These Italian sausage zucchini boats are an easy, veggie-packed paleo weeknight dinner! With lots of eat the rainbow vegetables favorites - tender zucchini, sweet bell peppers, savory fresh tomato marinara, and tangy fresh basil - this is an easy recipe the entire family will love.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise. With a spoon or melon baller, remove the pulp from the zucchini and set aside. Rub the zucchini halves, inside and out, with 1 tablespoon oil, then sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Lay the zucchini, cut side up, in a baking dish. Dice the pulp into ½” pieces.
Heat a saute pan over medium high heat. Add the remain tablespoon of oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring frequently to break up the pieces, until the fat is rendered the sausage is no longer pink, 6 minutes. Add the thyme, parsley, oregano and onion and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and zucchini pulp, stir to incorporate, and then remove from heat.
Scoop the sausage and vegetable mixture into the zucchini boats. Bake until the zucchini is tender and can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 minutes. Flip the oven to broiler, and broil until the sausage is crispy, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the marinara over a small sauce pot until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove from the oven and top each zucchini boat with the warm marinara, then sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve immediately.