This is my favorite new veggie side dish. It tastes much akin to vegetarian lasagna, sans the noodles, which quite frankly weren’t missed. I prepared but cooked only half the recipe, and put away the other half in the fridge for another day. I could eat these zucchini boats all day long!
Creamy Italian Zucchini Boats
Recipe adapted from a Cooking Light recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 small zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese (I used fat-free)
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2/3 cup marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe’s basic marinara sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Wash zucchini, cut off the ends, and cut each zucchini in half. Cut each half again lengthwise so you have 12 pieces of zucchini total.
- With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and compost them, or use them to make soup broth. Place the zucchini boats on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
- For the filling: chop the basil and place it in a bowl with the garlic, grated carrot, ricotta, Parmesan, marinara sauce, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Fill each boat with the creamy mixture, pressing it down with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Serve warm and enjoy.
Bakin' Bitz 