Mexican Zucchini Boats – Gluten Free, Vegan
These gluten free and vegan Mexican Stuffed Zucchini Boats are so delicious and packed with flavor! They are so healthy and super easy to make. Top them with your favorite Mexican toppings to make them a meal everyone will love!
Have you ever come across a recipe and thought “there is just no way that is going to be good”? Before my daughter and my food allergies, I had A LOT of food fall into that category.
I was probably one of the pickiest eaters you could imagine. This was especially true with any meals that were veggie based.
I just had no interest in even trying them.
When I found out I had gluten, dairy, egg, AND yeast allergies I was certain I would just never eat again. I thought “what can you make when all your ingredients are taken away?”.
Well it turns out there are a TON of things to eat even when you have a bunch of food allergies. I actually eat better tasting food now than I did before I had allergies.
It’s amazing how much better food can taste when you are using fresh ingredients instead of all that processed food.
Mexican zucchini boats were one of the first things I came across when searching for food I could eat with all of my allergies.
I was a HUGE skeptic, but I had just found out about all of these allergies and was scrambling for dinner ideas.
Boy oh boy am I glad I stumbled across this amazing idea! Turns out I love roasted zucchini and when you throw in some tasty toppings it makes a delicious and versatile meal!
The recipe I am sharing today is a super easy recipe for Mexican zucchini boats. Quinoa, salsa, black beans, taco seasoning, zucchini and that’s it!
The best part is you can add or change ingredients as much as you want and they will still be delicious.
Throw in some corn, bell peppers, cheese (if you can have it), fresh cilantro, whatever your family likes best!
This is also the base I use for my stuffed peppers and they are equally delicious.
So let’s make some!
MEXICAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOAT RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
- Zucchini: I love making this recipe with zucchini, but you could also use peppers or another type of squash if you prefer.
- Dry quinoa: You will need about 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa for this recipe. You could also use rice if you prefer.
- Vegetable broth: I prefer to use low sodium vegetable broth so I can control the amount of sodium in my meals. Using vegetable broth to cook the quinoa instead of water gives it so much more flavor.
- Black beans: These are my favorite beans to use in a Mexican dish, but you could also use pinto beans or navy beans if you would like.
- Taco seasoning: You can purchase a gluten free taco seasoning packet from the store or make your own with my homemade taco seasoning recipe here.
- Salsa: You can use store bought salsa or make your own with my super easy homemade salsa recipe here.
- Toppings: You can add the toppings that your family likes best. We usually server them with corn, guacamole, cilantro, and fresh tomatoes. Bell peppers would also be a delicious addition!
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE VEGAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS:
- Preheat your oven: 350°F.
- Cook the quinoa: Bring quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Prep the zucchini: While the quinoa is cooking, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the middle of the zucchini to make a “boat” for the filling.
- Make the filling: Add all ingredients to a bowl except for the zucchini and taco seasoning. Mix to combine.
- Add your seasoning: Add half of the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine. Taste the mixture to determine if the other half of the taco seasoning is desired (we use all of it, but that may be too much seasoning for some). Add the other half of the taco seasoning if desired and stir to combine.
- Assemble: Place the zucchini in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish with the open side up. Stuff the zucchini with a generous amount of the prepared filling.
- Bake: Bake for 30 minutes or until zucchini is soft.
That’s all there is to it!
What are some foods that you were sure you wouldn’t like, but love now? My list is pretty long but it’s amazing what you learn about yourself when you open up and try new things.
I hope you enjoy this Mexican Zucchini Boat recipe as much as my family does!
Don’t forget the Mexican appetizers!
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Mexican Zucchini Boats – Gluten Free & Vegan
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa (about 1 1/2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 packet of taco seasoning or homemade mix here
- 2/3 cup of salsa
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Bring quinoa and vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- While the quinoa is cooking, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the middle of the zucchini to make a “boat” for the filling.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl except for the zucchini and taco seasoning. Mix to combine.
- Add half of the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine. Taste the mixture to determine if the other half of the taco seasoning is desired (we use all of it, but that may be too much seasoning for some). Add the other half of the taco seasoning if desired and stir to combine.
- Place the zucchini in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish with the open side up. Stuff the zucchini with a generous amount of the prepared filling.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until zucchini is soft. Add your favorite Mexican toppings and enjoy!
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