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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Thai Zucchini Boats

    Author: Peter Kolesnichenko · Published: Nov 25, 2015 · Modified: Aug 6, 2022

    Jump to Recipe
    Sweet Chili & Bacon Zucchini Boats
    squeezing lime for thai zucchini boats
    Thai Zucchini Boats Baking
    Thai Zucchini Boats Baking

    What's a Zucchini Boat?

    Zucchini Boats are zucchinis that are sliced in half, usually stuffed with meats and then baked in the oven. It's a tasty and fun way to enjoy zucchinis.

    Typically need a large zucchini to start. They don't sell giant zucchinis in stores for some reason. I suppose it's for commercial reasons, and they aren't as tender as small zucchinis. We grew up with zucchinis of all sizes, they grow so fast! I was excited to have a large zucchini growing in the garden. You might be able to buy them at a local farmer's market, but they are so incredibly easy to grow!

    A full grown zucchini or courgette is called marrow, which are also known as squash, courgette, summer squash, pattypan squash, so many names! You can use any of these, regardless of shape. Just cut them and half, and you're ready to go!

    Jumbo Zucchini Growing in Garden
    Empty Zucchini Boat Cavity

    Thai Fusion Recipe

    The first thing I think about when stuffing a large zucchini, is a classic meat loaf. This is like a Thai meatloaf. I'm on a Thai flavor kick, and incorporated it into a zucchini boat with ground beef recipe. This recipe is definitely not traditional Thai food, but very much Thai flavoured. The ginger and garlic, with cilantro, lime, chilli, and the secret to this dish, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce. So good together!

    Zucchini with Bacon

    What about the bacon on the Thai Zucchini Boats? No, not Thai at all, but oh so good when it caramelises at the end, oozing in a sticky Sweet Chilli Sauce, almost like a candied bacon.  Plus the bacon protects the meat from drying out, while adding a delicious flavour. Doesn't everything taste better with bacon? 🤣

    Thai Meatloaf Zucchini

    Making Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef

    To get started, slice a jumbo zucchini boat in half and scoop out the seeds and filling, creating a boat. Fry vegetables until they are caramelized. Then prepare the vermicelli noodles. Don't buy a rice vermicelli, but a bean vermicelli, as it holds its shape better. This recipe only needs a little bit, overcome the temptation to add more, because it will cause the meat to lose its shape.

    In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the fried vegetables, vermicelli and herbs. Fill the Zucchini boats with the thai beef mixture. Cover with bacon and Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce before baking. You can skip the bacon from this recipe, but my suggestions is that you give it a try, you'll probably like it!

    You'll Love These Recipes with Zucchini

    • Easy Grilled Zucchini
    • Quick Pickled Summer Squash
    • Italian Summer Minestrone
    • Summer Squash Stir Fry

    This recipe is like a Thai meatloaf stuffed zucchini. It isn't your ordinary Zucchini Boats with ground beef, it's a Sweet Chili & Bacon Wrapped Thai Zucchini Boat. Now that's a mouthful. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

    Thai Zucchini Boats
    Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef
    Sweet Chili & Bacon Zucchini Boats

    Thai Zucchini Boats

    Don't be stuck eating boring old Zucchini Meatloaf! Here's a fresh tasty way to eat zucchini boats, inspired by the flavours of Thailand. Thai Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef
    5 from 31 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Thai Fusion
    Keyword: thai zucchini boats, zucchini boat recipe, zucchini boats with ground beef

    Ingredients

    • 1 very large zucchini

    Frying Vegetables for Thai Beef Mixture

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 1 red chilli de-seeded and sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • small knob of ginger finely chopped
    • 1 carrot grated
    • 1 small red pepper finely diced

    Thai Beef Mixture

    • 2 oz /50g Bean Vermicelli Bean Thread Noodles
    • 1 lb /500g lean ground beef
    • 2 bunches cilantro chopped
    • small bunch Thai basil chopped
    • 1 lime zested and squeezed for juice
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoons light soy sauce
    • ⅓ cup Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce for beef mixture

    Thai Bacon Wrap

    • ½ lb /250g bacon optional
    • Thai sweet chilli sauce for basting

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C
    • Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Fry the onion, chillies, garlic and ginger until translucent and lightly cooked.
    • Add the grated carrot and red peppers and quickly fry together for about 3-4 minutes until they soften. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool.
    • In a bowl, prepare bean vermicelli in hot water according to instructions. Snip with scissors into pieces. Drain and set aside.
    • Prepare the giant zucchini. Slice in half lengthways. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the insides, leaving space about ½ inch from the edge, creating a boat. You can chop up the zucchini flesh and set aside to mix in with the beef mixture. (optional)
    • In a bowl, mix together ground beef, fried onion mixture, optional zucchini pieces, egg, lime juice and zest, cilantro, basil, fish sauce, soy sauce, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce and bean vermicelli.
    • Stuff the zucchini boats with the meat mixture and pack down together tightly. The meat mixture should be stuffed higher than the outside of the zucchini, creating a raised effect.
    • Layer strips of bacon across the top of the zucchini boat, and baste generously with Thai sweet chilli sauce.
    • Place on a baking tray and cover with foil and place into the oven for 50 minutes. At the 40 minute mark, check with a fork that zucchini is tender and soft, but not soggy, and that the middle of the meat is no longer pink. Using a thermometer, it should be at least 160°F/70°C If it's still hard or pink, baste and return to oven again for 10 minutes an check again and repeat if necessary until its cooked. The bacon only needs 10 minutes to crisp up or it will burn, so only remove the foil when the zucchini is cooked, remember, for the last 10 minutes only!
    Tried this recipe?Mention @petersfoodadventures or tag #petersfoodadventures!
    Don't be stuck eating boring old Zucchini Meatloaf! Here's a fresh tasty way to eat zucchini boats, inspired by the flavours of Thailand. Bacon Wrapped Thai Zucchini Boats
    Don't be stuck eating boring old Zucchini Meatloaf! Here's a fresh tasty way to eat zucchini boats, inspired by the flavours of Thailand. Bacon Wrapped Thai Zucchini Boats

    More Dinner Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Yvonne

      October 07, 2021 at 2:54 am

      Looks delicious. Is the ground beef cooked before mixing with other ingredients and placing into the oven? Or is it uncooked?

      Reply
      • Peter's Food Adventures

        October 07, 2021 at 11:40 pm

        Hi Yvonne, the ground beef is uncooked, only the vegetables are cooked for better flavor. It all gets mixed together and stuffed in the zucchini boat. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Bubba Cuppa

      April 30, 2016 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      Yummy! I made this for my family and it was a real hit! Loved it.

      Reply
      • PetersFoodAdventures

        April 30, 2016 at 11:05 am

        Wow, thanks very much for checking it out! So glad it was a hit! I love big home grown zucchinis!

        Reply
        • Laurie

          July 10, 2022 at 8:10 am

          My son just brought home an armload of big zucchini. This re I've looks awesome, might it hold up in the freezer?

          Reply
          • Peter Kolesnichenko

            July 10, 2022 at 12:21 pm

            Hi Laurie, I've never frozen these before, but zucchini boats can be frozen. The only concern is that after the raw zucchini defrosts, it gets very soft and can lose shape. Maybe try cooking them first, and then freezing it? Please let us know what you tried and how it worked 🙂

            Reply
    3. Chef Devaux

      November 29, 2015 at 8:39 am

      How I love this zucchini recipe. You made it so wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • PetersFoodAdventures

        November 29, 2015 at 9:09 am

        Thanks so much for checking it out!

        Reply
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    Peter's Food Adventures - where you'll find Russian recipes, Slavic and International favorites with some fun travel and cooking videos. A Russian Food Blogger.

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