Some recipes just make sense.
You have a vegetable that practically begs to be hollowed out, a filling that comes together in one pan, and a meal that somehow feels both light and satisfying at the same time.
That’s exactly what these Mediterranean Turkey Stuffed Zucchini boats provide!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It comes together fast. You can have everything prepped, stuffed, and in the oven in under 20 minutes — which makes it a genuinely realistic weeknight option.
The flavor is bold without being complicated. Sun-dried tomatoes bring a concentrated, slightly sweet punch, the feta adds a salty creaminess, and the oregano ties it all together in a way that feels unmistakably Mediterranean.
It’s also incredibly versatile. Don’t have feta? Goat cheese works. Want to add spinach or olives? Go for it. The base recipe is solid enough to handle whatever you throw at it.
And cleanup is minimal. One skillet for the filling, one baking dish — that’s it.
Ingredients
For the zucchini boats:
- 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking dish or sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about a ¼-inch border. Set the scooped flesh aside — you’ll use it in the filling.
Brush the zucchini boats with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them cut-side up in your baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. This step keeps them from getting soggy once stuffed.
While the zucchini pre-bakes, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink — about 5–6 minutes.
Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the reserved zucchini flesh, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until most of the moisture has cooked off.
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in half of the feta cheese. The residual heat will soften it just enough to bring everything together.
Spoon the filling generously into each pre-baked zucchini boat. Top with the remaining feta.
Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the tops are golden.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately. A squeeze of lemon over the top before serving is optional but highly recommended.
Tips & Variations
Don’t skip the pre-bake. That 10-minute head start on the zucchini makes a big difference. It draws out moisture before the filling goes in so you don’t end up with watery boats.
Squeeze out the zucchini flesh. After scooping it out, give it a quick squeeze in a paper towel to remove excess water before adding it to the filling.
Add olives or roasted red peppers to the filling if you want to push the Mediterranean flavors even further.
Make it ahead. You can prep and stuff the zucchini up to a day in advance, keep them covered in the fridge, and bake when ready. Add 5 extra minutes to the bake time if going straight from cold.
Print
Mediterranean Turkey Stuffed Zucchini
Ground turkey gets packed with sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta, and oregano, then stuffed into tender zucchini boats and baked until golden.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (8 zucchini boats) 1x
Ingredients
For the zucchini boats:
- 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking dish or sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about a ¼-inch border. Set the scooped flesh aside — you’ll use it in the filling.
- Brush the zucchini boats with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them cut-side up in your baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. This step keeps them from getting soggy once stuffed.
- While the zucchini pre-bakes, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink — about 5–6 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the reserved zucchini flesh, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until most of the moisture has cooked off.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in half of the feta cheese. The residual heat will soften it just enough to bring everything together.
- Spoon the filling generously into each pre-baked zucchini boat. Top with the remaining feta.
- Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and the tops are golden.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately. A squeeze of lemon over the top before serving is optional but highly recommended.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
