Can I double this recipe?

Yes, double the amount of ingredients and cut additional zucchini in half to feed more people. The recipe feeds four people using two medium zucchinis. If your pan won't hold all the mushrooms and spinach at once, prepare them in batches to prevent excess moisture in the pan. Divide the ricotta mixture evenly among zucchini boats to prevent overfilling.

How can I make these picky-eater friendly?

Yes, you can change some aspects of the recipe to satisfy the preferences of individual eaters by not using certain optional ingredients called for in the recipe. Ingredients in the filling include mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and ricotta cheese. Other ingredients can be left out of the filling before baking to accommodate the preferences of individuals in your family. Do not change the zucchini boats. Experiment by putting a small amount of filling in one boat to see if others like it before putting filling in the other boats.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Yes, the recipe includes instructions to use 1/4 cup thawed frozen spinach instead of 2 cups of fresh spinach. Thawed and drained frozen spinach should be used in place of fresh to avoid excess moisture in the filling. Fresh spinach can be cooked along with the garlic for a few minutes. Measure frozen spinach after thawing, not before.

Can I prepare the filling ahead?

Yes, you can prepare the mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and ricotta together in advance. Refrigerate and cover the mixture. Keep the prepared mixture separate from the zucchini boats until you are ready to bake. Overly filling and refrigerating zucchini boats can make them too wet. Preparing the zucchini boats by cutting and removing seeds will make serving easier, just spoon the filling into the boats and bake.

Why is my filling watery?

Drainage would be one cause of the runny filling. The recipe notes include directions for draining and squeezing out excess water from thawed frozen spinach to make the filling with minced garlic for the recipe. Sauté mushrooms in a sprayed pan first. Add spinach to the pan. Do not sauté mushrooms and spinach together. Add ricotta cheese to the filling off the heat to thicken it and give it a firmer texture when served.

Zucchini Boats with Spinach Mushroom Ricotta Filling

By Emma CollinsOct 11, 2026

These zucchini boats make a four-serving quick meal. Lower-fat ricotta cheese and other filling ingredients for the zucchini boats include spinach, mushrooms, and garlic. Bake the zucchini boats in a 350-degree oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes for soft, tender zucchini boats with cooked mushrooms and tasty fillings.

Zucchini Boats with Spinach Mushroom Ricotta Filling

Cook sliced mushrooms in a nonstick pan sprayed with cooking spray, along with chopped fresh garlic and fresh or thawed and drained frozen spinach. Take the pan off the heat after cooking the vegetables for several minutes and stir in low-fat ricotta cheese. Use the vegetables as a filling, and do not cook the ricotta cheese. Top hollowed zucchini halves lengthwise with this mixture. Additional seasonings can be added to the topping, if desired.

You will know the filling is complete when the mushrooms are cooked and the spinach is wilted in the pan before adding ricotta. The most common error in making this dish and others like it is not hollowing out the zucchini halves enough to accommodate the filling. Hollow out the zucchini halves deep enough to contain the filling. Top the zucchini with the filling instead of packing it in and bake for 6 to 8 minutes as directed.

The stuffing is cooked before being used in the zucchini boats. Baking the zucchini boats briefly allows the filling to combine and flavors to meld but is not necessary to cook the stuffing. Either oven described in the recipe instructions can be used to bake the zucchini boats. Preheat either oven to 350 F before baking the zucchini boats.

Why this recipe works

Serves four people with two zucchinis. Consider this dish for a family meal or side dish to serve several people at once without measuring individual servings.
The spinach and mushroom combination can be used as a ricotta topping for customers who don't like vegetables. Sliced zucchini is a familiar food and serving size.
Fresh or unfrozen spinach gives you more serving options if you want to modify other dishes served with this meal, but the garlic and mushrooms in the filling are the same for all servings.
Using cooking spray and one pan for the filling cuts down on dishwashing and saves time during the week when cooking in an oven or air fryer for the final step.
Individual boats have food to sell, and it is not difficult to set aside a part of each boat without sauce for particular customers and supply extra sauce to other parts of the boat.
Leftover boats can be saved and reheated for future meals. Zucchini in leftover boats will likely become soft when reheated.

Instructions

Add cooking spray to a pan and cook down the mushrooms.

When the mushrooms are almost done, add the minced garlic and fresh spinach or drained, squeezed frozen spinach. Cook for a few minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese.

Cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from the centers.

Spoon the mushroom and spinach ricotta mixture on top of the zucchini.

Bake in a preheated 350 F air fryer or oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

FAQ

Serve the zucchini halves with a salad, other soup or vegetable dish. Spinach, mushrooms, and ricotta in the zucchini halves make them substantial. No starchy side dish is included with this recipe. To prevent flavor overload, serve a familiar side dish. To serve four people, arrange all four zucchini halves on the plate so each diner gets an equal portion.

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Dinner Side Dishes Vegetarian Quick Meals Baking

Zucchini Boats with Spinach Mushroom Ricotta Filling

By Emma CollinsOct 11, 2026

Servings

Jump to recipe

Why this recipe works

Serves four people with two zucchinis. Consider this dish for a family meal or side dish to serve several people at once without measuring individual servings.
The spinach and mushroom combination can be used as a ricotta topping for customers who don't like vegetables. Sliced zucchini is a familiar food and serving size.
Fresh or unfrozen spinach gives you more serving options if you want to modify other dishes served with this meal, but the garlic and mushrooms in the filling are the same for all servings.
Using cooking spray and one pan for the filling cuts down on dishwashing and saves time during the week when cooking in an oven or air fryer for the final step.
Individual boats have food to sell, and it is not difficult to set aside a part of each boat without sauce for particular customers and supply extra sauce to other parts of the boat.
Leftover boats can be saved and reheated for future meals. Zucchini in leftover boats will likely become soft when reheated.

Ingredients

Servings4

•½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese
•2 medium zucchini
•2 cups fresh spinach (or 1/4 cup defrosted frozen spinach, drained and squeezed)
•½ cup sliced mushrooms
•1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
•additional seasonings (if desired)
•cooking spray

Instructions

1
Add cooking spray to a pan and cook down the mushrooms.
2
When the mushrooms are almost done, add the minced garlic and fresh spinach or drained, squeezed frozen spinach. Cook for a few minutes.
3
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese.
4
Cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from the centers.
5
Spoon the mushroom and spinach ricotta mixture on top of the zucchini.
6
Bake in a preheated 350 F air fryer or oven for 6 to 8 minutes.