Turkey Taco Zucchini Boats

A weeknight dinner that doubles as a vegetable, this taco-spiced zucchini boat layers lean ground turkey and sautéed peppers, onion and tomato over a tender zucchini shell, then finishes with melted cheese and fresh avocado. It is filling, colorful and endlessly adaptable — swap in whatever grain and peppers you have on hand and let everyone top their own. It comes together in one skillet plus the oven, making it as friendly to a busy weeknight as it is to a relaxed weekend.

Watching your sodium? Reach for a low-sodium taco seasoning, or make your own with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and oregano so you control the salt.

This recipe comes from ChristianaCare’s Food Is Medicine program helping patients use food to manage their health.

Tip for the chef: When you scoop out the zucchini seeds, leave most of the inner flesh in place — it keeps the boat sturdy enough to hold the filling without turning mushy in the oven.

Time saver: Use a microwavable pouch of pre-cooked brown rice or quinoa, or look for pre-diced onion and peppers in the produce section to cut your prep time.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil for your grain of choice and prepare it according to the package instructions.

2. Wash the zucchini, trim off both ends and slice each one lengthwise into equal halves. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds, keeping most of the inner flesh intact.

3. Lightly coat the zucchini flesh with olive oil spray. Bake or air fry for 12–15 minutes, until fork-tender but not mushy.

4. While the zucchini cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with olive oil spray. Add the onion, tomato, peppers and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes.

5. Add the ground turkey and cook until the vegetables are tender and the turkey is browned. Stir in the taco seasoning, bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat.

6. Assemble the boats: Add a small layer of grain to each zucchini half, top with 2–4 ounces of the turkey-and-vegetable mixture, and sprinkle with low-fat shredded cheese.

7. Return the boats to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese melts and everything is heated through.

8. Top with sliced avocado and serve over a bed of romaine. Enjoy!

Serves: 2

Serving size: 2 zucchini boats

Nutrition