Ingredients
4 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp. butter, melted, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
6 oz. elbow macaroni
2 1/4 c. whole milk
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 c. shredded sharp yellow cheddar
1 c. pepper jack
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Step 1Using a paring knife, score zucchini (like you’re dicing an avocado) and scoop out insides with a small spoon, leaving a ¼”-thick border intact. Finely chop zucchini pulp and set aside.Step 2Preheat oven to 375°. Transfer zucchini boats to a large baking sheet. Brush generously with half the butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake until just tender, about 15 minutes. Step 3Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium-high heat, heat remaining butter. Add reserved zucchini pulp, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, paprika, mustard, cayenne, and nutmeg, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and creamy, 10 to 12 minutes. Step 4Add macaroni, milk, and cream, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until nearly al dente, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually fold in cheeses.Step 5Transfer zucchini boats to a 9”-x-13” baking dish and spoon mac into zucchini. Bake until zucchini is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.Step 6Top with hot sauce before serving, if desired.
To make the process as smooth as possible, the mac comes together in one fell swoop in just one single pot. Using an exact amount of salt, milk, and cream, there’s no need to drain away any pasta water: the elbows cook right in the dairy, turning the sauce silky smooth and perfectly creamy. To punch in on flavors even more, add spicy pepper jack cheese alongside your yellow cheddar for some heat. If you’d rather it classically mild, just use more cheddar, or substitute in other melty cheeses great for mac: Gouda, Gruyère, or nutty-sweet Parm will all do great. Once you’ve made a batch of these zucchini boats, leave us a comment and et us know down below how you liked it!
