Couscous Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Name: Couscous Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 medium (about 8 oz each) (900 g) medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, stem ends trimmed; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for brushing, 1 tbsp for the skillet, 1 tbsp for drizzling; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt, divided: ¼ tsp for the zucchini, ¾ tsp for the filling; ¾ cup (140 g) plain dry couscous; ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable broth, brought to a full boil; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ small onion); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced; ¼ cup (35 g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into ¼-inch pieces; ¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, toasted (see step 3); 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 1 small (60 g) lemon, zest finely grated (about 1 tsp), then juiced (about 1 tbsp / 15 ml); ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, divided: most in the filling, a little to garnish; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided: ¼ cup in the filling, ¼ cup on top; freshly ground black pepper, to taste, about ¼ tsp

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender roasted zucchini halves piled with fluffy couscous, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, lemon and parsley, then finished with a golden Parmesan crust. A light vegetarian main or generous side that comes together with pantry staples.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 42 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 17 min
Makes: 8 stuffed zucchini halves (4 servings of 2 boats)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the boats
4 medium (about 8 oz each) (900 g) medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, stem ends trimmed
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for brushing, 1 tbsp for the skillet, 1 tbsp for drizzling
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt, divided: ¼ tsp for the zucchini, ¾ tsp for the filling
For the filling
¾ cup (140 g) plain dry couscous
¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable broth, brought to a full boil
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ small onion)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (35 g) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts, toasted (see step 3)
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
1 small (60 g) lemon, zest finely grated (about 1 tsp), then juiced (about 1 tbsp / 15 ml)
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, divided: most in the filling, a little to garnish
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided: ¼ cup in the filling, ¼ cup on top
freshly ground black pepper, to taste, about ¼ tsp

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet
Medium heatproof bowl with a plate or lid to cover
Large mixing bowl
Teaspoon or small melon baller for scooping
Microplane or fine grater
Pastry brush (or the back of a spoon)

Steps

Before you start

Choose zucchini of similar size (about 8 oz / 225 g each, 7–8 inches long) so all the boats cook at the same rate.
Use standard fine couscous, not pearl (Israeli) couscous; the steeping times here are for fine couscous.
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes well on paper towels if oil-packed; if dry-packed, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first, then drain.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) when you start step 1.

1
Prep the zucchiniOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Halve each zucchini lengthwise.
- With a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh from each half, leaving a ¼-inch (6 mm) wall all around and keeping the bottom intact.
- Roughly chop all the scooped flesh into ¼-inch pieces and set it aside (you should have about 1½ cups / 250 g).
- Brush the cut sides of the boats with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp of the salt.
- Arrange cut side up in the 9×13-inch dish; trim a thin slice off any rounded bottoms so the boats sit steady.
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Ready when: Walls are an even ¼ inch thick and boats sit flat without tipping.
Tip: Stop scooping if you can see through the skin; a thin wall will collapse when baked.
2
Pre-bake the boatsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Slide the dish into the 400°F (200°C) oven and bake the empty boats for 12 minutes.
- This softens the walls and drives off water so the filling stays fluffy rather than soggy.
- Meanwhile, continue with steps 3–5.
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Ready when: Edges look slightly glossy and a knife tip meets slight resistance in the walls; beads of liquid pool in the hollows.
3
Toast the pine nuts
- Place the pine nuts in the dry 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir or shake the pan constantly for 3–4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate immediately to stop the cooking, and wipe out the skillet.
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Ready when: Nuts are light golden brown and smell nutty and fragrant.
Tip: Pine nuts go from golden to burnt in seconds; never walk away from the pan.
4
Sauté the aromatics
- Return the skillet to medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped zucchini flesh and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the liquid it releases has evaporated and the pieces are tender.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and oregano, cook 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent, garlic is fragrant but not browned, and the pan looks nearly dry.
Tip: If the garlic browns it turns bitter; lower the heat if it colors quickly.
5
Steep the couscous
- Put the couscous in the medium heatproof bowl.
- Pour the boiling broth over it, stir once, and cover tightly with a plate or lid.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes, then fluff thoroughly with a fork, breaking up any clumps.
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Ready when: All the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender, separate and fluffy.
Tip: Don't stir during the steep; it makes the couscous gummy.
6
Mix the filling
- In the large mixing bowl, combine the fluffed couscous, the sautéed vegetable mixture, the toasted pine nuts (reserve 1 tbsp for the top), lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ cup (25 g) of the Parmesan, 3 tbsp of the parsley, the remaining ¾ tsp salt, and the pepper.
- Toss gently, then taste and adjust salt, pepper or lemon.
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Ready when: Filling tastes bright and well seasoned, and holds together slightly when pressed.
Tip: The Parmesan adds saltiness, so taste before adding extra salt.
7
Fill the boatsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Remove the pre-baked boats from the oven (keep it at 400°F / 200°C).
- Carefully tip out any liquid that collected in the hollows, blotting with paper towels if needed.
- Spoon the filling into the boats, pressing gently and mounding it about ½ inch above the rim; use all of it.
- Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan over the tops and drizzle with the final 1 tbsp olive oil.
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Ready when: Each boat is generously mounded and evenly covered with cheese.
Tip: Handle the hot boats with a spatula, not tongs, which can pierce the soft walls.
8
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake the stuffed boats at 400°F (200°C) for 15–18 minutes, until the Parmesan is golden and the zucchini is fork-tender when pierced at the thickest part.
- If the cheese isn't browned, broil on high for 1 minute, watching closely.
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Ready when: Cheese is golden brown, couscous tips look lightly crisp, and a fork slides easily into the zucchini.
9
Rest and garnish
- Let the boats rest in the dish for 5 minutes so the filling sets and they're easier to lift.
- Scatter with the reserved pine nuts and the remaining parsley, and serve warm.
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Ready when: Boats hold their shape when lifted with a spatula.
Tip: Serve two boats per person with a green salad or lemony yogurt.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the pre-bake; raw zucchini releases a lot of water that makes the filling soggy.
Choose medium zucchini; very large ones are watery and seedy, and tiny ones are hard to scoop.
Fluff the couscous with a fork rather than a spoon to keep the grains light.
For a main course with extra protein, stir in 1 cup (160 g) of drained chickpeas to the filling.

Make ahead

"Assemble the filled boats (through step 7) up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5 minutes to the baking time, and bake until the filling is hot in the center. The filling alone can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the zucchini turns watery when thawed. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, or microwave individual boats for 1½–2 minutes until hot."

Substitutions

pine nuts → sliced or slivered almonds, or chopped walnuts. Toast the same way; they are a budget-friendly swap with a similar crunch.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano, or crumbled feta. Pecorino is saltier, so reduce the salt slightly; feta will soften rather than brown.
plain dry couscous → cooked quinoa (about 1½ cups / 255 g). Skip the broth steeping step and use cooked, cooled quinoa; it makes the dish gluten-free.
vegetable broth → water plus a pinch of extra salt. The filling will be milder; add a little extra lemon juice for flavor.