Go boating with these Thai vegetarian zucchini boats! A spicy, simple stuffed zucchini recipe bursting with Thai flavor.
*Please note: this post was originally published in 2017. The post has been updated but the recipe is the same.*
We’re sticking with #ThaiTuesday — we love Thai spices. With a bumper crop of zucchini this season I experimented with a vegetarian twist on classic stuffed zucchini and landed on these Thai-inspired zucchini boats. They pair creamy red Thai curry basmati rice with simple sautéed vegetables and a silky red Thai sauce for a satisfying, meatless meal.
I usually stuff zucchini with tomato sauce, beef and cheese, which is delicious. Still, I wanted a lighter, meatless option for Meatless Mondays. Thai flavours felt like a natural fit, and stuffing the squash with a fragrant rice made perfect sense. I often make red Thai basmati rice (or coconut rice) to serve with grilled vegetables or chicken, so I adapted that idea and turned it into a filling.
Red Thai Basmati Rice — simple method
Making the rice is straightforward. Combine basmati rice, coconut milk, water, lime juice, a touch of brown sugar and red Thai curry paste in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. The rice turns rich and fragrant — it’s tempting to eat it on its own while it’s hot.
Preparing the zucchini boats
Making the zucchini into boats is easy: trim the ends and slice each zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon or melon baller to create a cavity for the filling. Save the scooped flesh if you want to sauté it with the other vegetables — it adds more zucchini flavor and stretches the filling.
Filling ideas and vegetable mix
Alongside the red Thai curry rice, I added diced mushrooms, red bell pepper and carrots. You can use other vegetables you have on hand — zucchini pulp, frozen peas, baby corn or thinly sliced cabbage all work well. While the rice cooks, sauté garlic and grated ginger in a skillet, add the diced vegetables and cook until slightly tender. Mix the vegetables into the cooked rice and use that to fill the zucchini boats.
The red Thai sauce
The topping sauce elevates these boats. Whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter, red Thai curry paste, lime juice and brown sugar in a small pot and heat until it thickens slightly. The sauce becomes creamy, tangy and a little spicy — perfect drizzled over the baked zucchini. I like to make the sauce while the zucchini bakes so it’s ready to pour over as soon as they come out of the oven.
The contrast of tender baked zucchini, creamy curry rice, sautéed vegetables and a glossy red sauce makes this dish feel hearty and balanced. It’s filling enough that two people often eat just one boat each, depending on appetite.
If your garden is overflowing with zucchini, this is a fun and flavorful way to use them. The recipe is easy to scale up or down and adapts well to different vegetables or spice levels.
Ingredients
Red Thai Basmati Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 cup coconut milk (light or full fat)
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp red Thai curry paste (reduce to 2 tbsp if you prefer milder)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Zucchini Boats
- 3 large zucchini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1″ piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 cup white mushrooms, diced
Red Thai Sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk (light or full fat)
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the rice by combining all rice ingredients in a pot and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Trim the zucchini ends and slice them lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh to create boats. Place the hollowed zucchini on a baking sheet or casserole dish. Reserve the pulp if you plan to use it in the filling.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry for about a minute, then add ginger and cook another minute. Add diced vegetables (and reserved zucchini pulp, if using) and sauté for about 5 minutes until slightly tender. Remove from heat and combine with the cooked rice.
- Fill each zucchini cavity with the rice and vegetable mixture. If you have extra filling, serve it alongside the boats. Bake the filled zucchini for 40–45 minutes, until fork-tender.
- While zucchini bakes, whisk the sauce ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat. Whisk until it begins to thicken, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until it reaches your desired consistency (about 10–15 minutes). Keep the sauce warm until serving.
- Serve zucchini boats with extra rice if desired and drizzle the red Thai sauce over the top.
Leftovers (zucchini and sauce) will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
Notes
- If you prefer a milder dish, use 2 tablespoons of red curry paste instead of 3.
- Don’t discard the scooped zucchini flesh — sauté it with the other vegetables for extra texture and flavor.
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