Crab and fresh vegetables offer super taste when stuffed in easy to make Crab-Stuffed Zucchini & Summer Squash Boats on the grill. Try this healthy recipe and fall in love with a summer meal that is piled high with plenty of veggies, tasty crab, and melty cheese.
Preheat your grill, or indoor grill or grill pan to 350°F
For the Squash
Wash unpeeled squash with cold water, pat dry with a towel, remove any bad spots, and cut each zucchini or summer squash in half lengthwise, trimming the ends if desired. Using a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard the seeds and pulp, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 -inch thick shells. Place the hollowed-out shells cut side up on a shallow pan or baking sheet, drizzle the inside of each shell with garlic grapeseed oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill cut side down for two minutes, turn 45-degrees, and continue grilling for an additional two minutes or until the edges of the squash start to brown. Remove from the grill to fill. DO NOT TURN OFF THE GRILL! (You’ll need it again in a few minutes for the final step.)
For the Filling
Combine the bell peppers, onion, seasoning blend, breadcrumbs, and cheese in a medium-size bowl and stir to combine. Add the crab, and mayonnaise, stir until mixed.
To Assemble & Grill (The Final Step)
Spoon the crab mixture into the pre-grilled zucchini and summer squash halves. Place the filled halves back on the grill. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the filling and cheese begins to look slightly melted and golden on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving with lemon wedges if desired.
KITCHEN NOTES
*Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil is available from .1. Size matters. This recipe works the absolute best with medium-size zucchini and summer squash. I’ve found that while smaller squash equals less of the yummy filling, and larger-sized squash equals more room for the delicious mixture, by using medium-size squash, the weight of the loaded boats is overall the easiest to cook, maneuver, and transfer to and from the grill.2. If your zucchini or summer squash is smaller or larger, you can still make this dish. Follow the instructions to prepare as directed, stuffing each half. Depending on the size of the squash that you use, you may need to adjust your grilling and cooking times slightly.3. Don’t scoop too much. Make sure that you leave a sturdy 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer of outer squash flesh to support the filling. If you scoop out too much, the boats will be flimsy and hard to transfer to and from the grill.4. Use good-quality breadcrumbs. If you can’t find ready-to-go good-quality gluten-free breadcrumbs, make your own. Breadcrumbs are easy to make yourself. Cut gluten-free bread into cubes. Season them with a few dried herbs and spices to your liking. I usually use salt and pepper, onion powder, and some dried parsley. Toss to mix, then toast them until golden brown before placing them into a food processor or blender jar to pulse to your desired crumb size before using.