Air Fryer Zucchini Boats

Air Fryer Zucchini Boats are a quick and easy weeknight meal with tons of fresh flavor! Great for vegetarians with keto and low-carb options, too!

Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies, and I'm always looking for new ways to use it year-round. These Air Fryer Zucchini Boats are a great low-carb way to get a bunch of flavor stuffed in without a bun or shell!

Packed with onion, bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, a host of seasonings, and any protein you choose, it's a great weeknight dinner in a flash or awesome party recipe to mix it up every time you make it! Wanna make it keto? Lose the breadcrumbs and swap them for pork rinds!

If you're like me and on a huge zucchini kick, you'll love these Air Fryer Zucchini Chips with a great crunch!

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER ZUCCHINI BOATS

1. Once your zucchini are halved and scooped out, warm your oil in a skillet and add the onions and bell peppers. Then, sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Next, gather up your seasonings: Paprika, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. We'll add this later.
3. Then, brown whatever protein you're using — I chose ground beef for this recipe! Once browned, add your seasonings!
4. Now, measure out half of your mozzarella cheese and the panko breadcrumbs and mix into the skillet.
5. Time for the boats! Stuff an even amount into each zucchini and place into your air fryer basket or onto your air fryer tray.
6. After stuffed zucchini boats have cooked about 8 minutes in the air fryer, top with the rest of your mozzarella and cook another 2 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

How to Make Ahead

This is a great dish for a party, and I LOVE to make most party recipes ahead of time to have less stress.

Cut and scoop your zucchinis and mix up your filling Stuff the zucchini boats and refrigerate until time to start cooking! The cooking times in this recipe should work — just make sure the filling and zucchini boats are warmed through before adding the final bit of mozzarella.

How to Serve

These gluten-free zucchini boats are a great low-carb alternative for pizza, tacos, and whatever other flavor combinations you can create!

With this Italian spin, I like to serve it with a little marinara dipping sauce, which you could also drizzle on top after cooking.

Other Amazing Vegetarian Recipes

• Zucchini Cakes
• Air Fryer Mushroom Tacos
• Parmesan Zucchini Fries
• Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
• Wild Rice Stuffed Mushrooms
• Instant Pot Ramen

We LOVE our Cosori Air Fryers. We have:

Cosori Air Fryer Oven

Cosori 5.8 quart (black)

Cosori 3.7 quart

Are you gluten-free? Me too! We also have a sister site where EVERYTHING is gluten-free. It is called VegetarianMamma. You can find some awesome dishes there for your Meatless Mondays! Always be sure to read ingredient labels to make sure that the product/ingredients fits your dietary restrictions!

Generally, we make simple enough recipes where you can sub the ingredients. Common subs in our recipes include: Bread = Canyon Bakehouse Bread Crumbs = Ian's GF Bread Crumbs Flour = GF Jules All Purpose GF Flour.

Because our household is mixed between gluten and gluten-free, we have made almost everything on our site both ways. (except some of the frozen foods). If you have any questions, please ask!

Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment AND rating below! It helps other readers! Be sure to tag @AirFryerEats on instagram, if you share a picture on the gram! Let's get social, you can follow me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or join one of our Air Fryer Facebook Groups: Air Fryer Recipes, Air Fryer Recipes for Seniors and Gluten Free Air Fryer Recipes. Don't forget to subscribe to our EMAIL newsletter.

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Zucchini Boats

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Vegetarian

Keyword: air fryer zucchini boats

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 421kcal

Equipment

• Knife
• Skillet
• Air fryer

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 cup bell pepper diced, any color
• 1 pound protein ground beef, turkey sausage, beyond meat alternative
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• 1 ½ cups fresh tomatoes diced
• ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup mozzarella divided into ½-cup portions

Instructions

• Cut the zucchini in half longways. Scoop out the centers and discard.
• In a skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Then, sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft.
  
• Add your chosen protein and cook until browned.
  
• Next, add the spices and minced garlic.
• Then, add the diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
• Add the panko breadcrumbs and ½ cup mozzarella cheese to the skillet.
• Evenly distribute the skillet mixture into the zucchini boats. Place the zucchini boats into the air fryer basket or on an air fryer tray.
  
• Air fry at 350 degrees F/176 degrees C for 8 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and air fry another 2 minutes.
  

Notes

Tips: The cook time will depend on the size of your zucchini, large and thick zucchini will take longer. It is easier to microwave them to get a hard start on the cooking process.

Alternatively, you could cook the zucchini (without the stuffing) in the air fryer for 5 minutes.

To make this keto: Replace the breadcrumbs with equal amount pork rinds.

Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.

Nutrition

Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 1270mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3096IU | Vitamin C: 94mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 5mg

Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.