Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini

What can you do with zucchini?  This Stuffed Zucchini recipe makes for a great side dish or as a main dish for an easy and delicious dinner. Everyone tells me that this is the best stuffed zucchini dish they have eaten. It reminds them of lasagna. Plus if there is any leftovers, you can add them to other ingredients for easier meal prep. This is going to be your new favorite stuffed zucchini recipe.

 

Stuffed Zucchini

Serves 4 – 6

 

Ingredients

4 Zucchini

1 pound Ground Meat of choice

   For the vegetarian option use 1 pound of finely chopped mushrooms

1 small onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

 

Ricotta Filling

15 oz Ricotta Cheese, drained

½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

2 Eggs

2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

    or 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to evenly incorporate. Set aside until ready to use.

Tomato Sauce

14 oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes

    plus ¼ cup water used to rinse out can/Jar with

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon each of Onion Powder, Oregano, and Salt

½ teaspoon Pepper

  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to evenly incorporate. Set aside until ready to use.

 

Preheat oven 400

  1. Cut Zucchini in half lengthwise keeping the ends intact. Remove the inside flesh of the zucchini using a spoon. Keeping ¼ inch border. Set each half in a baking dish.
  2. When all halves are hollowed out, drizzle olive oil in each half, evenly spread, and lightly salt. This will prevent zucchini from drying out when in the oven.
  3. Place in oven to prebake for 15 minutes or until boats are soft. Note: This step can be eliminated making the overall cooking time 45 minutes.
  4. In a sauté pan, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, add onions and garlic.
  5. Once onions are soft, add ground meat and continue to cook until all the meat is almost cooked.
  6. Dice the zucchini pulp and add to the meat mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until the zucchini is soft. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce or enough to coat and hold the cooked meat mixture together.

 

Assemble Zucchini Boats (The amount will vary depending on the size of the zucchini)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

  1. Add a tablespoon or so of ricotta filling evenly into the hollowed-out zucchini.
  2. Add meat filling and press into ricotta so that it does not fall out of the zucchini.
  3. Spoon sauce over the top of each filled zucchini.
  4. Cover the baking dish with foil and place back in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the sides are bubbling.
  5. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, remove foil and add grated mozzarella on top of each zucchini and continue to cook until the cheese is melted.