This zesty Stuffed Zucchini recipe is full of Italian-inspired elements like Italian turkey sausage, tomatoes, and a bathe of basil Parmesan breadcrumbs. It’s straightforward, fast, wholesome, and, hands-down, certainly one of my favourite zucchini boat recipes of all time.
An overload of zucchini is a summer season custom that I look ahead to with gusto.
I am keen on each the problem of making distinctive methods to arrange it (hey, Zucchini Casserole) and revisiting my absolute favourite zucchini recipes, like right now’s stuffed zucchini. (Zucchini Fritters are subsequent on my record.)
Irrespective of your present zucchini provide state of affairs, this straightforward stuffed zucchini has you coated.
- Did you simply harvest a bounty of zucchini from your personal backyard? Higher plan on making a double batch (ditto goes for Blueberry Zucchini Bread).
- Researching stuffed zucchini recipes in anticipation that you just’ll be gifted a surplus of zucchini (once more) out of your mother-in-law? Your work right here is finished.
- Merely want a wholesome meal concept for dinner tonight utilizing the recent zucchini you choose up on the farmer’s market? Look no additional (and contemplate Zucchini Pasta too)!
This wholesome stuffed zucchini recipe is an reasonably priced, satisfying dish that elevates the common-or-garden zucchini right into a particular meal for any event.
5 Star Assessment
“Everybody in our household loves this recipe. The flavors are excellent and the breadcrumbs had been completely value it. Wanting ahead to creating this all summer season”
— Evette —
Why I Love Stuffed Zucchini
Whereas there are as some ways to stuff a zucchini (hey, Zucchini Pizza Boats), I like this specific recipe for numerous causes.
- It’s jam-packed (actually) with Italian flavors like recent basil, zesty Italian sausage, and Parmesan cheese (like my favourite Italian Stuffed Peppers)
- The filling consists of different summer season produce heroes like tomatoes and bell peppers.
- The topping is solely to die for—a mixture of entire wheat breadcrumbs, olive oil, extra recent basil, and extra Parmesan.
To summarize, these easy zucchini boats are hearty, stuffed with summer season flavors, and but, gentle sufficient that you just don’t really feel such as you’re overindulging your self.
The best way to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Tacky, herby, and wholesome, they’re a dream (zucchini) boat—pun meant.
With their mixture of lean turkey sausage, veggies each inside and outside, and entire grains, these wholesome stuffed zucchini boats are a really perfect all-in-one dinner (as are these Zucchini Enchiladas).
Additionally they reheat fantastically the subsequent day, so you may make an enormous batch to get pleasure from a couple of instances all through the week.
The Elements
- Zucchini. Zucchini makes a really perfect vessel for our delicious Italian-inspired elements (in addition they make nice Zucchini Ravioli). Plus, it’s wealthy in Vitamin-A and antioxidants. One of the best half? There’s no have to peel the zucchini earlier than consuming it.
- Italian Sausage. I used floor Italian turkey sausage, and it was excellent. Turkey is a lean protein, and the Italian herbs and spices added to the meat give stuffed zucchini recipes like this one (and these Grilled Stuffed Peppers) further taste.
- Purple Bell Pepper + Purple Onion. For stunning colour, extra veggies, and complexity.
- Tomato Paste. Tomato paste imparts wealthy, deep taste that tastes such as you’ve been cooking away all day.
- Basil. A contact of basil provides freshness and a style of summer season sunshine.
- Complete Wheat Bread + Parmesan. For our crispy breadcrumb topping. Because the zucchini bakes, the breadcrumbs rework right into a golden, toasty “lid” that I caught myself consuming proper off the highest of the zucchini boats earlier than I’d taken an actual chunk. (I additionally love the breadcrumb topping on this Air Fryer Zucchini!)
TIP!
The recipe does make what is going to look like so much of breadcrumb topping however belief me, you’ll need it all.
The Instructions
- Put together the zucchini boat shells, and place them in a baking dish.
The best way to Hole Out Zucchini for Zucchini Boats
After reducing every zucchini in half lengthwise, you hole out zucchini as follows by eradicating each the seeds and heart flesh.
- I like to make use of the tip of a small spoon or a melon baller to first take away the seeds and discard them. Earlier within the season, small zucchini might have only a few seeds, whereas bigger, later season zucchini might have many.
- As soon as the seeds are discarded, scoop out the middle flesh. This I reserve for the zucchini filling.
- I exploit two fingers to grip the highest of the zucchini whereas I scoop out the flesh. When scooping, remember to apply sufficient strain to take away the flesh however not sufficient to chop by means of the underside.
- Brown the sausage, onion, and bell pepper in a skillet. Add the spices.
- Stir within the garlic and tomato paste, and add the scooped zucchini flesh.
- Put together the Parmesan basil breadcrumb topping in a meals processor.
- Stir half of the breadcrumbs into the sausage combination. Mound the zucchini shells with the sausage filling, topping each with the remaining breadcrumbs. Bake zucchini boats at 425 levels F for 13 to fifteen minutes. ENJOY!
Storage Suggestions
- To Retailer. Retailer leftover stuffed zucchini in an hermetic storage container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm stuffed zucchini in a casserole dish within the oven at 350 levels F till warmed by means of. If the breadcrumbs begin to brown an excessive amount of, loosely tent the dish with foil. You too can reheat this recipe within the microwave.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Zucchini?
I don’t advocate freezing stuffed zucchini recipes, because the zucchini will seemingly change into mushy. Benefit from the leftovers inside a couple of days, or give them to associates.
What to Serve with Stuffed Zucchini
Stuffed zucchini is a superb standalone meal.
It’s additionally nice when paired with one (or extra) of those tasty dishes.
- Skillet. A high-quality skillet is a vital software in my kitchen.
- Spatula. I exploit this fundamental spatula ALL the time.
- Further Giant Slicing Board. The additional area is so useful when making ready the zucchini for this recipe.
- Melon Baller. The proper software for hollowing out the zucchini.
Embrace your zucchini surplus this 12 months, and make this the primary of many stuffed zucchini recipes you make this season on repeat.
Often Requested Questions
Mushy baked zucchini is usually overcooked. Control your stuffed zucchini because it bakes, and take away as soon as it’s heated by means of and fork tender.
No! Whereas some recipes will counsel peeling zucchini, you sometimes don’t wish to peel a zucchini that you just intend to stuff. The pores and skin will assist the zucchini retain a boat-like form because it bakes. Plus, there are fantastic vitamins within the zucchini pores and skin.
Certain! Whereas I discover zucchini which might be nearer to five to six inches in size finest by way of style, texture, and dimension (they slot in most baking dishes), you may additionally make an outsized stuffed zucchini boat with this recipe too. Observe that you’ll have to experiment with the cook dinner time and filling quantity.
- 4 entire zucchini (about 5 to six inches lengthy)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1/2 pound floor Italian turkey sausage casings eliminated
- 1/2 cup finely chopped crimson onion
- 1 giant crimson bell pepper diced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crimson pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup packed recent basil leaves
- 2 slices entire wheat sandwich bread
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus further for serving
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Place a rack within the higher third of your oven. Preheat to 425°F.
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Halve the zucchini lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and discard the seeds. Then, scoop out the smooth heart flesh to create shallow zucchini “shells,” with partitions about 1/2 inch thick, reserving the middle flesh. Prepare the zucchini shells in a baking dish. Roughly chop the middle flesh and set it apart.
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Warmth 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high warmth, then add the sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Utilizing a wood spoon or heatproof spatula, break aside the sausage, sautéing it along with the greens, till the onions are smooth and the sausage is browned and absolutely cooked, 5 to eight minutes. Stir within the salt, pepper, and crimson pepper flakes.
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Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook dinner 1 further minute, till tomato paste is damaged down and included. Add within the reserved zucchini flesh and warmth by means of for 1 minute, then take away from the warmth. Style and add further salt, pepper, or crimson pepper flakes as desired.
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Toast the bread slices, then tear them into giant items and place within the bowl of a meals processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the basil and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Pulse till the bread is damaged into giant crumbs. Add the Parmesan and pulse simply till included, 2 or 3 instances.
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Fold half of the basil breadcrumbs into the sausage combination. With a small spoon, mound the sausage stuffing into the shells, then sprinkle the tops of the stuffed zucchini with the remaining breadcrumbs. Roast in oven till the zucchini is heated by means of and the breadcrumbs are golden, 13 to fifteen minutes. Take pleasure in instantly.
- TO STORE: Retailer leftovers in an hermetic storage container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm stuffed zucchini in a casserole dish the oven at 350 levels F till warmed by means of. If the breadcrumbs begin to brown an excessive amount of, loosely tent the dish with foil. You too can reheat this recipe within the microwave.
- TIP: Grate cheese the simple means! Earlier than beginning the recipe, grate a whole wedge of Parmesan cheese proper in your meals processor. Minimize the wedge into chunks, place them in a meals processor fitted with a metal blade, then pulse till floor. Measure out and put aside the 1/2 cup wanted for the recipe. Retailer the rest in your fridge for weeks. You’ll all the time have recent Parm readily available! Then proceed with making the stuffed zucchini, no want to scrub the processor bowl in between.
Serving: 1(of 4)Energy: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 18gFats: 22gSaturated Fats: 6gLdl cholesterol: 34mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7g
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