Italian Stuffed Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats

Looking for the perfect meal to serve for dinner? My Italian Stuffed Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats recipe is just what you need! This easy and low carb dish is loaded with lean ground turkey, delicious marinara sauce and tons of flavor! 

Original Post: May 2023 | Post Updated: April 2025

Trust me when I say I do in fact eat carbs, but I enjoy low carb dinners. One of my favorite things about this easy dinner is that it’s great for my entire family. The family has theirs with pasta and I have mine as is or with a salad. I can’t resist the flavorful filling and love that these are common ingredients I normally have in my fridge.

I love Italian food and this is a great way to enjoy the flavors without all the carbs. This is simply clean and delicious.

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Ingredients 

• Zucchini. Look for zucchini that are bigger in size so they will hold the  ground turkey mixture better. 
• Ground turkey. I recommend 93/7 as you want to keep some of the fat for flavor. 
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• White onion. Red or yellow onion and sweet onion can be used as substitutes. 
• Green bell pepper. Green peppers are my personal preference for this dish. Any bell pepper will work.
• Dried herbs and seasonings. I put together my own Zesty Italian Spice Blend for this but  any Italian seasoning is good. 
• Italian parsley. Fresh herbs are the finishing touch! 
• Shredded mozzarella cheese. A blend of parmesan cheese and mozzarella works too. 
• Marinara sauce. Opt for that doesn’t use added sugars.
• Nonstick spray.

How to make Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats 

Step One: Start with preheating your oven at 400 degrees F. 

Step Two: To make the turkey filling, grab a large skillet. Over medium heat, add about a tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is ready, add the green bell peppers and the diced onion. Let them cook for about 6-7 minutes or until they start to sweat their juices. 

Step Three: Add the ground turkey. Break it up with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Season with some salt and pepper and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Then add in the seasonings and continue to let the  cook turkey until it is brown, (about 10 minutes. For ground turkey, you want to make sure it fully cooked to 165 degrees F and no longer pink. 

Step Four:  Pour in the marinara sauce and add the parsley. Give it a stir and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. 

Step Five: While the meat mixture is finishing, start on prepping the zucchini. Cut the whole zucchini in half, lengthwise. Then scrape out the insides of the zucchini halves. Place the prepared zucchini boats inside the baking dish lined with parchment paper coated with non-stick cooking spray. 

Step Six: Add the turkey mixture to the boats. Place it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Once they are done, add the cheese and place back in the oven for a couple of more minutes to melt the cheese.

Storing and reheating

The best way to store leftovers is in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. These also freeze well. Make sure to use a freezer-safe container. Reheat in the microwave, on high for 1-2 minutes. 

Helpful Tips for Zucchini Boats With Ground Turkey

• Medium-sized zucchini is best for this recipe. Larger zucchinis will work too. 
• I recommend 93/7 ground meat as you want to keep some of the fat for flavor. If you use 99% fat free ground turkey, it is a bit dryer but will retain some moisture from the marinara sauce.
• Any kind of marinara will work here. I prefer Sonoma Heirloom Tomato sauce which is actually labeled for pizza sauce but is dang delicious in this recipe. 
• A baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a 9×13 baking dish can be used to bake the zucchini boats.
• Use a melon baller or spoon to scrape the inside of the zucchini.
• If making for meal prep, the meat and sauce mixture can be made the day before. The flavors will come together and be more vibrant! 

Pro Tip: Do you have a food processor? To make dicing your bell pepper and onion a breeze, throw it in the food processor on “chop” mode for about 5-7 seconds and let it do all the chopping for you! 

Variations

One thing you will love about ground turkey stuffed zucchini boats are the different ways you can enjoy them.  

• Keto turkey zucchini boats can be made by omitting the cheese and using sugar free tomato sauce or marinara. It can also be adjusted to Whole 30 or Paleo. 
• Lean ground beef, ground chicken or Italian sausage is yummy in this.
• Add in corn, black beans and some chili powder for a southwest stuffed boat or taco seasoning to make a Mexican inspired turkey zucchini boat. Top it with fresh cilantro, sour cream and cheddar cheese.
• Try meat lovers pizza boats by adding pepperoni or salami on top with marinara, black olives and melted cheese.
• Mediterranean flavors are good as well if you want to top with red bell peppers, feta and red onions similar to my Ground Turkey and Garbanzo Beans Stuffed Peppers and my Turkey Basil Burgers. 
• Easy zucchini boats can also be made vegan or vegetarian by omitting the meat. A mixture of beans such as garbanzo, black or red beans is so tasty!
• You can also use various veggies or crumbled tofu.