A platter of grilled ground turkey-stuffed zucchini boats.

Grilled Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats

Recipe courtesy of Andy Liang for Food Network Kitchen

Turkey-stuffed zucchini boats are a vibrant, flavorful twist for your next grilling get-together. We fill hollowed-out zucchini halves with a savory mix of ground turkey and Mediterranean-inspired flavors, including hearty chickpeas, tangy feta and a bold kick of harissa for just the right amount of heat, then grill them until the zucchini is tender and the filling is grill-marked and cooked to perfection. Tahini-harissa yogurt, crumbled feta and plenty of fresh mint and parsley are the ultimate finishing touches.

Prep Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hour
Calories Per Serving
843

Ingredients

  • 4 large zucchini (about 3 pounds total)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for the grill grates
  • 1 pound Butterball Fresh Ground Turkey 85/15
  • 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen white rice, thawed
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon harissa
  • Nonstick cooking spray, for the filling
  • 1/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Crumbled feta, for sprinkling
  • Lemon wedges, for squeezing

Directions

  1. For the zucchini boats: Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4-inch-thick border. Transfer the zucchini boats to a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let sit until water starts to bead on top, about 20 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Oil the grill grates.
  3. Mix the turkey, chickpeas, rice, panko, feta, onion, parsley, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, garlic, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the harissa, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl until evenly combined. Divide the turkey filling among the zucchini boats (about 1/2 cup in each) and flatten the filling until smooth. Evenly spray the top of the filling with nonstick spray.
  4. Grill the zucchini boats filling-side down until grill marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the boats over using a long spatula and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and grill until the zucchini is tender and the filling is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165 degrees F), 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon harissa, a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup cold water in a medium bowl until smooth.
  6. For serving: Carefully transfer the zucchini boats to a large platter. Drizzle with about half of the harissa yogurt and sprinkle with the mint, parsley and feta. Serve with lemon wedges and the remaining harissa yogurt.
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Ingredients

  • 4 large zucchini (about 3 pounds total)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for the grill grates
  • 1 pound Butterball Fresh Ground Turkey 85/15
  • 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen white rice, thawed
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon harissa
  • Nonstick cooking spray, for the filling
  • 1/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Crumbled feta, for sprinkling
  • Lemon wedges, for squeezing

Nutritional Facts

People Served
4
Carbs Per Serving
89g
Cholesterol Per Serving
90mg
Dietary Fiber Per Serving
12g
Protein Per Serving
43g
Saturated Fat Per Serving
7g
Sodium Per Serving
1638mg
Sugar Per Serving
14g
Total Fat Per Serving
37g