Recipe Background
A comfort food that promises another way to use up all of that zucchini laying around the kitchen? Well, say no more! Mac N' Cheese Boats are hollowed out zucchini halves filled with a cheesy mac-and-zucchini filling that balances the refreshing juicy zucchini flavor with the richness of the cheese and cream! Mmm, Mac N' Cheese Boats will help your taste buds sail away from all your troubles!
A comfort food that promises another way to use up all of that zucchini laying around the kitchen? Well, say no more! Mac N' Cheese Boats are hollowed out zucchini halves filled with a cheesy mac-and-zucchini filling that balances the refreshing juicy zucchini flavor with the richness of the cheese and cream! Mmm, Mac N' Cheese Boats will help your taste buds sail away from all your troubles!
Ingredients
- 4 medium or large zucchini halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter melted, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons, room temperature, divided
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp yellow cheddar shredded
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
Directions
- Score the zucchini halves with a paring knife.
- Scoop out the insides of the zucchini halves with a small spoon and place them on a cutting board, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick layer of the flesh in the skins.
- Finely chop the zucchini pulp and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Transfer the zucchini halves to a large baking sheet.
- Brush the zucchini halves generously with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
- Season the zucchini halves with the salt and the pepper.
- Bake the zucchini halves until just tender, about 15 minutes.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the remaining butter.
- Add the reserved zucchini pulp, the onions, the garlic, the salt, the pepper, the paprika, the mustard, the cayenne pepper, and the nutmeg and cook, while stirring frequently, until the zucchini mixture is soft and creamy, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add the macaroni, the milk, and the heavy cream to the zucchini mixture and stir to combine.
- Bring the zucchini mixture to a simmer and lower the heat to medium.
- Cook the zucchini mixture, while stirring frequently, until the macaroni is nearly al dente, about 6 minutes.
- Transfer the zucchini mixture from the heat.
- Add the sharp yellow cheddar and the pepper jack cheese to the zucchini mixture and fold to combine.
- Transfer the zucchini halves to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spoon the zucchini mixture evenly into the zucchini boats.
- Bake until the boats are fully tender and the macaroni is al dente, about 15-18 minutes.
- Serve garnished with more of the black pepper.
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