Name: Stuffed Yellow Squash Boats Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 medium yellow summer squash (green is fine too); 1 pound of ground beef; 1 tablespoon of olive oil; ½ medium yellow onion; 2 cloves of garlic, diced; ¾ cup marinara sauce; 1 egg, beaten; ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 4 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese, divided; 8 cherry tomatoes; 2 tablespoons marinara sauce for the pan

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Looking for a recipe to use extra summer squash from your garden? This stuffed yellow squash boats recipe features a tasty beef and marinara sauce grilled to cheesy perfection.

Panko bread crumbs give the stuffed squash boats a nice texture, and the blistered tomatoes had a fresh topping that also looks great.

The recipe is quick to prepare, and the squash halves make the perfect boat-shaped vessel to hold the savory filling.

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Ingredients for the stuffed summer squash boats

One of our good friends gave me a bag of yellow summer crookneck squash, just asking to be made into a new recipe! This is what you need to make it:

4 medium yellow summer squash
1 pound of ground beef
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ medium yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic, diced
¾ cup marinara sauce plus extra for the baking dish
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 cherry tomatoes

You’ll also need a 3-quart baking dish.

How to make stuffed squash boats

This summer squash boats recipe is very easy to make. Here is how to do it:

Prepare the summer squash

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare your squash.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise.
Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow it to sit flat.
Scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch thick shells.

Steam the summer squash

Place the shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish.
Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Drain and set aside to cool.

Cook the onions and beef

You can make the filling while the squash is steaming.

Add olive oil to a large skillet and cook ground beef until lightly browned.
Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are tender.
Drain the excess oil and remove from the heat.

Make the squash boat filling

Stir the marinara sauce, egg, and Panko bread crumbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add ½ cup of the shredded cheese.

Bake the stuffed shells

Place 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
Place the steamed summer squash boats on the sauce.
Spoon about ¼ cup of the beef mixture into each boat.
Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes.
Add a cherry tomato in the last 6 minutes to allow it to blister.

Other recipes using squash

We love all types of squash and eat it often. If you like it, too, one of these recipes might appeal to you:

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If you enjoyed learning how to make stuffed squash boats, be sure to share this recipe with a friend. Here is a tweet to get you started:

These delicious stuffed yellow squash boats with ground beef and cheese are amazing! 😋 Learn how to make this mouthwatering dish on The Gardening Cook. #SummerSquash #StuffedSquash #GroundBeef #Recipe #HealthyEating… Share on X

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Admin note: this post for yellow squash boats first appeared on the blog in August of 2013. I have updated the post to add new photos, a printable recipe card with nutritional information, and a video for you to enjoy.

Yield: 8 stuffed squash boats

Stuffed Yellow Squash Boats Recipe

4.6 Stars (18 Reviews)

Firm yellow summer squash get a face lift with this tasty filling mixture that is sure to please.

It's super easy, too. Microwave the squash first and fill and bake.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium yellow summer squash (green is fine too)
1 pound of ground beef
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ medium yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic, diced
¾ cup marinara sauce
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons marinara sauce for the pan

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Cut the squash in half lengthwise; then cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow it to sit flat.
Scoop out pulp, leaving ¼-inch shells.
Place the shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish.
Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; then drain any moisture and set the squash aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic in olive oil until tender.
Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink; drain.
Remove from the heat; stir in the marinara sauce, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of the cheese.
Place 2 tablespoons of extra marinara sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
Spoon about ¼ cup of the beef mixture into each shell.
Top with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes.
Add a cherry tomato in the last 6 minutes, so that it blisters in the oven.

Stuffed Yellow Squash Boats – Healthy Recipe for Summer Squash

Ingredients for the stuffed summer squash boats