These zucchini boats are easy to make and and great for an inexpensive, nutritious, and good dinner. They also are quick to air fry. The zucchini boats are low in carbohydrates--making them a good choice for diabetics--and full of flavor with lots of chopped vegetables as well as the tuna. A little Parmesan cheese adds even more taste. I often make the boats in advance of dinner, refrigerate them, and then cook them in the air fryer in about 20 minutes, which saves a lot of last minute rushing about in the kitchen. The zucchini boats are a sort of "meal-in-one," so you don't need a lot of accompaniments. A simple salad would be plenty. Leftover zucchini boats also make great lunches. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Tuna Stuffed Italian Zucchini Boats -- Serves 2-4
2 small/medium zucchini
2 cups of chopped vegetables--a mixture of onions, celery, and bell peppers works well,
but you can also include shredded carrots, chopped spinach, etc.
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 chopped green onion (1-3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (fat free is fine)
1/2 cup of quick oats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
12-ounce can of tuna, drained (chunk light tuna is fine and generally less expensive)
Sliced tomatoes (small tomatoes or cherry/grape tomatoes work best)
2-3 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese
Tear off a small piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit in the bottom of your air fryer basket and an inch or two up the sides. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Split the zucchini, lengthwise, and, with a sharp spoon, hollow out the middle part of the zucchini (like you're making a canoe), leaving an edge of about 1/4-1/2 an inch. Put the zucchini pulp in a large, microwave safe bowl and add the two cups of chopped vegetables along with a teaspoon or two of water. Microwave the veggies for 3-5 minutes until they have softened. Add to the veggies the garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, chopped green onion, Greek yogurt, quick oats, egg, and grated Parmesan and mix everything well. Stir in the tuna until it is fully incorporated. Put the four hollowed-out zucchini shells on the foil in your air fryer basket and stuff them equally with the tuna mixture. Lay pieces of sliced tomato on top of the filling. Spritz the filled/tomato topped boats with non-stick cooking spray. Air fry the boats at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle on the shredded Parmesan cheese and air fry the boats for another minute or two or until the cheese melts. Let the zucchini boats cool a few minutes before serving them.
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