Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini
 
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 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
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Chop the zucchini centers you scooped out. If using fresh tomatoes, dice them.
  5. 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.
  6. While vegetables are cooking, add beaten egg and bread crumbs to meat, and stir to combine.
  7. 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.
  8. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 416; Fat: 26g; Saturated fat: 8g; Unsaturated fat: 0g; Carbohydrates: 26g; Sugar: 8g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 20g;
Recipe by Eileen’s Everyone Eats Right™ at https://everyoneeatsright.com/2011/08/16/zucchini-is-great-stuffed-with-sausage/