I am planning a wedding for one of my good friends. It’s three weeks away, so it’s definitely crunch time. My schedule has been full of final vendor meetings, scheduling and crafting. It’s been super fun, but my weeks have become a little hectic. To power through this week, I needed a quick, easy, healthy lunch that I was able to meal prep. I love Mexican food, so I whipped up these Easy Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats, and they hit the spot. The recipe is easily adaptable for Whole30 and Paleo folks if you omit the feta.
The Ingredients
These beautiful boats are made from nine simple ingredients. The filling is a tasty combination of grass-fed ground beef, a colorful variety of bell peppers, onion, jalapeno and enchilada sauce. I also throw in a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies for spice. My favorite canned enchilada sauce to use in a pinch is Las Palmas medium red enchilada sauce. It’s the closest thing to a canned Whole30 enchilada sauce you will get. Otherwise, you can whip up one of my favorite Whole30 enchilada sauces by Against All Grain. I love to top my zucchini boats with a smidgen of feta, cilantro and a drizzle of hot sauce. Omit the feta if you want to stay Paleo or Whole30 with this recipe.
The Execution
These are pretty simple to whip up. Start out by halving each zucchini. With a spoon, gently scoop out the pulp so you are left with a hollowed out zucchini half. Next, cook the meat, drain and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the veggies. Then add the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and green chilies, and cooked ground beef. Spoon that in the boats, bake for 25 minutes, and voila! Quick and Easy Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats to warm you up for the whole week.
What are some of your favorite meal prep foods? I am always up for trying more!
PS – you can snag a gorgeous Emile Henry baking pan like the red one I have by clicking here. I have six Emile Henry pans, and I LOVE them all. They are amazingly non-stick, and have lasted me for almost ten years. I am passionate about everything in my kitchen, and always love sharing the best-of-the-best with you.
Easy Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats
These super easy, super tasty Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats go from raw to baked in no time at all. Perfect for meal prep, or a quick dinner during the week, these will satisfy your craving for enchiladas without all of the carbs.
Ingredients
- 1 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole red bell pepper diced
- 1 whole yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 whole orange bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 5 medium zucchini
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1 whole jalapeno diced
- 1 can diced tomato and green chilies drained
- crumbled feta optional topping
- cilantro optional topping
Instructions
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Slice each zucchini in half, lengthwise. With a spoon, carefully scoop out the seedy pulp of each zucchini to form boats. If you wish to reserve some of the pulp for your filling, set it aside. Otherwise, discard the pulp.
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Line a 8.5 x 11 baking sheet with foil and parchment or spray with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with the zucchini halves, scooped out side up. Set aside. Heat the oven to 375.
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In a medium skilled, cook ground beef over medium heat until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
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In the same pan, heat one tbsp of olive oil. Add the bell peppers, jalapeno and onion. Cook for five to seven minutes, or until soft. Stir frequently.
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Optional: coarsely chop zucchini pulp and add it to the skillet if you reserved it. Cook for 2 minutes.
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Next, add the enchilada sauce and diced tomato/green chilies. Heat through. Add the ground beef back to the skillet and mix well to combine.
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Divide the mixture among your zucchini boats. Optional: sprinkle with crumbled feta.
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Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through and zucchini starts to soften. Serve immediately, or divide in containers for meal prep.
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Optional: top with more feta, cilantro, and/or hot sauce before eating.
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