Pesto Turkey Spinach Zucchini Boats (Printable)
Zucchini halves stuffed with turkey, spinach and pesto, baked until golden and finished with fresh herbs.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium zucchini
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Meats
05 - 1 lb lean ground turkey
→ Pesto & Dairy
06 - 1/3 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
07 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
→ Fresh Herbs & Seasoning
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the centers, leaving about a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve 1/2 cup of the zucchini flesh and finely chop it.
03 - Place zucchini halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
05 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
06 - Stir in the reserved chopped zucchini flesh and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in basil pesto, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
08 - Spoon the turkey-spinach mixture evenly into the zucchini boats. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes, until zucchini is tender and cheese is golden and bubbling.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in under an hour, which means you can pull this off even on your most chaotic weeknights without breaking a sweat.
- The pesto does most of the heavy lifting for flavor, so you get a meal that tastes like you tried way harder than you actually did.
- It is naturally low carb and gluten free, which makes it a crowd pleaser even when everyone at the table is eating differently.
02 -
- If you scoop the zucchini shells too thin they will collapse during baking and you will end up with a tasty but very unattractive casserole situation instead of neat little boats.
- Do not skip resting the boats for those five minutes after baking because the filling holds together much better and you avoid burning the roof of your mouth on molten cheese.
03 -
- Sun dried tomato pesto is a phenomenal swap for basil pesto when you want to shake things up and it adds a tangy sweetness that pairs especially well with turkey.
- Salt the hollowed zucchini shells lightly and let them sit upside down on paper towels for ten minutes before filling, which draws out excess moisture and prevents the dreaded soggy bottom.