Stuffed Zucchini Recipe – Step by Step Guide:- To make a dish that is not only delicious but also beneficial to one’s health, stuffed zucchini combines the fresh flavours of zucchini with a savoury filling. This results in a dish that is both appetizing and nutritious. Because this dish is so versatile, it can be altered to incorporate a broad variety of ingredients, which makes it suitable for a variety of dietary preferences.
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe – Step by Step Guide
Whether you are looking for a vegetarian alternative or a robust version that is filled with meat, stuffed zucchini is sure to be a hit with a huge number of people. This is true regardless of whether you are looking for a vegetarian alternative or a robust version.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 4 medium zucchinis
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken) or 1 can (15 oz) black beans for a vegetarian option
- 1 cup cooked rice or quinoa
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
For Topping:
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
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Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). After being washed, the zucchinis should be sliced in half lengthwise. Remove the meat with a spoon, leaving the shell with a thickness of one quarter of an inch. Set aside the flesh that was scooped out and cut it very coarsely. In a large skillet, bring the olive oil to a temperature of medium heat.
After about two to three minutes, add the chopped onion and garlic and continue to saute them until they become aromatic and tender. After another two minutes of cooking, add the bell pepper that has been chopped. The ground meat should be added to the skillet and cooked until it has a browned appearance.
Beans should be added when the veggies have reached the desired tenderness. Incorporate the chopped flesh of the zucchini, rice or quinoa that has been cooked, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper before stirring. Continue cooking for a further five minutes to enable the flavours to combine.
In a baking dish, arrange the zucchini halves with the sliced side facing up. To ensure that each zucchini half is completely filled, spoon the filling into each half of the zucchini and lightly press down. The breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley should be combined in a small basin and mixed together.
The stuffed zucchinis should be sprinkled with this mixture in an even manner. The baking dish should be covered with aluminium foil and baked for a quarter of an hour. Once the topping has reached a golden brown colour and the zucchini has reached the desired tenderness, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional ten minutes.
Prior to serving, allow the zucchinis that have been stuffed to cool for a few minutes. They can be eaten as a main meal or as a side dish.
Nutrition
- Calories: 300
- Protein: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Sugar: 6 g
Tips
For a vegetarian option, simply substitute black beans or lentils for the ground meat in the recipe before serving. Through this modification, the dish will be suitable for vegetarians. You might use grains like quinoa, bulgur, or couscous in place of rice. These kinds of grains are all alternatives to rice.
Shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese can be added to the filling in order to get a creamier consistency. This can be accomplished by adding the cheese.
Your favourite spices, such as chilli powder, paprika, or cumin, can be added to the filling in order to make it more unique according to your preferences.
It is important to make preparations in advance: before serving, you should prepare the filling and stuff the zucchinis, and then bake them immediately before you hand them over to the guests.