Keto Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats
These keto cheeseburger zucchini boats are our favorite keto ground beef recipe! It’s the perfect easy weeknight summer meal at roughly 4.5 net carbs per serving.
Looking for a delicious way to satisfy your cheeseburger cravings while staying true to your keto lifestyle? These cheeseburger zucchini boats are the perfect solution! Packed with savory ground beef, melted cheese, and favorite burger toppings like ketchup and mustard, these low-carb delights offer a guilt-free twist on a classic favorite.
Not only are they easy to make, but they also deliver a satisfying combination of flavors and textures that will leave you feeling full and happy. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or hosting a fun dinner party, this zucchini recipe sure to impress everyone at the table! It’s naturally gluten-free and makes great use of summer sales and garden goods. You won’t even miss the bun!
Can’t get enough stuffed zucchini boats? Try our Mexican Zucchini Boats, this Chicken Bacon Ranch version, this one filled with buffalo chicken, or fall’s favorite chili cheese recipe!
Ingredients in Ground Beef Zucchini Boats
Here is an overview of what you will need to make these keto stuffed zucchini boats. Find exact measurements in the printable recipe card down below.
- Zucchini – You want firm, medium to medium-large zucchini, all relatively the same size so that they cook evenly.
- Ground beef – I used this for the most authentic burger flavor, but you could replace this with ground turkey, venison, bison, chicken, or even lamb if you prefer.
- Tomato paste, Mustard, Cream cheese, and Beef broth – This mixture add moisture and flavor, making sure each bite is juicy.
- Onion powder and Garlic powder – Basic seasonings, perfect for complementing the zucchini. Feel free to use a salt-free all-purpose blend if you prefer.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – You could use American cheese, gouda, havarti, pepper jack, whatever cheese you prefer on your burgers.
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium sized skillet, brown the ground beef and and drain off excess grease.
- Add tomato paste, mustard, cream cheese, broth and spices.
- Stir well and let the mixture simmer until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture thickens.
- Meanwhile, slice zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center (save the zucchini pulp for stir-fries or egg scrambles later).
- Place zucchini boats on a large baking sheet or baking dish and carefully spoon the cheeseburger mixture into the zucchini. Top with cheese.
- Bake minutes until the zucchini is fork tender.
What to serve with zucchini boats?
This simple meal can be served on its own, garnished with chopped fresh herbs or your favorite burger toppings (like diced tomato, shredded lettuce, avocado slices, or crumbled bacon). To stretch the meal further, consider a simple Tomato Avocado Salad or these Keto Biscuits to stay low-carb. Kid-friendly side dishes like Zucchini Chips or Green Bean Fries are also excellent with this family dinner!
Storage and Reheating
I believe that these are best served fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days if you like. Microwave (1-minute increments, 50% power) if you want, but I find that this makes them very soggy. Instead, I prefer to air fry (350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes) or bake (350 degrees for about 10 minutes, covered if the cheese is too browned).
Can I meal prep this recipe?
If meal prepping, you may want to just make the cheeseburger filling in advance and then wait to assemble the zucchini boats until you’re ready to bake them. You can even hollow out the zucchini ahead of time, place them in a ziplock bag with some paper towels, and chill them until ready to use (up to 5ish days)!
Tips for Making Keto Zucchini Boats
- Use the meat you prefer! This recipe works with nearly any ground meat, so choose one you know you love.
- I’ve found that the easiest way to hollow out the zucchini is with a metal teaspoon.
- Don’t throw away the zucchini flesh that you scoop out! It can be added to stir-fries, soups, scrambled eggs, and more.
More keto recipes with ground beef:
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 3 medium size zucchini, halved and cored
- 1 pound ground beef, may also use turkey
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup beef broth, or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium size skillet over medium heat, brown meat and and drain off any grease.
- Add tomato paste, mustard, cream cheese, broth and spices. Stir well and let mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture thickens.
- Meanwhile, slice zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center. (I find this easiest with a metal teaspoon)
- Place zucchini boats on a large baking sheet and carefully spoon the cheeseburger mixture into the zucchini.
- Top with cheese and bake 20-24 minutes until the zucchini is fork tender.
Notes
- Cheese: Use Pepper Jack cheese for a spicy version!
- Nutrition: Values are calculated for 3 FULL zucchini, but we hollow out the inside. This likely means the true carb and fiber count is a bit overstated in the values below.
