Vegan Baked Zucchini Boats
These vegan zucchini boats are baked to golden brown perfection, loaded with sauce and béchamel for a truly glorious dinner experience.
Ingredients
- 2 large Zucchini
- 1 large Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 jar Tomato Sauce (whichever you prefer)
- vegan mince (add as much as you want)
- Salt & Pepper
Bechamel
- 5 tbsp Vegan Butter
- 3-4 tbsp Flour
- 1½ cups/ 400ml Plant Milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ cup Cashews
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise and carefully scoop out the interior with a spoon. A teaspoon works well to avoid breaking the skin.
- Finely chop the onions, garlic, and the scooped-out zucchini flesh. If you’re using vegan mince that needs soaking, prepare it now.
- Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the chopped zucchini flesh and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the vegan mince and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, cover with a lid, and let it simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- In a small pot, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth and only a few crumbs remain.
- Turn off the heat and slowly pour in half of the milk, a splash at a time, whisking to prevent clumps. After that add the rest of the milk and cook until you have a thick, creamy sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- If using cashews, blend them with a ladle of the finished sauce until smooth, then stir back into the béchamel for extra creaminess.
- Drizzle some olive oil in a baking dish and place the hollowed zucchini halves side by side. Fill them to the rim with the red sauce, then top generously with the béchamel. You’ll likely have a little extra sauce left over.
- For some extra sauce, you can optionally mix olive oil with 3–4 tablespoons red wine, 1 tablespoon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of the béchamel. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 35–40 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Let the zucchini boats rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, as they will be very hot. Enjoy!
