Anna's Basket — Zucchini Boats

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Grilled Zucchini Boats with
Fresh Tomato-Basil Bruschetta & Feta

I’ve been making this tomato-basil bruschetta topping since I was a young teenager living at home in my parent’s house. It’s one of those simple, nostalgic recipes that brings me right back to summer evenings in the kitchen after a long day on the farm. My dad would sometimes come home with loads tomatoes and garlic from a farmer friend and we would get to work transforming these simple ingredients into a family favourite dish.

Here, I’ve paired it with smoky, grilled zucchini boats for a light and vibrant dish, but the topping is incredibly versatile! We’ve enjoyed it on crusty sourdough or even as fresh topping on some grilled fish. It’s one of those recipes that’s hard to recreate in the winter when the ingredients aren’t straight from the farm, so I highly suggest adding it to your summer rotation. Enjoy!!


INGREDIENTS


For the grilled zucchini boats:
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1–2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the bruschetta topping:
1 cup ripe tomatoes (cherry or grape), finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1–2 tbsp finely diced purple (red) onion
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (or more to taste)
Optional: Balsamic Glaze
Optional: broiler for finishing

Prepare the zucchini boats by slicing each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to gently scrape out the seedy centers, creating shallow boats. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill the zucchini cut-side down for 2–3 minutes, then flip and grill another 2 minutes, until tender with visible grill marks. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes, garlic, red onion, basil, olive oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let sit for 5 min or so for the flavours to develop.

Assemble the boats. Spoon the tomato mixture into each grilled zucchini boat. Top generously with crumbled feta.

Optional: Finish under the broiler. Place assembled zucchini boats on a baking sheet and broil for 1–2 minutes, just until the feta begins to brown slightly and tomatoes warm through. Watch carefully to avoid over-browning.

Serving Suggestions:
- Serve warm or at room temperature
- Drizzle with a little extra olive oil or balsamic glaze for added depth

Note:
If you're not a fan of zucchini or don't have a grill, the bruschetta topping also goes wonderfully spooned over a piece of crusty sourdough bread. Top with feta and lightly toast for a delicious app or side.

Enjoy!!