You can’t go past Grilled Caprese Stuffed Zucchini Boats for an easy, guilt-free summer appetizer. This recipe is fun, highly addictive and just like Italian pizza but without the bread!
This recipe is all kinds of fun and whether you’ve got a glut of zucchini to use up or are just looking for a tasty side dish for a barbecue then you’ll love this keto grilled zucchini recipe.
It can be hard to keep your vegetable intake up while eating low-carb and this recipe really delivers a veggie hit!
Grab our 100 Ketogenic Diet Food List (free PDF) for a detailed list of low-carb vegetables.
It’s so easy to make and is ready to serve up in less than 30 minutes.
Stuffed zucchini is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables, in case you needed any more convincing! If your kids like pizza, then they will surely love Caprese Stuffed Zucchini Boats!!
Of course, you could customize the zucchini to suit their favorite pizza flavors and really persuade them. Skip the pesto and add some chopped ham and grape tomatoes on top of the mozzarella and parmesan for a kid-friendly version.
They’ll be wolfing down zucchini before you know it!
Grilled Caprese Stuffed Zucchini Boats would with go perfectly with Simple Grilled Chicken Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette or Grilled Salmon Kabobs.
Do you grill zucchini with the skin on?
Yes. The only reason to peel the skin is if the zucchini is waxed to preserve shelf life.
The skin can be bitter on larger and older zucchini so look for zucchini that is about 4-6 inches long (10-15cm).
How long does it take to cook zucchini on the grill?
Zucchini (sliced lengthwise, with skin on) takes from 10-15 minutes to cook on the grill, depending on the heat level.
How do you make stuffed zucchini or zucchini boats?
- Preheat your grill to 375°F (190°c). This is a medium heat. Wash and dry the zucchini.
- Cut off the ends of the zucchini and use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds. This creates a nice groove in the center of the zucchini where you can place tasty fillings. Try not to scrape out the section at both ends of the zucchini. That way, the fillings won’t spill out the ends. (Image 2)
- Brush the cut side of the zucchini with olive oil and place skin side up on the grill to cook for 10-12 minutes. Test with a fork or sharp knife for tenderness. When the knife goes in easily, they are cooked.
- While the zucchini is cooking, prepare the fillings. Grab some pesto (store-bought or homemade), mozzarella (sliced or shredded) and shredded parmesan cheese. Slice the grape tomatoes in half and snip some fresh basil leaves. Have your toppings assembled and ready to place into the zucchini wells.
- Turn over the zucchini when it’s cooked (10-12 minutes) and place it on a grill safe pan or onto foil to avoid the toppings falling into the grill. Spread the pesto equally along each zucchini. Add the cheeses and tomatoes on top of the pesto and grill until the cheese is melted and gooey (3-4 minutes). The other way to finish this dish is to remove the cooked zucchini onto a plate and add the toppings there. Place the zucchini with toppings back onto the grill (onto foil) or onto the hot plate (without foil), if your barbecue has one to finish cooking. Sprinkle the zucchini boats with slivers of basil.
Cooking tips and tricks for Grilled Caprese Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- You can place zucchini on a grill safe pan or foil before adding toppings to keep the cheese from dripping into the grill
- Alternatively, remove cooked zucchini to a plate and add toppings there. Place back on the grill (using grill safe pan or foil) or place zucchini onto a hot plate if your barbecue has one. This avoids having to worry about using foil as any drips can be easily cleaned up on a hot plate.
- How to cook in the oven – place zucchini with seeds scooped out onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add the toppings and bake, uncovered at 350°F (175°c) for 25-30 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
- Zucchini boats can be cooked on a grill pan on the stovetop – cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes or until zucchini is soft when you stick a fork into it. Flip and add topping ingredients and continue to cook until melted.
- Zucchini boats can be easily customized to suit your tastes or individuals in your family. Anything goes really, as long as you have some cheese to melt. Think olives, bell peppers, thinly sliced mushrooms etc. While this is a vegetarian version, cooked meat could also be added eg. cooked ground beef, ham, turkey, pepperoni. Anything you would add to a pizza works well.
- Learn more about grilling temperatures
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★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Grilled Caprese Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini squash
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup pesto sauce
- 2 oz fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves slivered for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190c)
- Cut ends from zucchini and slice in half lengthwise
- Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and make a well
- Brush cut side of zucchini with olive oil
- Place cut side down on the preheated grill for 10-12 minutes until squash becomes fork tender
- Flip zucchini and add pesto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and parmesan cheese to wells
- Grill until melted, about 3-4 minutes
- Remove from grill and garnish with fresh basil slivers
Notes
★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
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Simple Grilled Chicken Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
these look so fabulous and perfect for summer barbecues or garden parties
Yes – they are great for summer backyard parties 🙂
I super love zucchini boats. It’s fun to make, easy to prep, and best when grilled. And who doesn’t love low-carbs meal
Glad you love them 🙂
This looks like a fun way to eat zucchini and get some extra veggies in!
Yes – it a fun recipe and very family friendly!
Caprese stuffed zucchini boats look so tempting. Great as a side dish. Like the idea of adding pesto to make it more flavorful.
Yes – the pesto takes the flavor to the next level.
These stuffed zucchini boats look great. I love the combination of pesto with tomatoes and mozzarella!
They are delicious 🙂
So much yes! I love caprese and these are perfect! I have zucchini in the fridge and hope to try these asap!
I hope you love them – it’s a popular way to use up extra zucchini 🙂
This sounds like a great summer side dish, and would go great with a grilled steak. Like recipes with zucchini. Pinning for later, thanks for sharing!
Yes – I love Caprese zucchini boats with a grilled steak – it’s perfection!
This time of year you cannot have too many zucchini recipes. Stuffing them is awesome. Perfect to take to BBQ parties.
So true – these are the ultimate BBQ food!
I love your snack, full of vegetable which with pesto and mozzarella will taste delicious. Well done.
Yes – it is really delicious! It’s a great snack or side dish.