Greek-style stuffed zucchini squash boats, filled with feta cheese and eggs, then baked to perfection. A delicious, light summer dish that works equally well as a cold lunch or appetizer – and it’s completely vegetarian. Seasoned with a touch of cumin and coriander, these flavorful zucchini boats are kid-friendly too. Learn how to prepare stuffed cheese zucchini boats step-by-step below.
A light, flavorsome affair for late summer or early autumn, brimming with cheese, eggs, and a gentle medley of spices. I often turn to this dish on those hurried weekday evenings when time – and truth be told, energy – is in short supply.
It sits beautifully alongside a cold cucumber and yoghurt soup (tarator), or with a generous drizzle of yoghurt–tahini sauce for a richer touch.
Behind the Bites
As the story goes, squash — ancestors to what we now call zucchini — arrived in Europe in the 16th century in the wake of the Columbian Exchange. Over time, and with a good deal of patience, the vegetable we recognize today began to take shape, most likely in the late 19th century around Milan, Italy. By the early 20th century it had journeyed far, taking root across Europe, including in France, where it goes by the name courgette, and travelling still further afield.
While the familiar zucchini is most often a deep, glossy green, in certain corners of the world growers have, through careful selection, produced varieties in paler shades — from gentle light green to almost creamy white.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Zucchini – choose small, similar in size green zucchini.
- Feta cheese – or any type of white cheese in brine, like Bulgarian salad cheese or turkish white cheese
- Eggs
- For brushing zucchini – olive oil (or sunflower oil), dill and sea salt
- Seasoning: cumin powder, coriander powder
How to cook Zucchini Boats with Feta?
1st: Cut zucchini and hallow the inside. Brush with oil and dill. Then bake in the oven until almost cooked. If you like them crips and slightly on the ‘raw’ side, skip the prebaking step.
2nd: Then, combine feta cheese with eggs and spices. Stuff the almost cooked zucchini and stuff the boats with them. Finally, cook the boats further until eggs are cooked.
What to serve with Zucchini Feta Boats?
Something light, easy and delicious:
Greek Feta Stuffed Zucchini Boats (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise
- 3 medium eggs
- 300 g Feta Cheese, or white cheese in brine
- pinch of cumin powder
- pinch of coriander powder
For brushing boats
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. dill
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- First, wash zucchini (leave skin on). Cut lengthwise and remove the top and bottom of each zucchini.
- Then, scoop out most of the flesh from each zucchini boat, leaving a thin wall of zucchini on all sides to keep the feta–egg mixture from leaking.
- Next, in a small bowl mix olive oil, dill and sea salt. Brush the inside of each zucchini boat with the oil. Bake in preheated oven on 180C/360F until zucchini are soft-ish.
- In the meantime, in a large mixing bowl – add eggs and beat well. Then, add in crumbled Feta Cheese, cumin and coriander powder. Mix to combine well.
- Then, when zucchini are almost cooked, take the dish out of the oven, stuff each boat with Feta – egg mix and return in the oven.
- Bake (same temperature) until eggs are cooked (approx. 10 min) and golden on top. Ventilation can be used too for best golden crisp. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Perfect light summer recipe, will be added to the weekly menu for sure.