Stuffed Zucchini with Meat

Here is a classic Italian recipe for stuffed zucchini with meat, a tasty and enjoyable dish that can serve as a main course or a complete meal. If you don’t have all the ingredients, let me know and we will see how we can adapt the recipe to your needs.

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchinis
• 200 g of ground meat (you can use beef, pork, or a mix)
• 1 egg
• 50 g of grated parmesan
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 150 ml of tomato sauce
• 1 small onion

Preparation

1. Wash the zucchinis and cut them in half lengthwise. Gently hollow them out with a spoon to remove the pulp, leaving a layer about half a centimeter thick. Set the pulp aside and place the scooped zucchinis in a baking dish.

2. In a skillet, sauté the garlic clove with some oil, then add the chopped zucchini pulp and cook until soft. Remove the garlic and transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the ground meat, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to the zucchini pulp. Mix well until the mixture is homogeneous.

4. Fill the zucchinis with the meat mixture and place them in the baking dish.

5. Prepare a simple sauce by sautéing the finely chopped onion in a skillet with a bit of oil. Add the tomato sauce, salt, and cook for about 10 minutes.

6. Pour the tomato sauce around the stuffed zucchinis in the baking dish.

7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 30-40 minutes, or until the zucchinis are tender and well gratin on the surface.

Serve them hot, preferably with a touch of fresh parmesan on top.

Trivia

Stuffed zucchini can be prepared with endless variations. You can use mixed meats or substitute meat with tuna or ricotta for a lighter version. Moreover, spices and aromatic herbs can be changed according to personal taste, making each dish unique.