Stuffed zucchini, August 2011
It’s an old joke: Don’t leave your vehicle unlocked this time of year or you might find a bag of surplus zucchini from a well-meaning neighbor. What to do with this abundant, yet perhaps bland vegetable? Zucchini may not have a lot of flavor on its own, but it’s low in calories (17 per cup chopped, unpeeled), and it’s a good source of vitamin C. One medium zucchini gives you almost 60 percent of your day’s vitamin C. In this recipe, sausage, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning provide protein and pizza-like flavor in tasty and attractive “boats.”
Make this recipe gluten-free by using bread crumbs from gluten-free bread such as Udi’s whole grain bread. Make it cheese-free by topping it with a cheese substitute or buttered bread crumbs (1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter or butter substitute).
This recipe can be made with ground beef and is also a good way to use ground venison.
| Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini | Print |
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, ground beef, ground venison, or a combination
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 medium zucchini (6 to 7 inches)
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (about 2 slices, processed in blender)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- If using sausage and it is in casing, remove it. In a large skillet, brown meat well over medium heat. (If desired, brown a pound or more of meat, use 1/2 pound in this recipe and save the rest for another use.) Remove browned meat from skillet and place in large heat-safe bowl.
- While meat is browning, prepare the zucchini. Scrub it, cut off ends, halve lengthwise, and scoop and scrape out insides with a spoon, reserving the scooped-out insides. Place halves on baking sheet and brush 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil over the insides and edges. Place baking sheet with halves in oven and bake for 10 to 20 minutes while you make the stuffing mixture.
- Chop the zucchini centers you scooped out. If using fresh tomatoes, dice them.
- In the skillet you used to brown the meat, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add chopped zucchini centers and minced garlic and cook about 5 minutes, until zucchini is soft. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt. Cook 10 to 20 minutes, stirring often until most of liquid has boiled away.
- While vegetables are cooking, add beaten egg and bread crumbs to meat, and stir to combine.
- Add vegetable mixture to meat mixture and stir to combine. Mound stuffing in the zucchini halves, about 1/2 cup stuffing in each. A 1/4-cup measuring cup works well for this. Sprinkle each stuffed “boat” with about 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.
(Recipe adapted from June/July 1997 issue of “Taste of Home.”)
Shared at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.
I love making zucchini boats, and yours with sausage sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it!