Originally published September 17, 2025
Quick & Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Zucchini Boats
Quick & Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Zucchini Boats
A Quick Weeknight Dinner with Fresh Summer Flavor
Intro
Sometimes the best dinners are the ones that seem to fall together — a little garden abundance, a little leftover barbecue magic, and suddenly you’ve got a meal that’s hearty, fresh, and on the table before you know it.
That’s exactly what happens here. Pulled pork — smoky, tender, and already rich with barbecue flavor — finds its way into zucchini halves, those generous green boats we’re all trying to keep up with as summer winds down. If you’ve ever had a basket of zucchini from a friend’s garden (or from your own), you know what I mean: it’s the vegetable that just keeps on giving.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
The beauty of this recipe is how weeknight-friendly it is. The pork is already cooked, the filling comes together quickly, and the zucchini softens in the oven in no time. What you get at the end is comfort food with a fresh twist — melty cheese, smoky pork, sweet bursts of corn, juicy tomatoes, and that bright green backdrop of zucchini.
It’s hearty without being heavy, seasonal without being fussy, and just the kind of meal that makes you glad to have summer produce on hand.
A Perfect End-of-Summer Supper
Whether you’re cooking for family, a couple of friends, or just yourself, these zucchini boats bring together the best of both worlds: the ease of a weeknight dinner and the flavor of a backyard barbecue. It’s proof that good cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — sometimes it’s just about letting summer’s bounty and a little barbecue spirit do the heavy lifting.
Text-Only Recipe (Fallback)
Quick & Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Zucchini Boats — Recipe (Text)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 lb cooked pulled pork
- 2 cups BBQ sauce (your favorite)
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup corn (roasted preferred)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Scoop out zucchini centers; reserve for the filling. Place halves cut side up on a sheet pan; season with salt & pepper. Bake 20 minutes until beginning to soften.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and reserved zucchini until the onion is translucent.
- Add garlic; cook until fragrant. Add wine; simmer until mostly evaporated.
- In a bowl, mix pulled pork with BBQ sauce; add to the skillet.
- Stir in black beans, tomatoes, and corn; cook 4–5 minutes until heated through.
- Spoon mixture into zucchini boats; top with cheddar and Monterey Jack. Bake until zucchini is just tender and cheese is melted.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve.
This Is Delicious! What Is It?
Quick & Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 pound cooked pulled pork
- 2 cups bbq sauce, your favorite
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup corn, roasted preferred
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Scoop out the insides of the zucchini, reserving them for later.
- Place zucchini halves cut side-up into the bottom of a sheet pan.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake until zucchini begins to soften, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and reserved zucchini and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add wine and let it cook until the wine is mostly evaporated.
- In a medium bowl, combine pulled pork and BBQ Sauce until well mixed. Add to the onion mixture in the pan.
- Stir in black beans, tomatoes, and corn, and mix completely. Stir until mixture is heated completely, about 4-5 minutes.
- Spoon pork mixture into zucchini, then top with cheeses. Bake until the zucchini is just tender and the cheeses are melted.
- Garnish with cilantro before serving.
Recipe and photograph by Robert Meyers-Lussier