Easy chickpea curry stuffed zucchini boats recipe! Vegetarian zucchini boats stuffed with a simple chickpea tikka masala and topped with a cumin lime yogurt sauce. Perfect for a meatless weeknight dinner!
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Hi, Rhubarbarians!
I know it's hot out there, but we are turning on that oven! These vegetarian chickpea curry stuffed zucchini boats are worth it.
They come together very quickly with only 15 minutes of prep and are a hit with the whole fam. A great way to get everyone eating zucchini!
Have you tried our spicy buffalo chickpea zucchini boats?
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An easy vegetarian meal
As mentioned, this stuffed zucchini recipe takes minimal prep! Just a few minutes and they are in the oven cooking.
While they are cooking, whip up some simple cumin yogurt sauce and make some rice. Dinner is done!
Make it vegan: just switch out the yogurt for your favorite plant-based yogurt or coconut milk!
What are zucchini boats?
Zucchini boats are zucchini that have had the inner flesh scooped and stuffed!
First, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then scoop out the inner flesh (see how below). Fill with something delicious and roast until the zucchini is soft.
Delicious stuffed zucchini boats recipes to try:
How to scoop out the zucchini
First, make sure you have large zucchini. You want the zucchini to be big enough so that you have about ½" of zucchini flesh after scooping out the seeds.
Can I eat the zucchini skin? YES! The zucchini skin is edible and becomes very soft after cooking. I wouldn't recommend eating the stem stump that is usually attached to the zucchini, however, as it can be very tough and woody.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, leaving the stem stump on (you can cut that off after cooking).
Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and inner flesh of the zucchini. Leave about ½" of zucchini on the bottom and around the sides. See the picture below for reference!
Check out our beginner's guide to zucchini along with lots of vegetarian zucchini recipes!
How to serve
We love to serve these with basmati rice and naan bread! One zucchini boat is just enough for an adult alongside rice and naan, so this recipe makes 4 servings.
These stuffed zucchini would also be delicious alongside a cucumber salad, pulao, bombay potatoes, vegetable samosas, or roasted cauliflower!
Make ahead, storing, and freezing tips
Make ahead: The chickpea curry mixture can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use. The yogurt sauce can also be made ahead as well as the rice. I recommend prepping the zucchini right before cooking, though!
Storing: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The zucchini can get a bit rubbery if kept longer than that. Reheat in the oven (recommended) or in the microwave.
Freezing: We don't recommend freezing these, as zucchini doesn't freeze well, in our opinion.
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FAQs
- Can I use tofu or other vegetables? Of course! So many possibilities! We included 3 different stuffed zucchini boats recipes to try above.
- What if my zucchini is small? That's okay! You'll just have small zucchini boats that won't hold much filling. Instead of 4 large, try making 6-8 small boats.
- How do I make this spicy? Add some minced spicy pepper (serrano or jalapeno) to your curry mixture or add some cayenne powder!
- Can I use yellow squash or other squash? Yellow summer squash would work perfectly!
- How do I make this vegan? Replace the yogurt with your favorite plant-based yogurt or coconut milk.
- Can I double the recipe? YEP! You'll just need a larger pan.
Recipe
Chickpea curry stuffed zucchini boats
Ingredients
FOR THE ZUCCHINI BOATS
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 15oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- salt and pepper
FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE
- ½ cup yogurt of your choice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- water to thin
- salt and pepper
FOR SERVING
- fresh cilantro, lime slices, basmati rice, and naan bread (optional)
Instructions
FOR THE ZUCCHINI BOATS
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeded inner flesh of each half, still leaving about ½" thick zucchini on the bottom and the sides to make a "boat." If needed, see pictures and instructions above in this post. Place the zucchini flesh side up in a roasting pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the tomato paste, garam masala, 2 teaspoon of ground cumin, and the coconut milk. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop the chickpea mixture evenly among the scooped out part of each of the zucchini boats. Roast for 30 minutes or until the zucchini is tender enough to eat. Remove from the oven and cut off the stem stump.
FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE
- While the zucchini boats are in the oven, make your yogurt sauce. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and lime juice. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a sauce that you can drizzle over the boats. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
FOR SERVING
- To serve, drizzle a bit of the yogurt sauce over each zucchini boat. Top with fresh cilantro and lime slices (optional). Serve with basmati rice and naan bread (also optional). Enjoy!
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians
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