Cheese-topped courgette boats with beef mince

Cheese-topped courgette boats with beef mince: a hearty oven dish with courgettes, beef mince, passata, onion, oregano and golden-brown cheese.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 25 min
• Total time: 40 min
• Calories: 410 kcal per serving
• Protein: 38 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Carbs: 9 g

Ingredients

• 2 courgettes
• 300 g beef mince
• 1 onion
• 200 g passata
• 50 g grated cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano

Method

You’ll need: oven · frying pan · baking dish · baking tray · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Halve the courgettes lengthways, hollow them out and roughly chop the flesh.
2. Finely dice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the beef mince with the onion and chopped courgette flesh until crumbly.
3. Stir in the passata and oregano and let it reduce briefly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place the courgette halves in a baking dish or on a baking tray. Spoon the mince and tomato mixture into the boats.
5. Scatter the grated cheese over the top and bake at 200 °C for 20–25 min, until the courgettes are soft and the cheese is golden brown.
6. Serve hot. A green salad or a little herby yoghurt goes well with it.

Good to know

This dish is no fuss but still puts plenty on the plate. Hearty, juicy and exactly the kind of dinner that hits the spot.

Swaps

Grated cheese → mozzarella (often a little milder, similar protein content), beef mince → turkey mince (also provides protein), passata → unsweetened chopped tomatoes (more texture, similar nutrients), olive oil → ghee (heat-stable and full of flavour)

Allergens

Contains milk (cheese). Usually fine for children if seasoned mildly, and in pregnancy no problem as long as the mince is cooked right through and the cheese is made from pasteurised milk.