Keto Zucchini Boats with Chorizo (Chorizo Stuffed Zucchini)
Make these keto zucchini boats when you are looking for an easy meal that packs in the veggies. At only 11 grams net carbs per serving, this recipe will fit into most low-carb dietary patterns.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. zucchini (1134 grams; about 6 zucchini)
- 1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed (454 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup strained tomatoes
- ½ medium red onion, chopped
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (113 grams; about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Crumble the fresh chorizo into a skillet. Add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the chorizo is browned, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the chorizo cooks, wash your zucchini and chop off the stem end. Cut them in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to scoop out the middles, forming the boats. Arrange the boats in a single layer in a large tray pan. Save the zucchini middles to use in other recipes.
- Add the strained tomatoes to the chorizo mixture. Allow it to simmer down for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally over low or medium-low heat. The results should not be very liquidy.
- Evenly fill your zucchini boats with the chorizo mixture using a spoon.
- Top the filled boats with the pepper jack cheese shreds.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake in the heated oven for 35 minutes. Use a rack about ⅓ down from the top of the oven.
- After baking, garnish with the cilantro. This makes 4 servings of 3 zucchini boats (i.e., 3 zucchini halves) each. You may end up with more or fewer boats per person depending on the size of the squash you start with!
Notes
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). My strategy for a higher energy meal here would be to add a big side salad with dressing. Another (not low-carb/keto) option would be to add a grain-based side like homemade Spanish rice or pasta.
On the other hand, if I were looking to cut calories, I would substitute a leaner meat option for the chorizo. The chorizo recipe linked in the ingredients above uses a mixture of pork and chicken for a lighter option.
You could also add chorizo spices to lean ground turkey or lean ground beef to get somewhat similar flavors. It won’t be quite the same, but it should still be delicious and capture the spirit of the dish.
Monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese may be substituted for the pepper jack.
Nutrition information is for one serving of 3 chorizo stuffed zucchini boats, and will vary depending on the chorizo you use. If you use classic pork chorizo instead of my homemade version, it will add about 200-300 calories per serving. Nutritional information was calculated for 1.5 lbs of zucchini, the approximate amount used in the recipe after scooping it out.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 15.3gProtein: 25.2gFat: 20.5gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 556.5mgPotassium: 501.2mgFiber: 3.9gVitamin A: 97.2% DVVitamin C: 96.3% DVCalcium: 24.8% DVIron: 18.5% DV