Stuffed Zucchini with Beef and Avocado

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe - made with spiced ground beef and topped with avocado!

When I met Daniel thirteen years ago, his idea of a vegetable was a side of french fries (to be fair, so was mine). Several years ago I made stuffed peppers for the blog and put the leftovers in the fridge. Daniel ate them at night after I had gone to bed and I woke up the next morning and I noticed there were two hollowed out peppers in the trash. I asked him why he didn’t eat the peppers and if there was something wrong with them. He said he didn’t realize you were supposed to eat them. He thought it was just a decorative way to serve them. I love this man.

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe - made with spiced ground beef and topped with avocado!

He’s come a long way since then, friends, let me tell you. And one of his favorite vegetables now is zucchini. We bake it, fry it, put it in salads, turn it into noodles (it’s like Bubba from Forrest Gump, if he grew up on a zucchini farm). I thought I’d recreate those stuffed peppers he liked using a zucchini. They’re easy to roast before stuffing and I find zucchini a little tastier than the peppers, but that’s me. I love how it tastes roasted, and the fact that it’s mild enough to let the spiced beef mixture shine :)

Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe - made with spiced ground beef and topped with avocado!

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe - made with spiced ground beef and topped with avocado!
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Stuffed Zucchini

I thought I’d replaced stuffed peppers with zucchini. They're easy to roast before stuffing and I find zucchini a little tastier than the peppers, but that's me. I love how it tastes roasted, and the fact that it's mild enough to let the spiced beef mixture shine :)
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef stuffed zucchini, stuffed zucchini, zucchini recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 352kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion finely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper any color, finely chopped
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 avocado pitted and diced

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and part of the flesh, leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell. Place the zucchini cut side-up on the baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, or until just tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and ketchup. Add the eggs and stir to combine with the beef mixture
  • Spoon the beef into the zucchini boats. Bake until warm throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with diced avocado and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 1323mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1700IU | Vitamin C: 80.4mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 4.7mg
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12 thoughts on “Stuffed Zucchini with Beef and Avocado

  1. Kate

    I’m confused – do you boil or bake the zucchini? Or both? If it’s already tender out of the oven, wouldn’t it turn to mush if you boiled it??

    Reply
  2. Jeanne

    Looks great! In your photo it looks like you have a chopped herb on top of the beef and avocado- parsley perhaps? What do you recommend? Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply
  3. Jennifer

    Yum!! My husband is the exact same way. I have hidden gifts (fancy chocolate bar or imported beer to try) for him under the vegetables in the veggie drawer and he’s not seen them! Can’t wait to try this. Thanks, Andie!

    Reply
  4. Robyn

    This is so yummy. I fry up the scooped out zucchini with the onion. I found it so creamy – no need for sour cream. Thanks – it will be a winner in my household.

    Reply
  5. Joni

    I tried this and it was yummy. The seasonings gave the beef a great flavor. If I wanted to swap out the beef and make it vegan, what would you suggest? Lentils maybe?

    Reply
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  7. Katrina

    So good! I sprinkled garlic powder on the cut/scooped zucchini before spraying it and baking it the first time. Followed the rest to the recipe, although I added lime juice and a pinch of salt to the cut avocado out of habit. :) My husband and devoured them.

    Reply
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