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    Home » Recipes » Cuisine » Ukrainian Recipes

    Healthy Potato Perogy Zucchini Boats

    Published: Dec 26, 2017 by Terri Gilson · Modified: Sep 3, 2023 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    pin with text and photo of pierogi zucchini boats on a white plate

    To Ukrainians, eating perogies is second nature. I honestly can’t ever remember a meal at Baba’s that didn’t include perogies. And that’s okay when you’re a kid, but as a health-conscious adult, pierogies at every meal aren’t exactly the healthiest of choices. I am Ukrainian, grew up on perogies, and love anything remotely related to a perogy! And since perogies (and Ukrainian food in general) aren't particularly healthy, I created these Weight Watchers friendly Potato Pierogi Zucchini Boats.

    These Weight Watchers Zucchini Boats are not only delicious, but these Potato Stuffed Zucchini are healthy, gluten-free and only 2 WW points each! This is the healthiest and best way to get your perogy fix and a fun twist on your typical stuffed zucchini! And if you're just looking for ideas for what to do with leftover pierogi filling, this is a great way to use it up. This recipe was inspired by the Potato and Cottage Cheese Perogies recipe on this site and is popular during zucchini season! This recipe also inspired my Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats.

    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 📖 Variations & Substitutions
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍽Equipment
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 🔢WW Points
    • 🥗 Side dishes
    • 💭Health Benefits of Zucchini
    • 🌡️Storing
    • 💭Top Tip
    • 📋 Healthy Potato Pierogi Zucchini Boat Recipe
    • 🍽More Quick & Healthy Dinner Recipes

    🥘 Ingredients

    I am always in search of healthy and delicious, easy recipes and recently discovered easy stuffed zucchini boats. I fell in love with them. And since I like to create, modernize, and make Ukrainian foods healthier, perogies and zucchini boats just seemed like the perfect pairing. Your leftover mashed potatoes can also do double duty in this recipe. But if you don't have any, you can easily use the gluten-free instant mashed potatoes in the ingredient links.

    For this low-carb recipe, you'll need a handful of simple ingredients:

    • fresh zucchini
    • mashed potatoes
    • dry curd cottage cheese (also known as Farmer's cheese)
    • low-fat cheddar cheese
    • onion powder
    • bacon bits
    • sauerkraut
    • dill (fresh or dried)
    • sour cream (optional)
    • Optional Garnish: light parmesan cheese

    *See recipe card for quantities

    Pierogi Stuffed Zucchini Boats | zucchini boats - Foodmeanderings.com

    📖 Variations & Substitutions

    • Cheese, Sour Cream & Milk, and Margarine (in potatoes) :I used reduced fat/low-fat versions of all of these to reduce fat and calories in this recipe and make them Weight Watchers friendly
    • Vegetarian option: Skip the bacon bits
    • Mashed potatoes: You can use leftover mashed potatoes or instant mashed potatoes  (affiliate link) or your own leftover cottage cheese perogy filling
    • Dill: If you use fresh dill, use double the amount

    🔪 Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F./205 degrees C. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non- stick cooking spray. (*Alternatively, you can use olive oil, but it's more calories. You could also line the pan with parchment paper.) Prepare mashed potatoes, as per package directions. Cool.  NOTE * use low-fat milk and margarine to reduce calories. Add remaining filling ingredients. Wash and cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and zucchini flesh center out of each zucchini half, leaving at least ¼ inch thick zucchini boat. You can discard the scooped zucchini flesh.
    2. Place the zucchini in the baking dish cut-side up.
    3. Spoon the perogy potato mixture into the zucchini shells. Press the mixture down into the zucchini using the back of the spoon.
    4. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft enough that fork can easily go into zucchini, but is still firm. Garnish: If desired, add a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with dill, and serve.
    collage of 4 photos of steps to make perogy zucchini boats

    🍽Equipment

    You'll need a 9X13-inch baking dish (at least 2 inches deep) for this zucchini with potatoes recipe. I usually use a lasagna pan. (affiliate link). Alternatively, you can use a baking sheet.

    👪 Serving Size

    This delicious stuffed zucchini recipe is 8 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.

    Perogy Zucchini Boats Recipe | #perogy #zucchini - Foodmeanderings.com

    🔢WW Points

    This is a Weight Watchers zucchini boats recipe and it's only 2 WW points per serving. If I use instant mashed potatoes and add in milk and margarine, I add those points as well.

    🥗 Side dishes

    If you're not sure what to serve with zucchini boats, here are some ideas for side dishes with work well with this recipe (you can also serve them as a side dish!)

    • Ukrainian Shortcut Borscht Soup (shown below)
    • kubassa
    • beets
    • Quick Cucumber Kimchi
    • garden salad
    • Spinach salad
    • sliced fresh tomatoes
    • Skinny Coleslaw Recipe
    • frozen mixed vegetables
    • Grilled Corn Stuffed Bell Peppers
    • sweet corn (try my Healthy Corn Chowder)
    Ukrainian Beet Borscht Recipe| shortcut - foodmeanderings.com

    And be sure to check out my 35 Recipe ideas for what to serve with stuffed zucchini!

    collage of 3 photos of what to serve with stuffed zucchini with text on white background in middle

    💭Health Benefits of Zucchini

    The New Year brings new health goals and if you are hoping to start off on the right foot, then zucchini is a great recipe because it's low-calorie and chock-full of vitamins and minerals.

    A zucchini has just 25 calories, compared to a baked potato, which has 130 calories! (You can read more about the benefits of zucchini HERE.

    And if you love healthy zucchini recipes, give my 5 Ingredient Shredded Zucchini & Feta Saute a try! 

    shredded zucchini on a plate with zucchini in the background

    🌡️Storing

    These low-calorie zucchini boats can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then reheated in the microwave for approximately 1 minute.

    Make ahead: If you want to make this pierogi boat recipe ahead, I recommend you prepare the zucchini and stuffing mix a day in advance, then store them in separate containers until you are ready to cook them. 

    I do not recommend freezing this stuffed zucchini, as both potatoes and zucchini tend to get watery when frozen. If you have an abundance of zucchini, I would recommend Shredding and freezing it for future use.

    Shredded Zucchini & Feta Saute recipe - healthy - Foodmeanderings.com

    I know these easily stuffed zucchini boats would make Baba proud, although she wasn't exactly health-conscious herself. She didn't eat very healthy or exercise. She also had a plethora of health concerns, including diabetes, and passed away after having a stroke at the young age of 66 (when I was only 12 years old). I am assuming she would have eaten healthier if she had known what we know now.

    Either way,  I want to be around for my grandchildren as long as possible so I try to eat healthy and although it's no guarantee, it definitely increases the odds. And since longevity is said to be ⅓ lifestyle, ⅓ genetics, and ⅓ dumb luck, it's the one thing I can control!

    I didn’t get my Baba's perogy recipe (or any of her recipes) but I was ever so fortunate to get my husband's grandma's incredible Cottage Cheese and Potato Perogies Recipe!

    cottage cheese perogies with bacon and onion on a Ukrainian plate, on brown faux wooden surface

    Not only did we have her authentic recipe, but we also had the opportunity to watch her make them and write down every step! She always used dry curd cottage cheese in her perogies and that's why I use it in most of my Ukrainian recipes. You can find those Ukrainian recipes HERE!

    As for my recipes, I am doing everything I can to preserve them. That's one of the reasons I started this blog. Not only do I want to eat healthy so I can increase my odds of living longer to enjoy my future grandchildren, but I also want to make sure my recipes live on so they can enjoy making them! 

    💭Top Tip

    What to do with leftover Dry Cottage Cheese 

    You will have some leftover Dry Curd Cottage Cheese (see NOTES) so here are a few other recipes you can make to use it up!

    Perogy Potato Salad

    Pierogi Potato Salad | summer BBQ salad - Foodmeanderings.com

    Ukrainian Breakfast Hash

    This easy Ukrainian recipe uses home made hash browns that can be made with fresh or leftover baked potatoes, dill, Ukrainian sausage, dry cottage cheese and sauerkraut for an easy and quick breakfast that's the perfect brunch potluck idea.

    The 5 minute Ukrainian Breakfast Sandwich

    kielbasa Ukrainian breakfast sandwich on a white plate with a Ukrainian print vase

    Whether you're looking for potato stuffed zucchini ideas, healthy stuffed zucchini boats, ww zucchini recipes, stuffed zucchini recipes, zucchini boat ideas, or simply new recipes to try, this recipe doesn't disappoint!

    two pierogi zucchini boats on a white plate with a piece of zucchini boat on a fork
    Food Meandering Logo

    📋 Healthy Potato Pierogi Zucchini Boat Recipe

    Have your perogy fix and healthy food too! These quick and easy, gluten-free, low-fat and Weight Watchers friendly Healthy Potato Pierogi Zucchini boats are stuffed with potato, are flavorful, but low on calories and fat! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Ukrainian
    Keyword: healthy, perogies, stuffed zucchini, zucchini
    Special Diet: Gluten-free, Weight Watchers
    Servings: 8 zucchini boats
    Calories: 146kcal
    Author: Terri Gilson
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    lasagna pan

    Ingredients

    • 4 medium or large zucchini about 1¾ pounds

    Pierogi Filling:

    • ½ 180 g package Gluten-free instant mashed potatoes * or use your leftover mashed potatoes
    • 1 cup dry curd cottage cheese *also known as Farmer's cheese
    • ½ cup low-fat cheddar cheese shredded
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ cup real bacon bits *make sure they are gluten-free (not all brands are)
    • ¼ cup sauerkraut drained, patted dry and finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill *2 teaspoon fresh dill

    Garnish

    • dollop sour cream
    • dill *fresh is best
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/205 degrees C. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non- stick cooking spray. Prepare mashed potatoes, as per package directions. Cool.  NOTE * use a low-fat milk and margarine to reduce calories. Add remaining filling ingredients.
    • Wash and cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and centre out of each zucchini half, leaving at least ¼ inch thick zucchini boat.
    • Place the zucchini in the baking dish cut-side up.
    • Spoon the perogy filling mixture into the zucchini boats. Press the mixture down into the zucchini using the back of the spoon.
    • Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until  soft enough that fork can easily go into zucchini, but is still firm.
      collage of 4 photos of steps to make perogy zucchini boats

    Garnish:

    • If desired, add a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with dill and serve.

    Notes

    *Please see post content for important recipe information and tips!
    *NOTE: Amazon does not have a link to Dry Curd Cottage, so here is what it looks like. It is available at Superstore and Co op in Canada
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    Nutrition Facts
    📋 Healthy Potato Pierogi Zucchini Boat Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 boat)
    Calories 146 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Cholesterol 10mg3%
    Sodium 335mg15%
    Potassium 520mg15%
    Carbohydrates 19g6%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 222IU4%
    Vitamin C 32mg39%
    Calcium 68mg7%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1boat | Calories: 146kcal (7%) | Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) | Protein: 10g (20%) | Fat: 4g (6%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Cholesterol: 10mg (3%) | Sodium: 335mg (15%) | Potassium: 520mg (15%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 4g (4%) | Vitamin A: 222IU (4%) | Vitamin C: 32mg (39%) | Calcium: 68mg (7%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!
    Rate this Recipe

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carolyn

      December 27, 2017 at 8:16 am

      I have dry ricotta I have to use up so am going to try these with it! I can’t see why it wouldn’t work! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        December 27, 2017 at 8:20 am

        Hi Carolyn- for sure! I don't know why it wouldn't work either. Although, it may not be quite as 'tangy' as the dry cottage cheese. I'd love to hear how it turns out! Hope you enjoy them 🙂

        Reply
    2. Amy

      February 01, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      These were sooo good and filling! I used real mashed potatoes and old cheddar cheese! Will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • Terri Gilson

        February 02, 2019 at 8:28 am

        Thanks, Amy! I'm really glad you loved them and thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know 🙂

        Reply

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    I'm Terri, a passionate home cook and baker, an award-winning recipe developer, and a busy working mom who is trying to eat healthy and fit everything into not enough hours in a day! My mission is to share not only my recipes, cooking hacks, and tips with you, but also my secrets to successful weight maintenance.

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