Walnut-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

When ground, walnuts take on a surprisingly pleasant texture that makes a great plant-based substitute. Make these vegan zucchini boats with your own dry-roasted walnuts by using our DIY tip.

Walnut-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Photo: Adam Albright
Hands On Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Servings:
2
Yield:
4 zucchini boats

Ingredients

  • 2 10 ounce zucchini, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ cup broken walnuts

  • cup roasted red bell pepper

  • ¼ cup packed fresh parsley leaves

  • ½ cup cooked quinoa

  • 1 tablespoon finely shredded Parmesan cheese

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh from cut sides of zucchini halves, making 1-inch-deep cavities. Place zucchini, cut sides up, on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. of the salt. Bake 15 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, in a food processor combine walnuts, roasted pepper, and parsley. Cover and pulse until finely chopped. In a small bowl combine walnut mixture, quinoa, cheese, and lemon juice.

  3. Spoon walnut mixture into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with black pepper and the remaining 1/8 tsp. salt. Bake 20 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender.

To Cook Quinoa

Cook 1/3 cup dry quinoa according to package directions; cool and measure 1/2 cup. Transfer the extra quinoa to a small airtight container and store in refrigerator up to 5 days. Makes 1 cup.

Flavor Hack

Roasting, with oil or without, improves the taste and texture of nuts. To keep sodium or calories in check, opt for unsalted and dry-roasted nuts. Dry-roasting means the nuts have been roasted without additional oil.

DIY Roasted Nuts

Roast nuts in a skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until lightly toasted an aromatic. Nuts can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds, though, so don't leave the stove top unattended.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

338 Calories
24g Fat
27g Carbs
11g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Calories 338
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 271mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 49.6mg 248%
Calcium 112mg 9%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 968mg 21%
Folate, total 113mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.6mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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