Best Air Fryer Zucchini Boats

Air fryer zucchini boats are a great dinner or snack! Made vegetarian, stuffed with chicken or ground beef they’re cooked fast in our Ninja Foodi.

Yep, you can load these babies with meat, or just a variety of cheeses.

We have tried it all and love these a bunch of different ways. Use what you have on hand. Let us know what your favorite “stuffing” is.

You’re going to start with some med./large zucchini. We have a plant in our garden which yields A LOT of them this time of year so we are always looking for new zucchini recipes.

Get the kids in the kitchen to help you with this. It is super easy and they will want to eat them even more if they can say “I made it.”

A spoon will do to scoop out the middle so you can fill it all up.

First lay them in your air fryer basket and make sure they fit.

• Then slice them in half lengthwise and discard both ends you won’t want to eat.
• Use a spoon to gently scoop out the middle so they look like boats ready to be filled!

Then use your imagination as far as what you’d like in them!

Fillings for zucchini boats

1. Cheese
2. Crack chicken dip
3. Taco meat topped with cheese

You can really use anything though, let us know what is your favorite combo.

That is really all the prep work you need, then comes the melting.

Air fryer zucchini boats

1. Zucchini
2. Cheese
3. Olive oil
4. Fillings
   1. ground beef / taco meat

1. chicken is great with some cheese on top
   1. tuna
   2. ground sausage and diced tomatoes
   3. sauteed vegetables for a vegetarian option
2. You can make baked zucchini taco boats in the oven too

Depending on what you stuff inside them you can make these keto and/or gluten free quite easily so everyone in the family can enjoy them for a meal.

Yes, we have a lot of zucchini recipes we love but these stuffed zucchini boats top the list for a hearty meal. 

Try these others too!

• Air fried zucchini chips
  • or zucchini slices whichever shape you prefer 
  • using Panko bread crumbs for a light crunchy outside
  • they’re amazing sprinkled with parmesan cheese and a side of marinara sauce or fry sauce
• Grandma’s moist zucchini bread recipe
• Salt and pepper fried zucchini
• And our zucchini pineapple bread is a great twist

Set to cook for 10 minutes in your air fryer there are TONS of variations you can make now that you have the timing and instructions here.

Start to finish you too can have a healthy meal or snack ready in under 30 minutes.

Looking for more easy Ninja Foodi recipes? Try our air fryer cauliflower too.

Do you eat the skin on zucchini boats?

Yes! If they are unwaxed of course which is important. Of course ours had none of that because it’s from our vegetable garden so they’re absolutely perfect and fresh. 😉

Can you freeze zucchini boats?

Freezing sliced zucchini is better than freezing them whole. Since these are halved they are okay frozen and defrosted but really I prefer them freshly cooked.

They’re cheap enough typically year round so I personally don’t see the need to freeze. Just buy, slice, stuff, and air fry zucchini the same day.

What is the best way to freeze zucchini?

1. Cut them – After your zucchini is washed, cut off both ends and discard those pieces. 1/2′ rounds or dials work best.

Blanch in boiling water – If you give zucchini a quick bath in boiling water will keep it from becoming discolored and/or mushy in texture.

1. Then cool in a bowl of ice water
2. Drain well and then pat zucchini pieces dry with paper towels
3. Package in air tight containers or freezer bags without air inside, then put inside your freezer

Can grated zucchini be frozen?

Yes, and it is handy to do if you like zucchini bread but have too many on hand and don’t want to cook multiple loaves right away.

• Just shred with a cheese grater
• Lay it on a few paper towels
• Roll it up and press with a hand so moisture is absorbed

Sometimes there’s so much moisture I fold it all the way up and squeeze the liquid out over the sink!

Now have we shared all things zucchini with you? 😉

What to serve with zucchini boats

1. Easy rolls
2. Garlic pull apart bread
3. Pesto salad

For those of you who like the top of your air fryer zucchini boats to be quite browned and crispy:

How do you use air fryer oil?

Just spray a bit of olive oil spray on the top during the last 2 minutes to get a real crispy crunchy cheesy top!

Find more zucchini dinner recipes here too!