Crab and Zucchini Boats

Whether you are a seasoned vet or a kitchen newbie, these zucchini boats will rock your world! Super easy to make and if you are lucky, you have someone in your life with a garden that is willing to hand over a basket of squash for free. If not, no worries, zucchini is pretty inexpensive.

What I like about this recipe is that it is flexible and you can add seafood or another protein as desired. Or you can keep it vegetarian (as pictured). When I want to add some pescatarian flair, I add tinned crab to the filling because it is a tasty, low-cost way of making this recipe stand out.

Ingredients

4 to 5 whole zucchini squash

1 large, whole, fresh diced tomato

¼ cup of mixed Italian cheese (Parmesan, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano)

½ cup panko break crumbs

1 fresh garlic clove

2 – 3 leaves of fresh basil

2 tablespoons of butter (grass fed is best)

Himalayan salt

Red pepper flake (to taste)

1 six-ounce tin of crab (optional)

Note: Save some of the key ingredients for garnish.

Directions

Prep the zucchini

Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out the flesh of the squash and set it aside in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle Himalayan salt over the zucchini shells, which will allow the vegetable to sweat and release moisture. Once moisture forms on the squash (10-15 minutes) shake off the liquid and add the following stuffing.

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

Stuffing:

In the medium sized bowl, chop the zucchini flesh into bite-sized pieces, add the panko break crumbs, cheese, butter, garlic, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of Himalayan salt, (optional) red pepper flake and (optional) crab. Mix together and stuff into zucchini shells. Top the squash with the remaining cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes. Enjoy!