This Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini with Rice is the perfect healthy dinner. It is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. This dinner is light and refreshing and the perfect meal for a hot summer day.
*Originally published July 11, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 3/21/22.
One of the things I love about Summer is all of the fresh vegetables. Additionally, I grow my own garden and I am always finding ways to incorporate what I can harvest out of my garden and turn into delicious and healthy dinners. I am a huge zucchini fan so whenever I can get my hands on some zucchini, I always put it to good use. This Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini with Rice is the perfect budget-friendly meal that is whole food, plant-based, and incredibly delicious.
For some other great vegetable forward meals, check out this Vegan Taco Salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing, this Gluten-Free Pad Thai, or this Instant Pot Vegan Thai Panang Curry.
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What Makes this Stuffed Zucchini the Best?
- Healthy, plant-based ingredients: This stuffed zucchini is full of healthy, plant-based ingredients. You won't find anything processed in this recipe which makes it the perfect recipe for those trying to avoid processed or non whole foods.
- Quick Meal: This meal will be ready in 40 minutes which makes it the perfect quick meal to have on the table during a busy work week.
- Great for leftovers: One of the best parts of this meal is that it is great for leftovers! It works so well and the leftovers can be turned into almost anything!
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini- The zucchini acts as the vessel for the rice filling in this recipe. This is perfect if you have an overabundance of zucchini from your garden or just have a lot from the store. You can also swap it out for another squash if you prefer.
- Bell Pepper- I love the bite that bell peppers give to food. Anytime that I can throw in extra vegetables, I am there for it! If you don't like bell peppers, feel free to leave them out.
- Beans- I like to use both pinto and black beans in this recipe however, if you prefer just pinto or just black beans, that works too!
- Rice- I like to use white rice in this recipe because I like that it soaks up the sauce more than brown rice and it is a thicker consistency. However, you can use brown rice in this recipe if you prefer.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, and using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the zucchini. You want to hollow out the inside of the zucchini so it resembles a boat.
- Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and corn to a skillet and saute over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. About 5 minutes.
- Add in your beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, vegetable broth, and rice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer covered for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
- Using a spoon, scoop your filling gently into the zucchini and place it in a casserole dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes
- While the zucchini is in the oven, make the sriracha mayonnaise. Stir the mayonnaise and the sriracha together, if the dressing is too thick for you, add 1 tablespoon almond milk.
- When the zucchini is done in the oven, serve immediately, top with cilantro and sriracha mayonnaise.
Substitutions
- Rice - Feel free to use brown rice or even cauliflower rice if you prefer.
- Beans - If you don't like beans, you can swap them for canned lentils, or vegan ground beef.
- Zucchini - Try making this with a different Summer Squash if you don't like zucchini or don't have any on hand. I have made this with yellow crookneck squash and even spaghetti squash before!
Variations
- Extra Spicy - If you like things a little on the spicier side, try adding some jalapenos or using spicy taco seasoning.
- Cheese - Try topping this stuffed zucchini with some vegan cheese before baking!
- Tasty Toppings - Try adding some tasty toppings such as vegan sour cream or guacamole to the stuffed zucchini.
Check out this other fun recipe, Old School Tamale Pie or this Green Pasta Sauce!
FAQ's
To hollow out zucchini, begin by removing both ends of the vegetable, then slice the vegetable in half lengthwise and using a spoon, gently scoop out the middle of the zucchini.
I would not recommend freezing this stuffed zucchini because zucchini has a high water content and it will get mushy once it is thawed.
If you've got really big zucchini, cut it into roughly 3-inch sections and then hollow them into boats.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- 9x13 casserole dish
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Nonstick skillet
- Chef knife
- Cutting Board
Storage
Store the leftover stuffed zucchini in the fridge for up to three days. I would not recommend freezing this dish as the zucchini will get mushy once thawed out.
Leftover Ideas
This recipe is the perfect recipe to have for leftovers as you might have some leftover taco filling. I like to add the filling to tortillas and either grill it and make a quesadilla or turn it into tacos. The filling itself can also be frozen for up the 3 months and used for a variety of things. My favorite is to make stuffed bell peppers out of the filling.
Top Tips
- You should be able to fill about 5 zucchini with the mixture depending on the size of the zucchini. However, if you find yourself with a lot of leftover mixture, you can always use it as leftovers and throw it in a taco salad or make some quick tacos out of it!
- Depending on the size of the zucchini, baking times may vary. You will know the zucchini is done when it is fork tender, so just keep an eye on the zucchini towards the end of baking.
- These make great leftovers so don't be shy about using these for meal prep!
Check Out Some Other Great Recipes!
Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini with Rice
Ingredients
- 5 Medium Zucchini
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 15 ounce can black beans
- 1 15 ounce can pinto beans
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup whole kernel corn
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 4 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, and using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the zucchini. You want to hollow out the inside of the zucchini so it resembles a boat.
- Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and corn to a skillet and saute over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. About 5 minutes.
- Add in your beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, vegetable broth, and rice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer covered for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
- Using a spoon, scoop your filling gently into the zucchini and place it in a casserole dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes
- While the zucchini is in the oven, make the sriracha mayonnaise. Stir the mayonnaise and the sriracha together, if the dressing is too thick for you, add 1 tablespoon almond milk.
- When the zucchini is done in the oven, serve immediately, top with cilantro and sriracha mayonnaise.
Notes
- You should be able to fill about 5 zucchini with the mixture depending on the size of the zucchini. However, if you find yourself with a lot of leftover mixture, you can always use it as leftovers and throw it in a taco salad or make some quick tacos out of it!
- Depending on the size of the zucchini, baking times may vary. You will know the zucchini is done when it is fork tender, so just keep an eye on the zucchini towards the end of baking.
- These make great leftovers so don't be shy about using these for meal prep!
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Selena says
These look so delicious!! and I'm OBSESSED with zucchini! will have to try!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I love that these are meatless! We are growing zucchini this year so I will definitely keep this recipe in mind when we start harvesting!!
kaydimaggio says
Yes! The perfect garden recipe! I hope you enjoy!
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy!
Jenny says
Great recipe. Maybe i will try it tomorrow
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy it!
Melinda says
Oh my, what great timing! It's zucchini season where I live and a recipe like this is just what we need. I love that it's so healthy and I know my family will love it This is going to be a yummy way to enjoy a garden bounty!! Thanks for sharing.
kaydimaggio says
Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Jeri says
I just picked my first zucchini of the summer today, and I turned them into these delicious zucchini boats. This recipe was fantastic, it had awesome flavor, and it was surprisingly filling. The sriracha mayo is a new favorite of ours now!
kaydimaggio says
So glad you loved them!
Alexandra says
These zucchini boats are so delicious and full of flavour - I love how nutritious they are also! We will be enjoying them on repeat with our homegrown zucchini.
kaydimaggio says
Glad you enjoyed!
Freya says
I can’t even tell you how delicious these were, and so quick to put together! Such a fabulous way to use up excess zucchini!
kaydimaggio says
So glad you liked them! 🙂
Kayy says
These look so delicious and healthy . I will definitely try this recipe this week. Thanks for the detailed recipe .
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Julia says
Omg, like you said, STUFFED. We just got zucchinis in our produce delivery last night. Loved how this tasted and definitely didn't feel like we were missing any other protein!
kaydimaggio says
I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Briana | Next Destination Unknown says
These look amazingly delicious and satisfying, especially for being vegan! I've been trying to incorporate more vegan recipes into my meals and love zucchini! Totally saving this recipe to try, thanks!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy them!
Aditi Jain says
Why does it look so yummy and makes me want to try it now!
kaydimaggio says
You will have to let me know what you think! 🙂
Headphonesthoughts says
This looks so good and easy to make. I would totally love to try these out and have this for dinner.
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Maura says
This looks delicious. Zucchini is such a versatile ingredient and takes on the flavor of whatever you put around it. I always like stuffed zucchini, peppers, or tomatoes and I don't make them nearly enough!
kaydimaggio says
Yes! I love using zucchini as a low carb option!
Karen | Online Blog & Business Help says
Perfect timing! My garden is giving me several zucchini a day right now and I'm needing unique ways to use them up! These look delicious! Bonus that they're vegan 🙂
kaydimaggio says
Yes! My zucchini is overflowing as well! This is the perfect recipe to use them all up!
Carol Jarecki says
I ate l lot of the stuffing before I put it in the zucchini. Could be a side dish. Good job Kayla.
kaydimaggio says
So glad you liked it! I agree, I could eat all the stuffing!