Buffalo Mac and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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4.8 from 8 votes

Savory and delicious buffalo mac and cheese stuffed zucchini with a crispy panko breadcrumb topping. These mac and cheese zucchini boats are easy to make, protein-packed, and such a fun way to use up summer zucchini! Choose your buffalo spice level and enjoy the perfect weeknight meal.

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 620 kcal

Course: Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Ingredients

For the zucchini boats:
olive oil
4 zucchini medium, sliced in half lengthwise
salt freshly ground
black pepper freshly ground
For the buffalo mac and cheese:
8 ounces elbow noodles dry
2 tablespoons butter salted
¼ cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat or gluten free all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 3/4 cups cashew milk unsweetened, or almond milk or regular milk
6 oz cheddar cheese sharp, about 1 ½ heaping cup shredded off the block
salt freshly ground, to taste
black pepper freshly ground, to taste
1/2 cup buffalo sauce medium to hot
For topping:
1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter melted
For garnish:
green onion sliced

Instructions

Cup of Yum

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with olive oil or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a spoon, scoop centers from zucchini while leaving a 1/4-inch rim to create boats. Place zucchini in the greased pan; they should snuggle pretty tightly in there, but if you can’t fit them all in, you can use two pans. Brush zucchini with a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon or so). You can also simply spray them with an all natural oil-only cooking spray. Generously season with salt and pepper.
Boil the noodles in a large pot until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and return noodles to the large pot.
While the noodles are boiling, make your mac and cheese sauce: in a medium pot or skillet, add butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens up a bit. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper.
Next add in 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until completely melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles, then add in buffalo sauce. Stir to completely coat the noodles.
Spoon mac and cheese evenly into zucchini boats. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes or until zucchini is slightly fork tender.
Remove from oven and top each with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of zucchini boats. Bake for 5-10 more minutes until breadcrumbs become slightly golden. Garnish with green onion before serving and drizzle with some ranch or bleu cheese dressing, if desired. Serves 4; 2 boats per person.

Notes

Feel free to serve these with a drizzle of ranch or bleu cheese dressing if you’d like. You can also omit.
If you don’t want these spicy, simply leave out the buffalo sauce! They’ll still be delish as regular mac and cheese stuffed zucchini boats.
See the full post for ways to customize, plus storing instructions.

Nutrition Information

Serving 2zucchini boats Calories 620cal (31%) Carbohydrates 62.2g (21%) Protein 24.5g (49%) Fat 30.6g (47%) Saturated Fat 16.4g (82%) Fiber 4.3g (17%) Sugar 7.1g (14%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 620

% Daily Value*

Serving	2zucchini boats
Calories	620cal	31%
Carbohydrates	62.2g	21%
Protein	24.5g	49%
Fat	30.6g	47%
Saturated Fat	16.4g	82%
Fiber	4.3g	17%
Sugar	7.1g	14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.