Zucchini Lasagna Boats

We know what you're thinking... I'm never trading my lasagna for zucchini!!

We like to think of this dish as a totally different meal. Not a lasagna replacement (at all!), but rather, a healthier dinner option that has some lasagna qualities. This meal is great for serving large families or guests & is sure to be a crowd favorite!

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Before cooking this recipe, please allow plenty of time for thawing your beef! We recommend thawing 1 of 2 ways. Beef thaws best in the refrigerator! For a pound of ground beef, we suggest at least 6 hours of defrost time. When making burgers, you want your beef completely thawed so it's easy to work with. Second best option would be thawing in cold water. If your beef is vacuum sealed, you are probably safe to soak the package straight in the water. Otherwise, place your frozen beef in a sealed Ziploc bag for its defrost bath! Change the water out every 20-30 minutes until the meat is fully thawed.

Start by ~PREHEATING~ the oven to 375 degrees. (we say this in caps because we NEVER remember to preheat the oven before we start prepping...)

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Add your 1lb of Hickok Hamburger and 5 links of mild Italian sausage (without casings), then your seasonings. To season this meat, we are going to use 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBSP fennel seeds, a good sprinkle of oregano and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. Cook the meat, breaking it up into smaller pieces until browned and cooked through. 

Once the meat is cooked, add the tomato sauce, mix well, and remove from heat while you prepare the zucchini boats.

Chop the spinach finely. In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan, eggs, spinach, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix until well-combined & set aside. 

To prepare the boats, first you need to cut the zucchini squashes into halves. Then, use a spoon or a melon baller (melon baller works better!) to scoop the insides of the zucchini out. You can either discard of the insides, or cook them separately. 

Lastly, you will assemble the boats in a 9x13 in. dish. Start by spreading some of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Spread the cheese mixture into the bottom of each boat, then place them in the dish, skin-side down. Once all the boats are in the baking dish, cover them completely with meat sauce, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese (as much as your heart desires!).

Once assembled, bake your dish in the oven for approximately 25 minutes until the zucchini is cooked through, but not too soft.

When serving, top your boats with parmesan cheese & add some garlic bread on the side! Texas Toast, as we like to call it. Because we're feeling a little Italian, we have to suggest a red wine & we only do Argentinian Malbec on Hickok Ranch, so that's our suggestion to you!

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We hope you enjoy this healthy home-cooked meal in the comfort of your own home! Bring the restaurant quality food to your kitchen table, then amplify it even more with Hickok Hamburger. You WILL taste the difference!

Zucchini Lasagna Boats

Defrost Time: ~6 hours in refrigerator

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Hickok Hamburger ground beef
• 5 links of mild Italian sausage (without casings)
• Olive Oil
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBSP fennel seeds
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce (we like good ole’ Prego)
• 1 ½ C baby spinach
• 8 oz ricotta cheese
• ½ C grated parmesan cheese (plus a little extra for serving)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 TBSP chopped parsley
• 4 zucchini squash
• ½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. DEFROST MEAT - please make sure you leave enough time to defrost your ground beef completely before starting.
2. PREHEAT OVEN - 375 degrees
3. MEAT SAUCE - Heat olive oil in large pan on the stove. Add in ground beef, Italian sausage & seasonings (1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBSP fennel seeds, a good sprinkle of oregano and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes). Brown the meats until fully cooked, then add in entire jar of spaghetti sauce. Set aside, away from direct heat.
4. CHEESE MIXTURE - In a bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta, parmesan, eggs, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well.
5. BOATS - use a spoon or melon baller to hollow out halved zucchini squashes.
6. ASSEMBLY - in a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the dish. Fill each zucchini boat about halfway with the cheese mixture, then place in the dish over the sauce. Scoop remainder of meat sauce over the boats & then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. BAKE - bake your dish for about 25 minutes (or until zucchini is fully cooked, but not too soft).
8. SERVE - top with parmesan cheese and pair with garlic bread, then ENJOY!

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