Prepping the zucchini (and your oven!)

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. While it heats, grab your zucchinis and slice them in half lengthwise. Carefully trim off the stems, then use a spoon to scoop out the soft center flesh. Don’t throw it away—add it to your compost or freeze it for soups! Sprinkle the hollowed-out zucchinis with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and line them up in your greased baking dish.

Sizzling sausage and aromatics

Heat up a splash of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Toss in your Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Once it’s browned (about 4-5 minutes), stir in the chopped onion. Cook until the onion softens, then add the minced garlic. Just a heads-up: garlic burns quickly, so give it only 30 seconds before moving on!

Sauce it up

Pour the marinara sauce into the sausage mixture and stir well. Let everything simmer for about 5 minutes so the flavors can blend together. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.

Time to fill and bake

Spoon the sausage mixture evenly into each zucchini shell—pack it in but don’t overflow (no one likes a messy bake!). Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top and pop the dish into your preheated oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the zucchinis are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Garnish and enjoy

When they come out of the oven, sprinkle the boats with freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color. Serve them warm, and watch how quickly they disappear from the table!