Healthy, gluten-free recipe for Lasagna Stuffed Zucchini Boats! Using lean ground turkey flavored to taste just like your favorite crumbled Italian sausage. Low carb, low fat, & protein-packed
PREP ZUCCHINI BOATS: Preheat oven to 350. Wash zucchini and trim off ends. Cut in half lengthwise. Then using a sharp spoon, hollow out each zucchini half. Hold a half in one hand cutside up and using your other hand, angle the spoon pointed downward with the rounded bottom facing away from you. Use a scraping motion to whittle away at the center and remove the pulp. Scrape out the seeded middle section leaving about a ¼ ” all around - sides, ends, and bottom. Leave a wall all around that can contain the filling.
BAKE ZUCCHINI: Prep a baking sheet lined with foil and greased with olive oil. Place the zucchini boats side by side on the baking sheet with the cut side facing up. Placing them close together on a smaller baking sheet or in a baking dish will help them stay upright. Rub a little bit of olive oil onto the top of each zucchini, sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper, and place in oven. Bake for 30 min.
COOK “SAUSAGE” & VEGGIES: While the zucchini bakes, cook the ground turkey using a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic, cooking for about a minute stirring constantly. Then turn up to medium-high heat and add ground turkey with remaining spices and tomato sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until turkey is nearly cooked through. Stir constantly, using the back of a spatula or spoon to break up the meat into small pieces (like crumbled sausage). Add spinach and fold together until wilted and turkey is cooked through.
FILL ZUCCHINI BOATS: After boats have baked for 30 min, remove tray from oven. Set oven to broil (high). Place 1 tbs of tomato basil pasta sauce in each zucchini half. Then divide the filling up evenly among the boats (if you end up with extra filling, set aside and serve alongside later on). Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place tray back in the oven and broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and just beginning to turn golden brown on top.
Notes
You can use ground beef, pork, or chicken as preferred in place of ground turkey. Or you can use Italian sausage purchased from the store and just take it out of its casing and break up the meat in a pan with the back of a spoon until browned and cooked through.