate the recipe 4.5 stars.

  18. OMG! These are delicious!! My husband, who is not a fan of eating vegetables… even loved these!! Definitely will make these again… and soon

  19. This is the absolute best!!! I’ve used this recipe over and over again and it never disappoints! I use hot turkey sausage and my husbands home made sauce and it comes out perfect every time! SO Yummy!!!

  20. Made last night with small zucchinis – excellent. I used bottled spicy tomato sauce to save a little time and local fresh turkey sausage flavored with feta and spinach. I also added a little Parmesan to the mixture as well as on top as called for.  Next time I might skip the booking of the zucchinis when they are small – not sure it was needed.  Excellent result as always! Thank you. 

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  22. Avatar photo
    Catherine Carbonaro

    I think this is my new favorite meal! I want to eat this every single week! Thank you!!

    1. Im cooking for one, do you think these would freeze well?? How long would they keep in the fridge??

      1. I too cook for myself. When you click on the “Print” button, you can scale the recipe up or down to make as many as you want.

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  25. Avatar photo
    Karen Chiasson

    I’m not one to comment on a recipe, but this one is amazing!  My MIL lives with us and is on a soft food diet… This was perfect for her to eat.  My hubby is type 2 diabetic and we were tired of the same old same old. So glad to find not only this recipe, but many others we can use!  
    Thank you! 

  26. I made this last night and it was a huge hit, even among vegetable skeptics. I assembled the boats several hours before dinner and stored them in the fridge until putting them in the oven. I love the chicken sausage substitution and it’s an idea I’ll definitely use again!

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  30. Avatar photo
    Libby Sellers

    LOVE these! I use Isernio's Hot Italian Sausage rolls. http://isernio.com/products/chicken-sausage-rolls/ . I cook them uncovered just so some of the liquid from the zucchini is evaporated but they are the best! In fact I have not had a bad recipe from this site yet!

  31. Made these last night. Delicious and a nice change from the ho-hum! Will definitely make again for sure. I am trying your Stuffed Buffalo Chicken tonight, can't wait 🙂

  32. Avatar photo
    Katie Edwins

    Hey Gina– Can you used already cooked chicken sausage from trader joes?? Not sure if the casing can be cut off once the sausage is cooked or not.. so wasn't sure if that would work.. thoughts?

  33. I make these with just Italian seasoned ground turkey and I like them. I'm not a fan of bell peppers and keep things pretty plain so just the seasoned turkey, light smart marinara and cheese. And I don't blanch the zucchini. It's a great filling meal

  34. I made this last night and loved it! I cut the recipe in half and made two meals. It was full of flavor and I will be making it again soon!

  35. I made this for dinner tonight, and it was absolutely fantastic! I used jarred marinara sauce, but everything else as written. Do you have any tips for cutting down on the prep time? It took me an hour and a half to get the dish ready for the oven.

  36. Made these last night with Honeysuckle White hot turkey sausage and Rao's marinara. Great recipe! I have also made several great recipes from your cookbook. Thanks for this one!

  37. Avatar photo
    Jordan Stivers

    I've been looking through the comments but I'd love to know how much of the recipe can be done the day before baking (prep-wise) and how long the boats keep in the fridge after cooking. I'm halving the recipe for two people. Any ideas?

  38. This dish could not have turned out better. My husband loved it and can't until we make it again. BTW:Adding that 1/14 C of marinara was genius. Glad I did it even though it was a mistake. I used a very nice jarred marinara.
    Had left overs tonight. Just reheated in oven.
    Thanks so much for a perfect recipe.

  39. Forgot to mention that I did find Al Fresco at Publix. Had to get the sweet sausage as they didn't have the hot. So added some crushed red pepper flakes to the pot when sautéing.

  40. Making this as I write. It is in oven. My husband shared the duties which helped speed things along. Next time prep the day before. Hard for me as I never what exactly we will be doing a day ahead. Happy hour, out to dinner?
    Anyway I inadvertently put the whole 1 1/4C of sauce in bottom. Then re-read. Oy. But I think you can't have too much sauce. Will let you know how it turned out.
    Have left over filling. Will use to maybe stuff. A half pepper tomorrow for a snack.
    Smells good.

  41. This is a great paleo recipe–definitely something I should try. I'm curious to see what the consistency of the zucchini is like after it's cooked like this.

    Lifestyle by Joules

  42. Thanks for this recipe my aunt gave me 2 huge zucchinis and I didn't know what to do with the last one. This maybe dinner tonight.

  43. Wonderful recipe, THANK YOU! It turned out great when I made it following the recipe exactly. I have made a couple of changes because I am such a lazy cook. Instead of stuffing the zucchini, I cut it into strips and after boiling them for a minute (blanching), use the strips for lasagna noodles. I layer the strips with the meat filling and sauce, top with the cheese and voila – zucchini lasagna. I used Rao's Arrabbiata sauce in the lasagna because: 1. I am lazy. 2. I like the spicy kick of the sauce and 3. The carb count is about the lowest of the commercial sauces.

  44. Oh boy, these are GRRRRRREAT! Thank you so much. I used turkey sausage (Butterball brand) and they came out so wonderfully. A keeper, for sure.

  45. Do you eat only the zucchini boats? Or do you have a side dish with them? They look wonderful!

  46. I prepared this dish how yummy. I sub the meat and used Jenny – O hot Italian turkey sausage. I also added a can of hunts oregano, basil & garlic dice tomatoes. Also, I added a low fat five cheese Italian blend. My guest loved it, no left overs.

  47. These look delicious. I just finished getting them ready for tomorrow night's dinner. Used homemade, very lean hot italian sausage (we select and grind our meat using loin) , sundried and fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, lots of garlic, basil, parsley, red and white onions, purple and red peppers, crushed red peppers. All prepared and ready to fill, top with sauce, cheese and bake! I may top them with a little fresh wheat breadcrumbs when they're almost through baking. Thanks for the great recipe!

  48. I have added the flavor of cumin ,coriander ,fennel for a different flavor and never knew there was a recipe for this that existed .I just always play with seasonings .

  49. We have an abundance of zucchini in our garden, so have been searching different ways to use them . My mouth watered when I came across this recipe….although I was out of sausage so I used ground beef instead and I added some chopped cilantro from my herb garden and I used spaghetti sauce. They turned out beautiful and oh so yummy!!! I served them over spaghetti with a side salad to my husband. I myself was just going to have the side salad ( being on a diet):-( ! But I had no will power over these, I ate a whole one! I Am going to make them with the sausage next time….can't wait!

  50. OMG Gina..this was sooooo good, just took out of the oven and dug in i couldn't wait. I sent a sample over to a neighbor, who doesn't even like zucchini, and she came to my door and asked if she could have another. Ha!
    I was a total piggy, didn't even put it on a plate, just ate right out of the pan and wasn't didn't even feel guilty. Loved, loved, loved it! New to your website and now i've just got to check it out to see what other wonderful things you might be sharing. Thank you so much, JJ

  51. Hi Gina,

    This is a fantastic recipe! When I make zucchini boats usually they lose their shape and the edges start to fall to the side with the filling spilling out a bit. Any advice to help the boats keep their shape?

  52. Just ate this an hour ago, delicious! My Husband who is not trying to eat healthy and also doesnt like Zuchinni said it was very good and I can make it again 🙂 It doesnt taste like it should be as low in calories as it is. We each had 2 boats and were very satisfied after. The prep before throwing them in the oven took longer than expected, but I will still make them again.

  53. Do you think if I make in the morning, refrigerate and then bake for dinner, they'd turn out okay? 🙂

  54. This is such a good recipe. I always end up with too much stuffing tho! Instead of Italian sausage I used ground kangaroo with Italian seasonings. Less fat and sooo delicious!

  55. A great recipe I can't wait to try out. I love Zucchini and those adventurous enough to use it! I wish more would.

    I came up with my own version of a Stuffed Zucchini with an Arab twist. While different from your own, I think its a unique take on the dish. I'm new to the Food Blog scene and would love some feedback from a pro like you. Check out my recipe if have time.

    http://persnicketypanhandler.blogspot.com/2012/09/kousa-sahel.html

  56. Avatar photo
    kelly Boyd-Wolfe

    The first time I made this, I was put off at how labor intensive this was. (I'm not a real cook) Even though it looked a hot mess, it tasted delicious!! So in my excitement, I woke up early on Saturday to take my time and relieve the pressure. I doubled the recipe, and unfortunately it didn't come out as good. I know it was my fault 100%, but I'm scratching my head to figure out what I did wrong! Thanks Gina… with this one, 3 bean chili is on the table about 2 days of the week!

  57. I made these over the weekend and everyone loved them! I do have an abundance of zucchini and wondered if these could be frozen?
    On another note, I wanted you to know that each time I visit your website, I find a recipe that becomes a new family favorite and wanted to take the time to tell you thank you! I have lost 50 pounds since last November and your site always makes me feel that I am not sacrificing a thing and am eating healthier. Your recipes really reflect the type of foods that my family has grown accustomed to over the years, only modified for a healthier lifestyle but the taste is never sacrificed! I really appreciate all you do to bring us these great recipes.

  58. I made these last night and they were AMAZING!!! I'm so glad a friend directed me to this site a year ago. It's become my cooking Bible!! Thanks Gina!!!

  59. I'm going to try making this tonight, but I'd love a suggestion of something to try in place of the cheese. I know it's low-fat, but I'm trying to cut back on our cheese intake 🙂

  60. I made these tonight and they were amazing!! I used the garlic chicken sausage from Trader Joe's (obsessed with this!) and used mushrooms instead of bell peppers. Mmmm, thanks Gina!

  61. Avatar photo
    Erin Murrell

    Very yummy, my husband and I loved these. He can't stop raving! The grocery was out of uncooked chicken sausage, so I used the pre-cooked kind. I grated it (chunks gross me out!), heated it in the skillet and followed the recipe- it was great!

  62. Avatar photo
    Sarah Russell

    We are making these for the second time tonight. Congratulations, Gina. You got my son to willingly eat his first green vegetable with this recipe! 🙂

  63. I've made these twice already adding lean turkey or beef instead of sausage. Like eating pasta minus all those carbs. My hubby and I love them!

  64. We made this last night, but with seasoned ground turkey instead of sausage. We also added mushrooms to the ground turkey mixture. It was so good. I already can't wait to make it again. 🙂

  65. I made these last night and they were delicious!!! Definitely a winner. I used Marguez, Moroccan lamb sausage with Harrisa and they worked wonderfully! Thanks for posting! Shokubi.

  66. Avatar photo
    myblondeambitionblog

    These are awesome, I've made them. And my husband even liked them. Great summer dish!
    myblondeambitionblog.wordpress.com

  67. Kind of a long prep process due to me also making the marinara sauce to go with it (obviously, I could've just used a canned sauce, but yours is so good!). This was GREAT and gives me high hopes for that zucchini lasagna recipe I've been eyeing, but unsure of. Everyone in the house loved it. I served it with your skinny Texas cheese fries and they complemented each other very well, even though I liked the zucchini boats WAY more than the fries.

  68. Avatar photo
    Constance Hollingsworth

    I made these last night and they turned out great. Need to modify not keeping them in the water so long since I was making 3 dishes LOL. Plus my Husband liked them and he hates veggies

  69. Avatar photo
    Amy Damoulakis

    These are incredible!! You don't even need all of the cheese…no leftovers at my house! YUM!!

  70. Wow!! These were amazing! I have made them twice already…once for my family and once for my sister who is recovering from surgery. They are so flavorful and packed with veggies. My very picky 16 month old couldn't get enough of these! Thanks to you she is also getting a serving of spinach most days because she loves your green monster smoothies! Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes….I have made 4 this week already 🙂

  71. I made this last week and is was delicious! Gina your recipes have helped me drop 22 lbs without sacrificing taste. Love your recipes, I've been telling everyone I know. Thanks for all your hard work and coming up with such great ideas!

  72. I made this dish Tuesday night and had leftovers last night. It was absolutely delicious!! My fam raved about it!! And it's easy and healthy — so yummy! Thank you for posting this and so many other fabulous recipes!!!

  73. I made these last night & they were fantastic. My non-veggie eating husband actually loved them! This recipe is definitely going to be made a staple in our house.

  74. These were amazing! I only cook for 1 so I did half the recipe and was able to have lunch the next day! I always get my chicken sausage from Sprouts! YUM

  75. These were amazing! I only cook for 1 so I did half the recipe and was able to have lunch the next day! I always get my chicken sausage from Sprouts! YUM

  76. Gina, these were SO fantastic! My husband (who is very, very anti-zucchini) gobbled them up. I showed him the recipe the other day and he said he would try them because they are stuffed with sausage and topped with melted cheese. Success! I'll be picking up some more zucchini from the farmer's market next week!

  77. Do you think it would matter if I used pre-cooked chicken sausage? I have some I like from Sam's Club (I forgot the brand).

  78. Avatar photo
    Kynette Cheatham

    A friend of mine posted a recipe from this site yesterday on FB and it looked so good I came to the site for the recipe but have found myself EXTREMELY excited!!! I'm like a kid in a FREAKING CANDY STORE!! I have wanted to find a one stop shop with nothing but WW recipes…that actually look appealing!!

  79. Avatar photo
    Laura Deckers

    I really enjoyed this recipe! I replaced the sausage with ground turkey and added corn. I love corn with everything!

    Greets from Belgium 😉

  80. Stuffed Zucchini is one of my FAVORITE summer meals! So delicious and such a fun change up from lasagna! I've never gone with sausage- may need to try this out!

  81. I made these over the weekend and they were delicious! Thanks for the recipe. One question though. I did find the Al Fresco chicken sausage and it was delicious. However the sausage I found was pre-cooked. I used it but was your sausage raw? It looks like you had sausage crumbles mine were more like sausage pieces. Regardless great recipe!

  82. Avatar photo
    Fats Fun Until Someone Gets Hurt

    As a PointsPlus cruncher, I powerpointed this wonderful recipe by decreasing the amount of lean sausage and upping the veggie content. I added sauteed portebella mushrooms, diced red and green peppers, eggplant and more zucchini. My teenage girls who hate zukes loved this recipe…..

    Love your site. Thanks so much for the great recipes and the inspiration to use my imagination turning our diet into a true lifestyle change – 150 pounds later…

  83. hi i bought the elfresco was not pleased with the taste my ww leader told me to get publix brand greenwise italian sausage it taste so like the real thing never to buy italian sausage again had company never told them it was chicken sausage they all loved it i will try this recipe also the greenwise chicken sausage is only 3 pts tks again for all your wonderful recipes

  84. Avatar photo
    Autumn Cabral

    Zucchini is having a wonderful season this 2013, so I have been buying it pretty much every chance I get. I am definitely trying this next week. Thanks for the wonderful idea!

  85. Great job those sound delicious! Never thought to use a zucchini like this 🙂

    Happy Blogging!
    Happy Valley Chow

  86. I love zucchini so I'll be sure to try this recipe out! When I saw the top picture my first thought was 'mmmm… it looks so tasty'. I love how you have such a variety of recipes on the site. Lots of respect to you for your wonderful site and the work you put into what you do.

  87. I made this last night, and it was a huge hit! I started WW three weeks ago, and have already made quite a few recipes from your site, and all of them have been great! Thanks for your creative and delicious ideas!

  88. Avatar photo
    The Miller Family

    Made this tonight and loved it! I didn't realize I needed uncooked sausage, so I accidentally bought the cooked kind. Not a problem. I followed the same directions, still sautéing the sausage (didn't remove casings) and it came out amazing! Great job Gina, and thanks so much for all these wonderful recipes! I make about 2 of them per week and haven't been disappointed yet 🙂

  89. Made these tonight with a few variations. DELICIOUS! Definitely going into my regular repertoire. One of my local grocery chains makes fresh chicken italian sausage in the store, and it's my new favorite. I had a jarred Puttanesca sauce on hand and used that. Cannot wait to try again when the fresh zucchini squash starts coming to the Farmers' Markets.

  90. Avatar photo
    Kelley Harlow

    I just made this and I absolutely loved it! the bf wasn't impressed "with all the dang vegetables" (LOL) but I thought it was delicious! I didn't add quite as much cheese and added mushrooms into the mix. Well totally make it again once the garden gets going in a month or so 🙂 thank you!

  91. Has anyone tried prepping these without cooking them and freezing for later? Or freezing after cooking?

  92. Has anyone tried prepping these and freezing before cooking? Or even cooking and then freezing? Wondering if they would hold up to the freeze / defrost.

  93. Yummy! Made this last week and it was delish! Will definitely make this again. Love all your recipes!

  94. Made these yesterday. DELISH! I know that your recipes are healthy, but they are causing me to want to cook and want to eat more. I only ate one boat, but it did take quite a bit of restraint. I used a smoked turkey sausage link instead and just chopped up the meat into small pieces. I couldn't believe how easy, inexpensive, healthy, and delicious it was. I inhaled it.

  95. These were tasty but wow I spent forever in prep time! Wow I started at like 6:15 and didn't put them in the oven until about 7:30. Could you maybe start putting prep times in your recipes so that we get an idea of how much time we have to prep? lol

  96. We made this before using delicata squash for the boats, and roasted them ahead of time. Tonight, I sliced the delicata squash and then cut them in half circles, partially roasted them, and then layered in the 9×13, added the sausage/onion, added the sauce, then the cheese. Thank you for yet another great recipe that inspires us to modify how we like it, too!

  97. Have made these four times now and the entire family LOVES them! Only thing I do different is I don't boil the zucchini and I add chopped mushroom and spinach.Can not wait to try the chicken enchilada version! Thanks for the wonderful recipes!!

  98. I've made this twice now, and it is so good!
    My husband loves it (which is saying a lot since he doesn't like zucchini).
    Thank you!! 🙂

  99. Avatar photo
    Pure Charisma

    https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/548041_793311361198_136063868_n.jpg

    Made this tonight! It was so delicious. I made 3 large zucchinis and gave one to my brother and my best friend. IT ROCKED. I love your blog. Thanks for making it 🙂

  100. My 6 year old isn't a fan of zucchini (unless he doesn't know it's in there lol) but he devoured the filling! That kid has never met a sausage he didn't like! Lol. So I tossed the remaining filling (I only had 2 zucchini) in a tiny bit of the marinara sauce and I am thinking it will be fantastic as a sauce for whole wheat pasta later this week. Any idea on a calorie count for just the filling?

  101. Just made this tonight for my husband and myself and they are VERY tasty!! I'll definitely make these again! I'm really falling in love with this website Gina! I've made a few of your recipes and they've been really good! You've got great recipes and an awesome website!!

  102. Avatar photo
    handmade_mama

    I made these last night for dinner and was kind of disappointed 🙁 They tasted great, but when I took the foil off the casserole dish, 3/4 of the zucchini boats were under liquid! I used a half chicken/half pork Italian sausage because I couldn't find chicken Italian sausage. But could half o the sausage being pork create that much liquid? The zucchini boats were so softened by this that they were impossible to remove in one piece. They didn't look nicely defined and browned on the outsides like those in your picture. As I said, they were tasty, so I'll probably try them again, but I definitely won't use any pork next time. Hopefully that will fix the problem.

  103. Delicious. Made these two ways. One set with ground chicken as I couldn't find chicken sausage. They were amazing. For my vegetarian daughter I replaced the meat with finely chopped firm tofu. She loved it, and wants to know when I'm making them again! Thanks Gina. 🙂

  104. I made this tonight, I used chicken apple sausage it gave it such a great flavor ! I will make it again !

  105. I have been waiting to make this all summer and am finally getting to it. Do you think I could use the reduced fat pork sausage instead of chicken? Thanks for all of your recipes Gina,my family and I love tasting them!

  106. Great idea. I followed the recipe, including blanching, and it was very nice. I also had a couple of Hatch peppers and used some extra to stuff those. The ones I had were hot and I didn't blanch them first. They were kicked up a notch on the spicy level, but worked great

  107. Excited to make this for the roommates. I love this site. Not only are the recipes easy for us noncookers, but they taste excellent. Plus your pictures make the food look incredible tasty!!!

  108. In the oven look good! They were not quick to make so next time I will scoop and chop ahead of time so I can just put bthem together and bake! I also made a mistake and thought I had chicken sausage and it was pork sausage!!! My bad ill just add more points and eat only one rather then the two I planned on.

  109. Tried out this recipe last night but used ground turkey instead, DEE-LISH! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you! 🙂

  110. FREEZING! I made these 2 weeks ago…..and froze half. The ones that I froze I did not cook add sauce or cheese to freeze. I wrapped each in parchment paper followed by tin foil. I tried one today. I microwaved for 2 minutes defrost. Cooked in microwave for 2 minutes. The zucchini had a lot of liquid…..and didn't hold its shape as well as a slower bake.

    I then added tomato sauce and cheese and put in my toaster over for 10 minutes to toast cheese.
    It tasted great…..not as wonderful as fresh., but I am happy with results.

  111. These were amazing!! For a person who absolutely HATES zucchini, I still loved every bit of this meal. Thanks for a great recipe!

  112. instead of sausage, I always use Morning Star Crumbles, seasoned with my homemade taco seasoning. A zucchini got away from me (hidden under nearby tomato plants, and when i noticed this huge monster, it was 10 pounds, 6 ounces. After admiring it for a few days, it went into one of my compost bins. One of my zucchini plants had 54 zucchini on it this summer.

  113. Love zucchini! And loved this idea, so I decided to give it a try. It tasted delicious, but the zucchini came out a little soggy. I'm not sure if the 1-minute bath in the boiling water was needed because the zucchini seemed to cook enough in the oven. Any ideas how I can make it less soupy next time?

  114. I made these, used turkey apple sausage instead of italian and added feta cheese. Soooo good! I loved it.

  115. These were wonderful – even my picky 6 year old ate them! I even kept some of the stuffing out and made a frittata out of it – LOVED IT as well!

  116. This was awesome! I took some over to my elderly Italian neighbor, and she called me later to tell me that it was great and the zucchini was perfect al dente. 🙂 This recipe is a keeper!

  117. I used small wonder squash instead of zucchini since i had a lot of it from my garden. Small wonder is like spaghetti squash only smaller. I boiled the squash for 10 min instead of 1 min since it has a tougher texture. Then I stuffed it with the sausage mixture in the recipe. Though I did use spicy Italian sausage in addition to the sweet. The whole family ate it up even my picky girl.

  118. Okay, I am making these tonight and really hope that my husband will like them (he's not a huge zucchini fan but I love it!). I have a question about the WW P+ calculations and I apologize if you have answered this… Does the P+ total include the points for the quick marinara as well? This looksnAMAZING!

  119. Avatar photo
    Ashli Phillips

    http://runningwithginger.blogspot.com/2012/08/stuffed-baby-portabella-mushrooms-with.html

    I made stuffed mushrooms! Something similar but still tasty 🙂

  120. I loved the flavors in the filling! For me, the "boats" made for too much zucchini. So, I'd make it again w/o the "boats" and simply shred more zucchini into the mix.

  121. I can't wait to try these! Making them tonight for my husband and me!!! We are excited about our new "diet" This weeks grocery shopping was all for meals from skinny-taste!!! We love your blog and can't wait to see results from eating healthier!
    ~Michelle

  122. Avatar photo
    Debbie Yeager

    Fantastic! and so so delish! Our Farmer's Mkt. had ball zucchini. Using those made stuffing so easy! They are so good, it makes it difficult to remember portion size! Thanks, Gina!

  123. This recipe is delicious! I made them the other night, just finished the leftovers.
    My fiance, I call my food critic, enjoyed them so much that he brought them to everyone to taste!

  124. I made this recipe last night…delicious! I can't wait to make it again and again and again! Love the Al Fresco Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage. My husband said he could eat this every night for dinner! Thank you so much! Have a great day.

  125. Used Aidell's Italian Style Chicken sausage and it was PHENOMENAL. Great recipe. Definitely incorporating this one into a routine. Thank you Gina for always making me look like a genius in the kitchen!!!!!

  126. I made this yesterday. It was delicious. I didn't blanche the zuchhini first – I baked for 45 minutes and they came out perfectly tender. So good – thanks for another winner!

  127. This recipe took me right back to my childhood memories of my Mom's stuffed zucchini made with the giant run-away zucchini my Dad would grow. Of course, her version was not this "skinny". Thanks for the memory and the recipe.

  128. So pleased to have found this recipe as we have lots of courgettes growing in our garden and I'd like to try lots of different and healthy ways of cooking them! 🙂
    Lizy x

  129. Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I made it the other night, and it was absolutely delicious!! My boyfriend said it tasted like pizza in zucchini and asked me to make it again this week. Definite thumbs up!

  130. OMG!!! These were soooooo good. Way better than I thought they would be. This recipe will definitely be in major rotation for the family.

  131. I made this today with yellow zucchini and turned out DELISH!!! Thank you for a new favorite recipe!!!

  132. Avatar photo
    usctrojan4ever

    This is awesome. I am making it tonight for the second time. Even my VERY picky family loved it. I used spicy turkey sausage, and an arabiata sauce to give it a really nice kick. Great recipe!

  133. I made these and they were a HUGE hit with both my mom and my boyfriend. One boat was plenty!!!

    Gina, what would you suggest making as a side? I got lazy so I just made a garlic bread version of your lavash pizza (using just olive oil spray as a sauce, mozzarella cheese, garlic, oregano, basil)and gave everyone a small square.

    Also, every time your recipes call for 14 oz of chicken sausage, I struggle, because my al fresco's and trader joe's chicken sausage come in 12 oz packages. Would this 2 oz difference affect points?

    Thanks again for another great recipe!

  134. Yum, yum, yum. The Al Fresco sausage I found was fully cooked, I only used 3 of them. Chopped them into small pieces and browned in an additional tsp. of oil. Made the quick marinara sauce, even though I didn't have any fresh basil – my plants haven't done well this year – and it was delicious. A little spaghetti tossed with the remaining marinara, a fresh salad of roasted beets, grapefruit, butter lettuce and with a citrus viniagrette made for a great meal. Thanks, Gina for helping me on this WW journey. Keeping the meals yummy and interesting helps keep me on track! 20 lbs in 13 weeks…..

  135. Made these tonight, and substituted "LightLife" brand GimmeLean sausage to keep them vegetarian. They were wonderful!! I'm cooking for two, so I cut the recipe in half and just made 4. I was full after 1, and my boyfriend had 2. I see a battle royale for the leftover one at lunch tomorrow! 🙂

  136. I made these last night and they were a hit! My husband who doesn't care for veggies loved them! Thanks so much for providing such wonderful healthy recipes!

  137. We had an impromptu ladies night yesterday. We made these using turkey Italian sausage instead. They were simply delicious. This is definitely a new favorite!

  138. I made this for dinner and it was wonderful! I did change it up a little, I used half sausage and half low fat ground beef. Will make again. Will be trying more of you zucchini recipes. Thanks!

  139. Avatar photo
    kerrybeargirl

    This was sooo amazing! I used lean hamburger and added eggplant just bc I had some on hand…Love Love Loved it! Definitely will make one of my regular recipes.

  140. Wonderful recipe! I made this recipe for my fiance and he and I just love it! So healthy and filling! I made a couple changes to the recipe, I grilled the zucchini (to be half way cooked) before baking, and I used 8 oz of Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage for the meat crumbles! Same P+ Value! Amazing recipe Gina, thank you for sharing!

  141. I made these and froze them before cooking. i would not recommend. The zucchini turns to rubbery mess, however the filling was delicious!

    1. Oh, I just posted this question and hadn't seen this post first. Glad to know that freezing doesn't hold up. Will have to make a smaller batch, then.

  142. Gina I just wanted you to know that I made this for dinner last night and it was out of this world. Thanks for all your wonderful recipe ideas.

  143. I made this tonight. So good. I used both summer squash and zucchini with turkey sausage. Will made again! LOVE!

  144. Thank you for great inspiration, as always! I made a version of this using yellow summer squash, pizza sauce and Johnsonville Italian three cheese chicken sausages. Smells like pizza cooking in the over but won't say on my backside like pizza would! THANK YOU!

  145. Made these tonight, and will definitely be making them again. Perfection! I used hot turkey sausage, and served it with a side of shirataki noodles topped with more homemade marinara sauce.

    Next up I'm making your crustless zucchini pie (probably served with BBQ chicken), and then I'll move on to the zucchini tots. If Picasso can have his blue period, then I can be allowed my zucchini mode! We're making the most of the summer's produce, and love having some brand new favorites to add to our menu. Thanks so much!!!

  146. I am unable to find Polly-O cheese at any of the stores near me. Is there a substiture product that can be used?

  147. This came out sooooo yummy! My husband was hesitant at first but both he and the kids AND a visiting friend tore through them!!! Instead of using sausage, we used ground turkey meat. I seasoned it up and it was good to go! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE…will make again soon. This time I will have to make more so I can have more than one, myself! LOL

  148. I made this last night, it was so delicious!! I am also a horrible cook but this recipe was really easy to follow and everything came out great. I don't like bell peppers so I used mushrooms instead and I think it was a great combo. I can't wait to make this again!

  149. Have made these twice and they are delicious!! I used mild sausage for my toddler but I think using the spicy stuff would kick this up a notch. Next time…

  150. Made these with eggplant!! Salt and cook the eggplant a bit before, and 40 min in the oven to make up for size difference.

  151. Love love love this recipe!!! Made it last week, and it is so delicious! It's going to be a regular at our house!

  152. Avatar photo
    Tina @ The Bandit Girl

    These were SO good! I cannot believe that everything I try from your website not only tastes great, but looks exactly like your pictures! This is amazing to me as I usually don't end up with anything that resembles the pics in the cookbooks! Ha! I can't wait for your cook book! I have told all my blogging lap band gals about you!

  153. Avatar photo
    Kindrea Hayes

    Another great recipe! It was easy and fun to make! Thanks so much for this site. It is a great addition to help me lose this weight.

  154. Oh, wow Gina! I didn't think I liked zucchini but this was so good! Excited for my lunch leftovers tomorrow!

  155. I have a lot of zucchini and would love to make this, but I'm from the Midwest and we (along with most of the states) are in an excessive heat wave! I refuse to turn my oven on and have only used the grill or crockpot lately! Do you have any suggestions of how to cook these on the grill so I could try to keep my house cool?

    I have made almost all of your grilling recipes… They are all good! We especially love the buffalo burger and the chicken parmesan burger! Thanks!

  156. We loved this! Dh took the leftovers for lunch. I used the spicey turkey sausage! Love your website!

    Kathy

  157. Made these last night, they were absolutly delicious! It took some time to prepare, but well-worth it for a healty, satisfying meal!

  158. Just wanted to say that I live in a very small to & there was no chicken sausage to be found. I substituted w ground chicken & seasoned it myself w Italian herbs. The whole family loved it. Thanks for this new family fav.

  159. Fantastic! I am not even a zucchini fan, but this was such a tasty recipe. We made it a tad spicy with some spicy turkey sausage & crushed red paper, YUM! Thank you, Gina, for so many amazing recipes!

  160. These were amazing! I made them for dinner last night, and they were quickly consumed by all! LOVE you site, and recipes! They make my life so much easier! Thanks Gina!

  161. Avatar photo
    Run with Jess

    Made these tonight and got a thumb-up from the whole family. Thank you for a new health way to use up zucchinis (rather than baking bread!). I used turkey italian sausage and pizza sauce and it was delicious!

  162. Avatar photo
    Jennistarbrite

    Finally made these last night with lean turkey sausage since it was all I could find. I would probably use my own turkey sausage (the recipe from your site) in the future since picking off the casings was a pain. The recipe itself was very tasty, even though I forgot to boil the zucchini. Boiling it probably would have made it softer which I would have preferred. But overall YUM!

  163. I made this tonight and it was delicious! Thank you so much for all the work you do to produce and publish tasty, healthy recipes. Everything I have made from your site has been really, really good. Thanks!

  164. This was a huge hit with my family. The kids picked them up like hot dogs! And everybody on FB wanted the recipe, so of course, I sent them the link to your website. Yay!

  165. This recipe was YUUUUUMMY! It's definitely going in the rotation and thank you so much for this site! I get rave reviews from the hubby every time I make one of your creations!

  166. Avatar photo
    Simone Parker

    I made these the other night and they were great! I did have to modify the recipe a bit, though! Same ingredients, but my mixture just would NOT fit into the boats. I chopped up the boats, mixed them in with the rest of the sausage mixture, and topped each portion with the cheese and sauce. I had the leftovers the next night, scrambled with an egg – delicious!

  167. Just made these last night and they were totally delicious. It was a little more labor intensive than I had imagined but they taste so good that I'd do it again. The hubs said it tasted like zucchini pizza and gobbled up two last night! Brought some leftovers for lunch today – just as good as last night! This is a definitely repeat.

  168. Avatar photo
    Tasha O'Connor

    This was a huge hit with the hunky Hubby!! I totally lazied this recipe up. All I did was chop up the Al Fresco sausage stir in a can of contadina fire roasted chooped tomatoes and fill the zucchini with it. Topped it with the mozz and skipped all the other steps…added nothing else and did not blanch the zucchini. It was AMAZING!! So quick, easy and nutricious. Thank you so much, Gina!!! You are an absolute Gem…and gorgeous to boot!!! <3

  169. I made this tonight and it was fantastic!

    I will say that hollowing out the zucchini was a pain and mine did not look nearly as neat as yours.
    Still the taste was wonderful.

  170. The sausage I bought (Pederson's) was only a 10oz package, so I thought I'd bulk up the filling and added a cup of cooked brown rice. WHOA! I had enough to stuff the 4 zucchini, 1/2 a red bell pepper, and a portobello! Nice! I also added crushed red pepper to the filling for a some kick. Can't wait to try this with those little Japanese eggplants!

  171. made this tonight and kept to the recipe except for that I used a Marinara sauce. Very tasty – thank you. My husband is currently in the kitchen claiming the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow 🙂

  172. I used ground turkey for this, I am not a huge chicken sausage fan. Came out delicious, seasoned up the turkey meat. (red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, black pepper).

  173. I cannot wait to try these! I'm having trouble locating the sausage! Will the package say "lean" or is the sausage lean because it's chicken sausage?
    Thank you for the time and energy you put into this so we can all benefit!

  174. This is probably my favorite recipe of yours so far, Gina. I make an effort to try at one to two of your recipes a week, and I've definitely begun an archive of favorites. This one goes to the top. I also have to say, I am a person who hates leftovers, but since I started making your recipes, I find myself savoring leftovers and counting down to lunch the next day! Thanks for an awesome blog, and amazing recipes like these!

  175. Made this last night for dinner, super easy, and delicious!!!! I make at least 1-2 of your receipes a week, and love them all!!!! Thanks for makeing eating healthier alot easier for me and my family!!

  176. This receipe was sooo good!! I used roasted peppers instead. Yum! It is def going in the rotation!

  177. I made these last night and they were amazing! They were so fililng and delicious I can't believe they were only 4 points. I served them with a side salad with a basic vinaigrette. My enviably skinny and slightly particular husband ate two and a half! Thank you for sharing all your recipes, Gina. I have been using them for a year and we really enjoy them. I feel infintely better about what I am serving my family. And that homemade quick marinara…magical! Also on the menu this week: your Chicken Rollatini, your Arroz Con Pollo and your Chicken Enchiladas. Its a Skinnytaste Week!

  178. OMG!!! I did love this and so did my whole family. This was one of the best recipes you have done and I have made a ton of yours (love them all) and I cant wait to make this one again. I felt like I was a chef…and just had some amazing speciality dish at my favorite resturant. Great job on this one. Thanks so much.

    Kim

  179. I made these last night and they were DELICIOUS!! Quick question…any thoughts on the best way to reheat leftovers?

  180. Made this tonight and it was so good!! I did use ground venison instead of the turkey sausage. We have plenty on hand and it has lower points than most commercial brands of turkey sausage. I am hoping that my son doesn't like it so that my husband and I can have the leftovers later in the week. Oops! Did I say that out loud???? Thanks for a great recipe!
    Julie in WI

  181. Thank you for another great idea of what to do with all the zucchini in my garden! I used Sweet Chicken Italian Sausage from Trader Joe's (for others looking for somewhere to buy) and added fresh basil and red pepper flakes (in with the onion mixture) for a little extra spice.

  182. Made this with turkey sausage tonight, it was AMAZING. Absoultely nothing left after dinner, was gobbled up quickly with many chants of- "make this again!"
    – Sarah
    Hungry in Austin

  183. Hey Gina:

    I love your blogs! I have been using your recipes for the past three weeks and i've loved every moment of it. Whenever I cook something new, I post it on Facebook and it drives my friends crazy 🙂 my husband and our three year old loves all th dishes I have made using your recipes.

    I do have to swear by the Jennie O turkey sausage as well – it is absolutely fantastic with this recipe.

    Thank you again for ll that you do.

    Nikę

  184. How are these as leftovers? I'm debating about making the full recipe or cutting it in half. Don't want any to go to waste if they don't re-heat well. Thanks!

  185. hello…. Im really new at cooking and I want to know how long do I have to preheat the oven or how do I know the oven is ready….
    thanks!!!!!

  186. Made this over the weekend and it gets 4 thumbs up from my daugher and me. I was even thinking you could use jalapeno sausage and corn and salsa and jack cheese to make it with a Mexican twist but the way Gina has it was perfect too. One note – there was a ton of water in the pan when I removed the foil so next time I will vent the foil just a little bit with a few slits. This one is going on our permanent meal rotation! Can't wait for the leftovers tonight!!!!!

  187. Made this with eggplant last night b/c the zucchini in our local Whole Foods was so tiny I thought it might be hard to stuff. Anyway, made it exactly as the recipe stated, just with eggplant – only needed to bake 40 min though and it was DELICIOUS. My husband and I devoured it. I doubled the filling since we had a large eggplant and it was perfect. Instead of the chopped tomatoes on top I put a little homemade tomato sauce and sprinkled parm cheese on top. It was out of this world. Still want to try with zucchini when I can find them a little bigger but this was amazing.

  188. I made these over the weekend using fresh garlic and zucchini from my garden. I also used turkey sausage. They were AMAZING! I stated a lifestyle change in January and have been using this site for receipes, ideas and tips. I'm down 50 lbs… back to college weight!!!

  189. Made these tonight and LOVE them!! Another one of your recipes I'll be cooking again and again! Thank you!

  190. Made these with organic italian sausage from my local co-op… zucchinis from my farmers market. They are SO AMAZING! I LOVE THEM! Thank you!

  191. I made these last night using the little round eight ball zucchini…really cute presentation and so, SO delicious! This is my first time commenting but I have made many of your recipes, MANY times. Thank you Gina!

  192. I'm a fairly new reader of your blog but I've already made several of your recipes! All wonderful!

    I just made these today – I did everything up to the cheese and then put them in the fridge covered and I'll bake them tonight for dinner. I added a good handful of fresh chopped basil to the filling and oh my, did it taste awesome!! I can't wait to eat the finished product – I'm sure it will knock our socks off 😉

  193. This is delicious! Admittedly I had to change the recipe a bit as am in the UK, but it was great – thank you!

  194. I loved it, it seems easy, and looks delicious. I want it right now!
    Thanks for sharing it. Have an excellent weekend!! 😀

  195. I made these for my teenagers and we all loved it…I used ground turkey instead of the sausage because my daughter does not like sausage and they were great. I "advertised" it to them as a version of stuffed shells with the zucchini in place of the pasta. We loved it. Will definitely be making this again & Again! Thanks

  196. Avatar photo
    Jennistarbrite

    Gina would the points be about the same if I made turkey sausage from scratch the way you have it in a recipe on here (the kale and turkey sausage cannellini soup one)? I LOVE making my own since I can control the fat content and spices. so your recipe is a go-to in our home.

  197. Made this last night exactly as you suggested and it was DELICIOUS!!!!! Baked it in the grill instead of the oven. The Al Fresco chicken sausage does not crumble up as easily as regular, so next time I'll crumble it up more before cooking the sausage. There will be many more "next times"!

  198. OMG! Made these for dinner with friends!!! They were out of this world delicious! I could not find the chicken sausage so used Jennie-O sweet italian turkey sausage brand. I think if I had made more they would have been eaten by the guys!!! Served with a green salad and homemade bread sticks.

    The zucchini were easy to put together and a perfect "boat" for the sausage stuffing!

    yummmmmyyyyy!!!!!

  199. This was fantastic!! My husband loved it too. Gina, I LOVE your website. Thank you for creating it and keeping it going………
    Janie in NV

  200. I made these tonight and I liked them, but my fiancé who eats EVERYTHING wasn't a huge fan and said the zucchini was way too rubbery! I don't know if the problem was I didn't scoop enough of the flesh out, or they needed more than the 35 minutes. I think I will def give this a try again with the eggplant though! As mentioned in previous posts I used the shady brook farms hot Italian turkey sausage (which really isn't hot!) and the filling was great!

  201. These tasted great. I had a LOT of water come out of the squash when cooking in the pan and after baking – is that normal? Should I perhaps drain the mixture before stuffing? Not a big deal but it just seemed like a really large amount of water.

  202. OH MY!!!! These were absolutely FANTASTIC!!! We have a garden full of summer squash, and we made these the other night….believe it or not we had left-overs ~~ and I am SOOOOO looking forward to eating those left-overs tonight!!! YUMMMMMMM!!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  203. This was so so yummy!!! The whole family loved! I used Jenny o spicy sausage. I will make this again and again!

  204. I made half of the recipe of this tonight with veggie sausage. Very good, I wish I made more for leftovers.

  205. Made these last night Gina and my boyfriend ate 3!!!! Another one of our friends who joined us didnt know the menu and it turned out he didnt like zucchini.. after this one, he is a fan! he ate 2 =)

    Thanks for everything you do!
    Katie

  206. OMG!! Gina, thank you so much for this website. I literally cook something new and healthy everyday off of your website and you often talk about how your picky teen even likes it, well my fiancé is the same way and he loves your recipes. I just made this dish last night and it was to die for, he was so iffy about it and was sticking his nose up and then he couldn’t get enough lol. It tastes so good even the next day just re-heated in the microwave. I have lost over 70lbs now and honestly your website is truly a life saver. Diet food typically gets so boring and I felt like I was constantly eating salads which don’t get me wrong can be good like your coconut chicken and warm honey vinaigrette salad, but plain salads get so boring. I just really appreciate all of your hard work in putting these wonderful dishes together for all of us; so again thank you so much and keep up the awesome job you do.

  207. Made these last night with zucchini and bell peppers from our garden! I stuffed both, and they turned out great!! I used a spicy Italian chicken sausage I got from Whole Foods. And I made brushetta for appetizer, also with tomatoes from our garden. SO GOOD!! Thanks for another great recipe.

  208. I made these last night and they were amazing! My boyfriend doesn't even like zucchini but he loved this! Thanks for the easy to follow recipe!

  209. Gina, could you do everything but the final baking a few hours before and refrigerate until they are ready to cook?

    1. I put this dish together last night and just popped into the oven this morning. I will let you know how it turns out. It sure smells delicious!

  210. Words can not describe my love for these. I made them last night and they were SO terrific! They were pretty simple to make, and one os the best foods I have made from Skinnytaste! A must! Thanks so much!

  211. I filled up my zucchini with tempeh and chopped mushrooms that I had sauted in garlic. Kept it vegetarian and they were sooo good!

    1. Avatar photo
      Vegan Canuk Brown

      Great idea! I am going to try that and will even change the mozzarella for Diya….keep it vegan.

  212. I made these last night and they were delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe. I check your site daily. There are such great healthy meal ideas here!

  213. I live in Oregon and zucchini are very prolific here if it is a good garden year. It seems this year is. I make these or a similar variation often. A quick, low cal, delicious dinner; complete with a green salad and we are happy campers around here.

  214. Thanks for the chicken sausage tips, to you, and a few of your Commenters! I am going to look for Al Fresco or Premio chicken sausage; and another couple of girls said to try Jenny-O Chicken Italian Sausage. I also used your 'pin it' button for this recipe… I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to YOU, Gina. 🙂
    http://pinterest.com/gavincent/skinnytaste-gina-s-recipes/
    Best,
    Gloria

  215. Made this last night! It was a definite hit for family dinner night. We used regular zucchini and grey squash; they were both wonderful. Yellow squash might be too flimsy. Thank you for this skinny version!

  216. These look delish! Thanks Gina. If any of you are near Stop & Shop, they have their own brand of chicken sausage–they are very good–I am fussy about sausage, but I love them.

    1. Thanks, Pat! (if you see this!) I have Stop & Shop near me, and I will try their chicken sausage brand.
      Best,
      Gloria

  217. I've never really had zucchini, but this recipe looks fabulous! This might be a stupid question…you can eat the skin/peel, right? Or do you just scoop out the insides?

  218. Love these! Thank you! I've done taco boats, too. Lean ground turkey, taco seasoning & jack cheese.

  219. Hmmm, this might be just the dish to get my husband to eat zucchini! Thanks Gina. And can I just say, you are so incredibly sweet. Thank you for being you!

  220. If we don't have time to make the quick sauce (i know, i know, it's quick), do you have a bottled sauce you prefer with this?

    1. Avatar photo
      Gina @ Skinnytaste

      If you can find Tuttoroso crushed tomatoes, you can use them, you won't have to do anything to it.

      I don't buy jar sauce so I can't recommend a brand.

  221. Avatar photo
    Stacy Ann Samilal-Parsons

    These look yummy and I can't wait to try it. Also, what would you serve along with it if anything?

    Thanks,
    Stacy

  222. Anyone have thoughts on trying this with Eggplant? I will try the zucchini for sure, but I LOVE eggplant in Italian inspired dishes so my mind goes there right away. Would the prep be the same? Or maybe skipping the blanching step?

  223. Yum! I can't get the uncooked Al Fresco chicken sausages in my area, but I may be able to find a good turkey sausage to do this with. If not, well, I guess I'll just be buying ground turkey and mixing it with fennel seed, garlic, herbs, and crushed red pepper!

  224. As a vegetarian, I think I will try a veggie sausage and see how it works. My question though is would this freeze? I'm trying to come up with some recipes for back to school that I can prepare this summer for the freezer. Thanks in advance!

    1. This is a good idea. I'm going to try a veggie sausage. Lean beef is fine but I want it to be more sausagey.

    2. For a veggie version I use orzo or quinoa and mix a little sauce with the mixture so it isn't too dry. I also just pop the zucchini in the oven for five minutes before stuffing instead of blanching. I never thought to use sausage so thank you Gina for bringing this wonderful idea and recipe to my attention!

    3. Thanks for the ideas of orzo or quinoa! What about freezing? Do you think that would be a good or bad idea?

    4. Anonymous, THANK YOU for the tip of putting the zucchini in the oven instead of blanching. That saves dirtying a pot!

    5. Alicia, I think if I were going to freeze it I would freeze just the filling and use fresh zucchini and add the cheese. Last time I made it I didn't have orzo or quinoa do I used couscous and it was good. I added some chopped artichoke hearts and breadcrumbs. I think I said I put the zucchini in the oven for five mins but I mistyped, it's 10 mins

  225. Gina,
    Thank you for another delicious recipe. I love the premio chicken sausage and if you live on long island they always have them in King Kullen. I buy them weekly and make your chicken sausage pasta and escarole recipe (my family loves it.
    Thank you. Annie

  226. I'm looking forward to trying this, my local farmer's market sells various varieties of sausages – chicken, turkey, beef, pork.

  227. Any ideas on something skinny to use in the place of chicken sausages? I can't eat chicken, turkey or salmon (all previously mentioned). I'd like something that is still "skinny".

    1. You could always try the ground Boca brand "meat". It is super light, and with enough seasonings, I think you could pull it off!

    2. I'm about to try these with hot Italian bison sausage! You can get the bison sausage from gunpowder trading (they will ship), look them up. Bison is even more lean than chicken!

    3. Avatar photo
      alimentarykitchen

      Ohh Bison would be good! We have relatively easy access to it here in Vancouver so if you can find it, it'd be a good substitute!

    4. Avatar photo
      Thurman Dawell Criswell

      I'm thinking mushrooms finely chopped and sauteed with the onions and garlic would be very good.

  228. Just buy Johnsonville sweet sausage and open it up and take out the sausage and use it in the receipe -works great and they have it in any grocery store.

  229. Looks awesome! My mother-in-law grows zucchini in her vegetable garden and is always giving us some. Thank you for a new recipe to try!

  230. Avatar photo
    My Journey With Candida

    Those zucchini boats look wonderful.

    Link up your zucchini recipe here. http://myjourneywithcandida.blogspot.com/2012/07/link-up-your-zucchini-recipe-recipes.html

  231. Woo Hoo you have done it again. Thanks Gina, for taking the time and effort into working out these recipes to be healthy and still so yummy. Hubby just picked 7 zucchini from the garden, and I thought what am I going to make. This recipe solved that problem. 2 Thumbs up, make that 4 hubby included his. 🙂

  232. Sounds awesome..and am sure this would not be AS good but you could also use ground chicken instead of sausage…just sayin cuz where I live we have no lean sausage…just the really good fatty kind…. lol….

    1. Avatar photo
      Gina @ Skinnytaste

      What I usually do in that case, is saute 1 link of sausage with 3/4 lb lean ground chicken or sausage. It will be wonderful and light!

  233. Making this for dinner tomorrow night!!! My mother in law just gave me a zuchinni from her garden. It may be too big for this. It is about 2 ft long (no joke). I wonder if I can just hollow out half of it and do one large baked zuchinni and cut that into portions?

    1. This is a good use for a large zucchini because once they get big, they get more tough and a bit less sweet. So, this will be a nice way to mask the flavor a bit.

  234. Gina,
    Do the Tuttorosso tomatoes you use have basil? I can't find any that aren't labeled with basil and wanted to get the correct can for your marinara sauce.

    Thanks!

  235. Made this for dinner and it was absolutely delicious!!! My picky daughter thought it was really good and even my husband who thinks chicken sausage is disgusting, went back for seconds! Thank you for your amazing website. You have definitely helped me become a better cook, thank you!!

  236. I don't think Gina is claiming to have invented a recipe. She took a recipe that is usually filled with fat and calories and made it skinny. I am grateful for that and can't wait to make this. It looks delicious!

    1. Avatar photo
      Gina @ Skinnytaste

      Thanks Marla. It seems anything I can think up in my head has probably been done before, but that's ok, we all make it different I'm sure!

    2. Gina, one of the things I really enjoy about your blog, besides the amazingly awesome recipes, is how nice you are:) You are a good example of kindness and respect. Thanks for that too!

  237. Sorry, but you didn't invent anything in your head. This has been an Italian staple for generations. Stuffed zucchini at every holiday.

    1. I don't think she was trying to INVENT anything. Basically the whole website is recipes remade into a healthier version. She didn't say "OMG HEY GUYS I MADE UP THIS AWESOME DISH!!!1!"

      Reading comprehension is a cool thing. Plus Gina's version looks awesome and I'm sure everyone reading it is grateful for a healthier version of a delicious dish.

    2. Gina is awesome… I check out this site daily… And my kids arteries are not clogged because of all these low fat recipes!

    3. Avatar photo
      Gina @ Skinnytaste

      Oh yes, I didn't re-invent the wheel, I actually have a much older recipe for stuffed zucchini on this site. This preparation is simply a new idea I had. Figures it's been done before but I'm sure everyone has a different method for how they make it and I bet they aren't skinny.

    4. Thanks for your hard work listing all your recipies and taking pictures so we know what they should look like! Sure, some may have been done already in some form or another (rolls eyes) but its wonderful to have you to make the healthy changes AND test them out for us. Thats priceless! Thank you for all you do!

    5. This is a fantastic site, I use continually…everyone has an opinion, however I've been raised, if you can't say anything nice, keep it to yourself….Awesome job Gina, it's great going in your site, keep posting, I never get tired of re invented recipes….haven't found. ONE I didn't loooooove!!! from this old nana….:-)

  238. Avatar photo
    Anh Thu Nguyen

    These look amazing!!! I love zucchini and especially love low carb recipes as I am looking for tasty healthy recipes to eat while I prepare for my first bodybuilding competition. You always have the best recipes! I can't wait to try this one this week!

  239. I've had this before, but yours looks so good I want to lick my screen! Definitely making this this week!!!

  240. Gina you never cease to amaze me! I literally just a few hours ago starting searching for a stuffed zucchini recipe and for the first time saw zucchini boats. I found one I was considering but was a little concerned with fat content. Then I come to your site and BAM!! You have a recipe for zucchini boats!! Yours look so much better than the ones I found on the other site. Will be making for tomorrow's dinner.

  241. This looks delicious! I am having a hard time adjusting to gluten free and it get's frustrating. My husband and I both love zucchini so we will try this one! Hopefully our girls love it too.

    1. Avatar photo
      alimentarykitchen

      Shameless plug if Gina doesn't mind www.alimentarykitchen.wordpress.com All Gluten Free healthy meals and some baking. I too struggled with a gluten free diet in the beginning but after a short period of time it became second nature. You can do it too!

  242. Avatar photo
    The Mac's House

    Ok made this tonight and it was amazing! Thanks so much for sharing. I'm finding some great recipes on this site! Love it!

  243. Wondering why the need to blanch the zucchini first? I would think they would get cooked enough in the oven.

    1. Made this tonight and did not blanch them and turned out great! Can't imagine it being any tastier!

  244. these look great, do you think they would freeze well if you made a large batch and froze individual portions?

    1. I freeze these every summer for winter consumption. These are also great using salmon instead of sausage.

    2. I am still caught on the baked or unbaked freezing? I am in desperate need of an answer as I will FOR SURE be craving these for weeks after I make them.

  245. I do these with spaghetti squash, but when I was craving that dish last week I couldn't find one at the store… plus I'd rather use SUMMER squash in the summer! I didn't even think to do this, but I love it! Thanks!

  246. I would love to make this for my husband (I don't like zucchini).. but it looks like the Al Fresco fresh sausage isn't sold anywhere within a 50 mile radius of where I live in NJ!! 🙁 I've seen the pre-cooked ones, but I thought they were kinda gross.. I really wish I could find the fresh sausage somewhere..

    1. Avatar photo
      Gina @ Skinnytaste

      I also found a Premio chicken sausage that is incredible! See if you can find that, I honestly have to travel to different supermarkets to find them but it's worth it.

    2. Just my opinion….. but, Jennie-O turkey Italian sausages (the big ones)are yummy. I love the flavor of the spicy Italian. Great for soups and sauces.

    3. I agree Bonnie….I use the Jennie – O spicy Italian sausage all the time and it's available at my local grocery. Cindy, there aren't any vendors that carry the Al Fresco near me either. Give the Jennie-O a try! Can't wait to use up some of the zucchini from my husband's garden! Thanks again Gina!

    4. I also live in NJ and I can get Al Fresco in our local Shoprite stores. It is in the case where the organic meats and poultry are.

    5. I've had the Jennie-o turkey sausage.. not crazy about. I prefer the Shady Brook farms brand.. but the Al Fresco flavors look delicious. I'll have to look for the Premio chicken sausage.

    6. Archer Farms at SuperTarget has some awesome chicken Italian sausage, which I like better than turkey Italian anyway. (But then I've never tried Al Frescoe!)

    7. Avatar photo
      Sherry McGuire

      I also live in NJ. If you have the store Wegmans near you, I think they sell the Al Fresco brand.

  247. This looks delicious! I love zucchini, but my husband would prefer the stuffing in a green pepper. Do you think I could bake them together in the same pan at the same cooking time? Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes. I check your site daily!

  248. Avatar photo
    Ellen B Cookery

    This recipe looks so good! I love zucchini and love experimenting with different ways of cooking them.