Oven-Baked Stuffed Zucchini with Ground Meat and Cheese
Original, very tasty and easy - like a little holiday every day! Grandma-style oven-baked stuffed zucchini with ground meat and cheese will brighten any table, festive or everyday. They’re simple and fairly quick to make - great for dinner. You can change the filling to your taste!
Updated : 19 December, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
400 grams
Ground meat
50 grams
Hard cheese
2
Zucchini
2
Tomato
2
Garlic
3 tablespoon
Butter
0.5 teaspoon
Cumin
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How to bake stuffed zucchini boats with ground meat and cheese in the oven? Couldn’t be easier! First, prepare the needed ingredients. You can use any ground meat - mixed pork and beef or just one type. I used lean ground beef with a small amount of fat. Choose zucchini with small seeds - fresh, not old or dried out. You can replace regular zucchini with zucchini (Italian-style green zucchini).
Step 2
Wash the zucchini well, pat dry, and cut lengthwise in half to make long “boats.” Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon without damaging the sides. The walls shouldn’t be too thin - at least 6-7 mm (about 1/4 inch). If they’re too thin, they may collapse and won’t hold the filling, or the zucchini may fall apart when you transfer it to a plate.
Step 3
Finely chop the zucchini flesh.
Step 4
Finely chop the garlic as well.
Step 5
Wash the tomatoes and cut into medium pieces. Choose ripe but firm tomatoes - they shouldn’t break down too much while simmering. You can replace regular tomatoes with cherry tomatoes - just cut them in half.
Step 6
Grate the simple fermented cheese on a medium grater.
Step 7
Heat the butter in a skillet. Add the ground meat and sauté, breaking up lumps, for about 7 minutes, until the meat darkens and excess moisture evaporates.
Step 8
Add the chopped zucchini flesh, tomatoes, and garlic to the meat. Simmer over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes, until excess liquid evaporates. If you want the tomatoes to keep their shape, add them a couple of minutes before the end of simmering.
Step 9
Season the filling with salt, pepper, add cumin, and mix well.
Step 10
Place the prepared zucchini boats into a parchment-lined baking dish.
Step 11
Fill the zucchini with the meat mixture.
Step 12
Sprinkle with the grated cheese on top. Put the zucchini into an oven preheated to 200°C (392°F) and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the cheese has melted. Enjoy your meal!
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