Cheesy Sweet Corn Zucchini Boats
It’s summer, so sweet corn and zucchini are everywhere in the best way! I adapted my favorite corn dip recipe to make these tasty zucchini boats. This is a great side dish for grilled chicken or pork chops, but would also make a tasty main dish with shredded chicken added into the sweet corn filling. Zucchini boats are such an easy summer meal, whether it’s meatless Monday or taco Tuesday, the zucchini boat can do it all!
Though my family isn’t always a big fan of vegetables, these got a solid “better than I thought they’d be” review from the boys. I’ll take it as a win. I enjoyed these zucchini boats very much and was quite excited for the leftovers.
This super delicious summer side dish is made even easier by cooking two extra ears of sweet corn for dinner a day or two before. Then, when it’s zucchini boat night, you will have fresh summer sweet corn without extra prep. You can absolutely use a can of corn or frozen corn, but there is something about fresh sweet corn that’s just better! I think I can taste the sunshine!
Ingredients
Zucchini: I like to use smallish zucchini, approximately 6 or 6 1/2 inches long. They make the perfect size boat. There are many options to make the boat, but I like to use a small melon baller to scoop out the zucchini guts.
Optional: Drizzle BBQ sauce, hot sauce or hot honey on top of these before serving.
Bacon: It took me 40 years to discover the ease of cooking bacon in the microwave. Just lay the bacon out on a paper towel, cover it with another paper towel and microwave for 4-5 minutes, until crispy. Let the bacon cool, then crumble.
Make Ahead
You can stir up the cheesy sweet corn filling a day or two in advance and refrigerate until it’s zucchini boat time.
Cheesy Sweet Corn Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium small zucchini approximately 6 1/2 inches long
- 2 ears of corn cooked and cut off the cob
- 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 brick
- 3 slice of bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup onion diced small
- 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes oil packed in jar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup cheese divided (I used 1/2 cup cheddar, 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a large metal baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and salt. Stir with a spatula until combined and there are no lumps. Add the sweet corn, diced onion, sun-dried tomatoes and 1/2 cup shredded cheese and gently stir until mixed well.
- Cut each zucchini in half and cut off the stem ends. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the flesh in the center of each zucchini half, leaving 1/4 – 1/2 inch shell. Place zucchini halves on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. Brush each zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and a little extra salt. Fill each zucchini boat to the top, or a little over, with prepared sweet corn filling. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until zucchini is crisp tender and all the cheese is melted. Let sit for 5 minutes and enjoy!