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Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Zucchini

4.80
/5
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
27 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 06/19/2023Updated: 06/26/2023

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Pesto stuffed zucchini pinterest graphic with text and photos.
Pesto stuffed zucchini pinterest graphic with text and photos.
Pesto stuffed zucchini pinterest graphic with text and photos.
Pesto stuffed zucchini pinterest graphic with text and photos.
Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini - an easy side dish! Find the recipe on RachelCooks.com

Easy to make and full of great flavor, these cheese and pesto stuffed zucchini are a great side dish or appetizer. 

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Easy, cheesy, and healthy!

How long it takes: 10 minutes to prep, 35 minutes in the oven
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, spoon, baking pan, small mixing bowl, oven
Servings: 4

Cheese and pesto stuffed zucchini, cut to show filling.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About These Stuffed Zucchini
  • 3 Ingredients You’ll Need
  • 4 How To Make Stuffed Zucchini
  • 5 FAQs
  • 6 Make-Ahead Ideas
  • 7 Storage & Reheating Tips
  • 8 More Zucchini Recipes
  • 9 Get the Recipe: Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

With the warmer weather comes lots of fruits and vegetables. We’ve already been eating a ton of asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, and sugar peas. it’s just so great to have a little variety back in life with seasonal produce available.

Do you have zucchini planted in your home garden? Maybe you have a generous neighbor or friend that likes to share the abundance of their garden. Zucchini grow prolifically and sometimes it’s challenging to find different ways to prepare it.

You’ll love these cheese stuffed zucchini boats. They are cheesy and delicious, and super easy to make.

About These Stuffed Zucchini

Versatile: Serve these cheese and pesto stuffed zucchini as a light vegetarian meal (pair with a hearty salad) or as a side to accompany a juicy baked breaded pork chop, easy baked salmon with lemon and chives, or chicken breast. Slice them into bite-sized pieces for a delicious appetizer.

Balanced flavors: Stuffed zucchinini are creamy and slightly decadent without being overly rich. The zucchini adds a nice crispness and freshness to balance the richness of the cream cheese. Pesto brings great flavor to the party.

Appealing: I sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the top to add even more crunch. The Parmesan gets nice and golden brown, making these stuffed zucchini boats an attractive addition to any plate. 

Cheese stuffed zucchini on a fork.

As always, you’ll find the printable recipe card with all the information you need at the end of the post.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Zucchini: Look for medium-sized zucchini, about 9 oz. each, with dark green unblemished skins. There’s no need to peel zucchini, simply rinse off and dry.
  • Cream Cheese: Use reduced fat or full-fat but not non-fat cream cheese which contains additives.
  • Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella gives a nice texture to the cheese mixture, especially when it’s melted.
  • Pesto: Use purchased pesto or make your own.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Shredded Parmesan adds flavor and color.
Ingredients needed for recipe, including two fresh zucchini.

How To Make Stuffed Zucchini

It’s so simple! Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and hollow out the center of the squash. Arrange the 4 halves on a baking pan.

Zucchini being cut in half and hollowed out.
Zucchini halves on a baking sheet.

Mix the cheese filling.

Filling before mixing.
Filling after mixing.

Using a spoon, fill the zucchini halves.

Zucchini halves filled but not yet cooked.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake! That’s all there is to it.

Filled zucchini halves topped with Parmesan cheese and baked.

Now that you’ve mastered that, try lasagna zucchini boats! They boast all the flavor and fun of lasagna but without the hassle of noodles.

FAQs

What can I do with a large zucchini?

Those babies grow fast, don’t they? One minute they’re little tiny things and the next time you look, there’s a big ol’ log growing there. While a submarine-sized zucchini won’t work well for this recipe, they can be shredded and used in zucchini bread. Slice them and sauté them (We love these sauteed summer squash and zucchini ribbons.) Grill them. Add them to minestrone soup.

How do you hollow out zucchini?

Cut them in half vertically, lengthwise from stem to blossom end. I like to use a serrated grapefruit spoon to scoop out the centers. Leave about a ¼ inch wall.

Do you eat the skin on zucchini boats?

Oh, most certainly! It’s very tender and contains most of the nutritional benefits.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Prepare zucchini but don’t bake. Refrigerate up to one day. Bake as directed, adding 5 minutes to baking time.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Store leftover zucchini in refrigerator in airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or toaster oven until heated through.

More Zucchini Recipes

Have an abundance of zucchini? Try one (or all!) of these great zucchini recipes:

  • Grilled Zucchini — probably the easiest recipe for zucchini and so good!
  • Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
  • Vegetable Fritters
  • Grilled Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese
  • Boursin Cheese Stuffed Zucchini with diced red peppers
  • Zucchini Noodle Salad with Beans, Feta, and Lemon
  • Zucchini Rice Casserole (brown rice!)
  • Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Carrot Pancakes
  • Zucchini Pizza Bites

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Cheese and pesto stuffed zucchini, cut to show filling.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 55 minutes mins
Additional Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
4 side servings
Print Rate Recipe
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Easy to make and full of great flavor, these cheese and pesto stuffed zucchini are a great side dish or even a vegetarian meal!

Ingredients

  • 2 zucchini squash (about 9 oz. each)
  • 4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened (full fat is fine, too)
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line rimmed baking pan with parchment.
  • If desired, cut off ends of zucchini and slice lengthwise so that you have four long halves. Using a spoon, hollow out the middle (take out the seeds) of each half, leaving a little bit on each end to prevent the filling from running out. Place zucchini on prepared baking pan.
  • In a small bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, mozzarella and pesto until well combined. Spread cheese mixture evenly into hollowed out zucchini halves.
  • Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 55 minutes or until zucchini is fork tender and cheese is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Air Fryer Instructions: Prepare zucchini as directed. Place stuffed zucchini in basket of air fryer. Air fry at 350ºF for 18 minutes or until zucchini is fork tender and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like Cheese stuffed zucchini with Boursin or Alouette garlic & herb spreadable cheese.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1half zucchini, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 267mg, Potassium: 336mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 573IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 0.5mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
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  1. Cassie says

    April 8, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    We are finally starting to see spring too. I love it! And I love these zucchini boats. Pesto is always a winner in my book!

    Reply
  2. laurasmess says

    April 7, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    This is a gorgeous idea Rach, I am a sucker for anything with a crispy cheese topping… and my husband loves zucchini, so this will be perfect for us! Yum. Trying this very soon!

    Reply
  3. Aimee @ ShugarySweets says

    April 7, 2014 at 9:37 pm

    I absolutely LOVE pesto. These zucchini boats are just awesome.

    Reply
  4. Julie says

    April 7, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    This is the most delicious looking side dish I have seen in a long time, YUM! “Too much cheese” makes me laugh thinking of when my daughter was younger…she would say “I can’t eat that, too much cheese makes a big ball in my stomach.” Fifteen years later I am still wondering about a switched at birth possibility. The cheese and pesto here look perfect. Thank you…will definitely be trying this!

    Reply
  5. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

    April 7, 2014 at 3:53 pm

    Is there ever too much cheese? Too much chocolate? Too many shoes? I believe there is no need for most women to answer this. Since it was your husband who made the cheese comment, its understandable. I looked at the zucchini in the market yesterday. I wanted it, but couldn’t really bring a recipe to mind. Well hey, here it is. Guess who is stopping off at the store after work today?

    Reply
  6. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says

    April 7, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    These little beauties look delicious! They sound absolutely perfect for a week night, can’t wait to try them :)

    Reply
  7. denise says

    April 7, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    yummy

    Reply
  8. Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says

    April 7, 2014 at 12:16 pm

    The Arctic Ring of Life is my absolute favorite exhibit at the zoo! We used to go all winter long just to see the polar bears when they were most active. I really like the idea of using pesto to stuff the zucchini because it’s so flavorful!

    Reply
  9. Liz@Virtually Homemade says

    April 7, 2014 at 11:07 am

    Yum…What a delicious and fabulous idea!

    Reply
  10. sally says

    April 7, 2014 at 10:25 am

    I would love to try a easy pesto recipe. Do you have one you could suggest to use in this stuffed zucchini recipe or possibly a store brand so I choose a good one?Thanks, Sally

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      April 7, 2014 at 8:31 pm

      Hi Sally! I love this pesto recipe, but I should note that it isn’t a traditional pesto since it doesn’t include garlic. And it makes a large batch. I also always have success with Elise’s recipes so if you’re looking for a more traditional pesto, this one might be a good one to try: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/. Good luck! If you’re going to use store bought, look for one with good ingredients including extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. DeLallo is a great brand.

      Reply
      • sally says

        April 7, 2014 at 9:30 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
  11. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says

    April 7, 2014 at 9:58 am

    I love love love zucchini. This looks incredible.

    Reply
  12. Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says

    April 7, 2014 at 8:52 am

    I love the simplicity of this meal and of course our whole family would love them.

    Reply
  13. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    April 7, 2014 at 8:04 am

    I love this so hard. Stuffed zucchini is so delicious!

    Reply
  14. Kristen says

    April 7, 2014 at 7:09 am

    I love springtime fruits & veggies! Enjoy the warmer weather!!

    Reply
  15. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    April 7, 2014 at 6:01 am

    OH I eat zucchini was parm multiple times per week…it’s my fav! I never though of adding pesto! This sounds fab, thanks for the great idea! Pinned :)

    Reply
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