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Do you feel like you’re missing out on Taco Tuesday because you started to cut back on your carbs? Well, feel that way no more! I have a stuffed zucchini taco boat recipe that you’re gonna love. Hello taco Tuesday, low carb edition!
Just about everyone loves tacos! I could eat tacos every day! Breakfast tacos, dinner tacos and dessert tacos make me happy but unfortunately, they contain a lot of carbs.
This is a great way to enjoy your favorite taco fillings with no extra carbs added. The carbs/sugar in this meal come from the vegetables and beans. Why are beans in this recipe, you ask? Because beans are a healthy carbohydrate, but you can omit them if following a strict keto diet. They are also good for your heart, so the song goes.
Taco boats are low carb and can easily be adapted to follow a vegetarian or keto diet. Switch out the ground beef for turkey, chicken or vegetarian “beef” crumbles to lower the fat. If on a keto diet, you can lessen the amount of onion and tomatoes to help with the amount of carbs. I would not suggest omitting them altogether though.
These tasty boats are perfect for meal prepping and make a healthy and satisfying lunch option. They reheat well in the microwave and are good for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. If you happen to have leftover filling, then add it to scrambled eggs or in a taco salad.
What is a zucchini taco boat?
Zucchini taco boats are hallowed out zucchinis stuffed with meat, beans and tomatoes then topped with cheese. You will need to scoop out the seeds and flesh of the halved zucchini. The trick here is to add salt and let them rest for 30 minutes. Salting the zukes draw out a good bit of the moisture and will give you a firmer zucchini. Dab the zucchini with paper towels to remove excess moisture. The longer you salt them, the more water is removed. If done correctly, zucchini boats can be eaten by hand much like a taco.
I top mine with creamy salsa dip. Just mix equal parts sour cream and salsa with a few drops of hot sauce.
CHECK OUT SOME OF MY OTHER ZUCCHINI BOAT RECIPES!
Keto options
- Remove beans from recipe
- Lessen tomato products
- Lessen amount of onion or omit and use onion powder
Gluten Free
Zucchini taco boats are naturally gluten free, just make sure there’s no hidden gluten in your salsa, beans or spice mixtures
Vegetarian Option
- Replace beef with Vegan meat crumbles/ tofu crumbles
- Use vegan cheese
CHECK OUT MY OTHER RECIPES!
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TACO BOATS
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef lean
- ½ cup Onion diced
- 1 tsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Black beans canned
- ¼ cup Tomatoes see note
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Oregano dry
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Cilantro fresh
- ½ cup Shredded cheese cheddar, Colby jack
Instructions
- Clean zucchini and cut in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the center making sure to leave enough space (well) to load ingredients into.
- Place zucchini on a towel and sprinkle with salt, let sit for 30 minutes. Using a paper towel, remove excess moisture from zucchini.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix cumin, chili powder, coriander, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef (or meat of your choice) and drain off excess fat.
- Add onion to ground meat and sauté about 5 minutes. Add spice mixture and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomato products and black beans, simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add chopped cilantro.
- Place dried zucchini on a foil lined baking pan and fill with the ground beef mixture, top with shredded cheese
- Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
