These Grilled Zucchini Skins are perfect for a creamy, delicious appetizer or side dish. These carb-conscious morsels are the perfect swap out for regular potato skins. The best part is that these grilled zucchini skins cook quickly!
Zucchini Skins vs. Potato Skins:
One of the advantages of using zucchini instead of potatoes is that the process moves faster. Zucchini cooks quickly and responds well to hot and fast grilling. Potatoes require 45-60 minutes of baking before assembling the potato skins, then back in the oven they go. Using zucchini instead of potatoes means a faster cooking time. These stuffed zucchini boats respond well to grilling and cook within 10-15 minutes, while potatoes take 90 or more minutes from start to finish. Both are delicious, but potato skins are certainly more time-consuming.
It might be a no-brainer, but it’s worth stating here. Zucchinis contain far fewer carbohydrates than potatoes. A medium zucchini has roughly 6 grams of carbohydrates, while russet potatoes contain around 34-37 grams. That doesn’t mean we don’t love a good baked potato, but we like mixing things up!
Zucchini is abundant in the summer, and this recipe is a great way to use them. Also, once they become creamy, cheesy, and bacon-filled, even the kids will love them!
Ingredients for Grilled Zucchini Skins:
- Fresh Zucchini: Medium-sized zucchini works perfectly for this recipe. If you aren’t growing your own, peruse your local farmer’s market and pick up some farm-fresh zucchinis.
- Bacon: Look for standard-thickness bacon. It cooks up quickly and crumbles easily. If you do not consume pork products, substitute with cooked and crumbled turkey bacon or your favorite bacon alternative.
- Cream Cheese: Regular cream cheese works best for this recipe. We did not develop this recipe using a low-fat, fat-free, or whipped cream cheese, so we cannot advise how it will turn out. We have noticed in other recipes that cream cheese with altered fat content can cause excess release of water once the cream cheese cooks or the cream cheese does not melt or hold in place properly.
- Shredded Cheese: Choose a sharp cheddar or white cheddar cheese. It intensifies the flavor of the filling. You can make these grilled zucchini skins a little spicier by adding pepper jack or habanero cheeses, or for a smokier flavor, use shredded smoked gouda.
- Flat leaf parsley
- Granulated garlic
- Granulated onion
- Salt and black pepper
Making Grilled Zucchini Skins
- Wash and cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Remove ends. Turn zucchini halves over to the skin side. Cut a 1/8″ strip off the center so the vegetable will balance properly on the grill grate.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat or 350 degrees F.
- Combine cream cheese with 6 strips of chopped bacon (reserving the remaining for garnish), 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper.
- Scoop equal amounts of mixture into zucchini halves. Do not over stuff. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles.
- Place zucchini on the grill grate skin side down. Close the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes until the zucchini is tender, the filling is hot, and the cheddar cheese has melted.
- You can also place them onto a cedar plank for easier cooking. Presoak the plank for 30 minutes in cold water before using it.
- Remove zucchini skins from the grill and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve as is or cut into smaller pieces for appetizer portions.
- Oven option: Cook zucchini skins in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes.
Serving:
- Serve one zucchini skin (half a zucchini) per person. If you plan to serve them as an appetizer, carefully cut them into thirds, place them on a serving platter, and let your guests help themselves.
- Store leftover zucchini skins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. They will be softer when reheated.
- Love BBQ but need a good low-carb sauce? Try our recipe for Keto Barbecue Sauce! It is great on Low-Carb Meatloaf, too.
Try our best grilled and smoked appetizer recipes!
Grilled Zucchini Skins
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, halved and scooped
- 1 1/3 cups cream cheese softened
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for garnish)
- 8 strips thin cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve 2 strips for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and cut zucchinis in half lengthwise. Remove ends. Turn zucchini halves over to skin side. Cut a 1/8″ strip off of the center so vegetable will balance properly on grill grate. Don’t cut too much off.
- Preheat grill for medium heat.
- Combine cream cheese with about 6 strips worth of bacon (reserving remainder for garnish), 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper. Scoop equal amounts of mixture into zucchini halves. Do not over stuff. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles.
- Place zucchinis onto grill grate skin side down. Close lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the zucchini are tender, filling is hot, and the cheddar cheese has melted.
- Remove zucchini skins from grill and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve as is, or cut into smaller pieces for appetizer portions.
- Zucchini can be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees F., for 15-20 minutes.
- *Looking for a vegan alternative? Simply swap out the cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and bacon crumbles with vegan alternatives. Keep in mind that there will be textural differences, but otherwise, just as delicious!
Nutrition
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