This Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Keto Zucchini Boats recipe is the perfect low carb keto meal when craving a cheeseburger and you don't want the high carbs, but it's also a great way to use fresh zucchini on hand! Just 6 grams of net carbs!
Low Carb Keto Zucchini Boats
This is a low carb, keto, easy stuffed zucchini boat recipe that is a quick dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes! Whether you're a fan of zucchini or not, the cheeseburger and bacon stuffed inside may change your mind.
Or just use a fork and make it into a cheeseburger bowl or salad and enjoy this amazingly delicious filling all on its own!
When you're craving a cheeseburger and have no time to make any Low Carb Rolls, this is the perfect recipe to curb that craving and get some food on the dinner table fast!
Plus, it's super versatile! You can change the ground beef filling to ground turkey if you prefer.
I'm sure you must be wondering whether my kids will eat zucchini like this.
Nope. Not a chance. They just don't like the texture of the zucchini for some reason.
So I knew that they wouldn't eat it, so I really just made this especially for hubby and I, and just made extra filling so the kids could enjoy it for taco night.
All was good! If you have time you can use my Cauliflower Tortillas for tacos!
Is Zucchini Keto Friendly?
Zucchini is an amazing low-carb vegetable that is super versatile and will soon be in season and with it comes the constant influx of recipes using this awesome vegetable.
This is just one of those recipes for zucchini you should keep on hand for when time is tight or you just need a new idea with the abundance of zucchini you might be getting in your garden.
One whole zucchini that had about 275 grams when weighed, has a total of 7.4 grams of carbs.
Most people don't eat a whole zucchini as a side dish. If you are on a keto diet and only eating 20 total carbs a day, the first step is to reduce the amount you eat so you can include it on your low carb diet.
Cutting the zucchini in half for this recipe means, you are taking in just 3.7 grams of total carbs. Size matters here and fresh produce varies when you buy locally.
A medium zucchini with 167 grams when weighed has 4.5 grams of carbs. Weighing your food is always the best bet for an accurate total carb count.
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
You can find the exact measurements, print recipe and view nutrition information, see the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post.
Ingredients
uncured nitrate free bacon
large zucchini (about 1.5 pounds)
olive oil
onion
ground beef
oregano
pepper
mustard
no sugar added ketchup
cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Chop into pieces once cooled.
Slice each zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the inside seeds, (I used a melon baller scoop), leaving about ¼ inch from the sides. Place this removed insides of zucchini in a bowl and set aside.
Rub the oil around the inside of each halved zucchini and place on a baking sheet pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.
While the zucchini is baking you can make the filling.
Remove some of the bacon grease from the skillet, leaving about a tablespoon or so in the pan.
Cook the onion until softened then add the ground meat and zucchini flesh you had scooped out.
Cook beef until browned then add seasonings, tomato paste, mustard and ketchup.
Stir to combine the meat mixture then stir in ½ cup of the shredded cheese.
Once the cheese melts, turn off the heat and return half the bacon into the mixture.
Once zucchini is cooked, remove from the oven and stuff zucchini half with the filling.
Top with remaining shredded cheese and bacon.
Broil for 2 minutes to melt the cheese on top.
Storage; After the cooked zucchini boats have cooled, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Low Carb versus Keto
I had been low carb for about 4 years and then decided to go on the Keto diet in 2015 to help address some issues.
You can read about my 6 Week Keto Results here. It's the lowest carbs in a day I ever thought I could handle, but with the higher daily fat intake it was easy and I never felt hungry even with reduced calories.
Everyone who follows a keto diet will have to determine what the right amount of fat is good for your body to lose the fat you want to lose. Your personal fat threshold will be determined by how much fat you have to lose on your body.
A lot of people may not agree, but in my opinion, calories and total carbs also matter when it comes to weight loss.
I currently eat a higher protein diet and lower grams of carbs then I used to just a few years ago. It seems to really be helping with my hypothyroidism symptoms and the best way for me to maintain my weight and feel completely satiated. .
So the motto is, don't fear the fat, embrace it on a low carb keto diet!
This easy stuffed zucchini boats recipe is meant to taste everything like a cheeseburger so it's definitely not meant to be low fat.
In fact I hope all of you know by now that fat doesn't make you fat, it's not the enemy, carbs and sugar are. When fat is combined with carbs that's a deadly combo. But fat with keto low carb is perfectly good for you and in fact the fat truly helps you feel satiated.
It's quick. It's delicious. It's everything you love about a bacon cheeseburger without a high carb bun.
Enough said. 🙂
If you want to make this for your whole family, but you know the kids won't like the zucchini or you feel like having a bun with this, double the filling ingredients here and use my Low Carb Cheddar Bun recipe, or my Hamburger rolls, or my Cloud Bread rolls with high protein and minimal carbs.
This recipe was first published in April 2016.
More Zucchini Recipes
Low Carb Keto Zucchini Boat Recipe
Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 5 ounces bacon nitrate free, uncured
- 2 zucchini about 1.5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon mustard
- 2 tablespoon ketchup no sugar added
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese divided, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Chop into piece once cooled.
- Slice each zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the inside seeds, leaving about ¼ inch from the sides. Place this removed insides of zucchini in a bowl and set aside.
- Rub the oil around the inside of each halved zucchini and place on a baking sheet pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- While the zucchini is baking you can make the filling.
- Remove some of the bacon grease from the skillet, leaving about a tablespoon or so in the pan.
- Cook the onion until softened then add the ground beef and insides of zucchini you had scooped out.
- Cook beef until browned then add seasonings, tomato paste, mustard and ketchup.
- Stir to combine the stir in ½ cup of the shredded cheese.
- Allow it to melt, turn off the heat and return half the bacon into the mixture.
- Once zucchini is cooked, remove from the oven and fill each half with the filling.
- Top with remaining shredded cheese and bacon.
- Broil for 2 minutes to melt the cheese on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Kathy
Add your inside scoop of the squash into your meat mixture! Sauté it with the ground beef! Delish! I do it every time add texture and flavor and veggies! Enjoy!
Beth W
I made these the other night. My Whole family LOVED them. My kids, ages 5 and 6, loved them. My daughter hates vegetables but loved this. Definitely making again.
Brenda
Glad you and the kids loved it!
Sherry Maye
Great recipe!
Shawn W. Jurgens
This was probably the most amazing thing I've ever made. Thank you
Diane
Made this Tuesday night for hubby and me. I made his with a yellow squash since he prefers them to zucchini they were delicious. I reheated one for dinner last night and was just as good if not better than the night before. Thank you for your hard work on these recipies!!!
Brenda
Thanks Diane!
April
Added fresh sautéed mushrooms. These are so good. We watch carbs so we now make this mix and use it as taco filling when we make our zero carb tortillas. A new favorite for sure!
Sara
Should I bake the zucchini with the inside face down ? Making something like this for the first time! Looks delicious! 🙂
Brenda
It doesn't matter which side is up or down on the pan.
Bethany
If I want to prep this in advance, should I do all steps and then refrigerate prior to filling the zucchinis? And then broil all together?
Brenda
Yes that's perfect!
Kelly Tate
I tried this over the weekend and it is one of my favorites now. Thank you so much!
Brenda
Glad you liked it!
Marcy P.
I made this for myself for dinner. The kids wanted waffles and I wanted something no-carb. WELL, they ended up eating their waffles AND helping me with my platter of cheeseburger boats! That was a fun surprise. I didn't think they'd go for it. YAY!
Brenda
That is awesome!!!
Nicole Taggart
Yum!I could easily adapt this for Whole30!
Christie
Not a person alive that wouldn't love this - Great for my low carb dinners!
Courtney Lopez
These look so good - so clever!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
I'm so tired of my low carb burger in a lettuce wrap, this is a WAY better option! Love it!
Kristen
This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Love zucchini boats!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes)
I just love these!
Marilyn
Where does the 4 gams of sugar come from?
Shelly Rader
Probably the ketsup!