Stuffed zucchini with meat, a unique and flavorful main dish.

Stuffed zucchini with meat are a perfect main course or one-dish meal for both summer and winter.
There’s no doubt that zucchini are a summer vegetable, but it’s also true that we are talking about a vegetable that lends itself to numerous preparations. Therefore, when you prepare stuffed zucchini with a good quality meat and maybe freeze them to take out a few months later, you should not fear any judgment! No one will have the courage to object once they delight in the first bite. First of all, guests will not notice the difference in the preparation date; they won’t understand if the dish was made right away or if you defrosted it. Additionally, since it’s an intoxicating and super flavorful dish, your guests will be so ecstatic about the taste that they won’t even think about it.

Stuffed zucchini with meat for every occasion

Stuffed zucchini with meat are a simple yet irresistible dish. They can be prepared well in advance, stored in the fridge for a few days and ready to cook, or made and heated up on the spot! If, on the other hand, you cook them but see that you have plenty left over, it wouldn’t be a bad idea, once they have cooled, to put them in the freezer as a dinner or lunch saver.
However, stuffed zucchini can also be useful for unexpected buffets, plans for large lunches and dinners, and why not, also as a portion to take to the office!

Stuffed zucchini with meat, especially good meat, are generally loved by all, but children give the greatest satisfaction when they ask their mom for seconds. The same moms don’t shy away from making stuffed zucchini for their husbands either.
They know that “they promote sleep”: a partner and a child who easily falls asleep in the evening mean a woman has the material time to finish the evening cleaning of the house “at leisure,” free, without anxiety or rushing, after a long day of work.
If you are also an informed woman, accustomed to health and wellness magazines, you certainly won’t have missed that the action of zucchini on the skin is very beneficial as it promotes tanning (being rich in vitamin A) and combats aging. Add the right amount of meat, and voila, an explosion of vitamins and proteins (zucchini and meat)!

Recipe for stuffed zucchini with meat

The recipe for stuffed zucchini with meat is very easy to execute and truly delicious. Ideal as a tasty main course or one-dish meal to share with friends or family, it’s sure to please.
You just need to pay attention to the choice of zucchini. There are in fact various shapes of zucchini: long zucchini (the most common in European markets), round zucchini, pattypan zucchini with a lobed shape (they vaguely resemble an artichoke heart), eccentric zucchini with a shape not attributable to other types, etc.

Certainly, for obtaining a nice filling, medium-sized long zucchini are best suited as they greatly facilitate cutting. Stuffing them will be a piece of cake and even fun!

But now let's move on to the recipe for stuffed zucchini with meat. In reality, there are many recipes. Essentially, you always start with raw zucchini that will first be cut in half, then emptied out and finally filled with the meat of your choice. Later, they will be baked in the oven, and you will wait for a golden and gratin surface to appear over the filling that will make your mouth water as soon as the dish comes out steaming.

Stuffed zucchini with meat in the oven, couldn’t be simpler

Stuffed zucchini with meat in the oven are a very common dish in Italian culinary tradition. Every family and every region follows its own line, its own habit, giving rise to different and creative dishes each time. Let’s look at a classic recipe made with cheese and cooked ham.

Ingredients for four people

•    4 zucchini
•    100 g cheese
•    100 g cooked ham
•    1 large egg
•    2 cloves of garlic
•    2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
•    80 g Parmigiano Reggiano
•    to taste sea salt
•    to taste black pepper
•    a handful of cherry tomatoes
•    some basil leaves

Boil the zucchini in lightly salted water after cleaning them. After that, drain them and transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water to cool them quickly. Meanwhile, chop the cooked ham and cheese into cubes and set aside. In a bowl, beat the egg with the Parmigiano Reggiano, crushed garlic, breadcrumbs, sea salt, and pepper. Then add the ham and cheese and mix everything well.
Now you are ready to hollow out the cooled zucchini and fill them with the prepared mixture based on egg and ham. Then arrange the zucchini in a baking dish lined with parchment paper, remembering to cover each zucchini with diced cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Finish off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and bake at 180 degrees until golden brown.

Stuffed zucchini with minced meat

In precious family cookbooks, there are always some little secrets or tricks to facilitate the preparation of stuffed zucchini with minced meat. And who said that minced meat is only for pasta? Here’s a nice recipe.

•    3 long zucchini 
•    400 g minced beef
•    50 g smoked bacon slices
•    1 large egg
•    3 tablespoons of Grana + a handful
•    fresh basil
•    a pinch of salt

First, hollow out the previously washed and halved zucchini with a teaspoon. Combine the pulp in a mixer with the minced meat, bacon, a handful of basil, a pinch of salt, and Grana. Blend for a few seconds and add the egg, kneading with your hands until you obtain a soft mixture. At this point, transfer the zucchini shells to a greased baking dish, add the meat filling using a pastry bag or a teaspoon, sprinkle with a handful of basil, and a dusting of Grana. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180° in the middle for about 20 – 25 minutes. Then remove the foil, drizzle a little oil on top, and a handful of Grana. Complete cooking for another 15 minutes, increasing the temperature to 200° (grill function) for the last 5 minutes!

Stuffed zucchini in sauce

Stuffed zucchini in sauce are zucchini filled with meat and cooked in a light and fresh tomato sauce that makes them soft and tasty. The “scarpetta” (bread to dip) in such cases is mandatory! The good manners can for once close their eyes! Let’s see how to proceed.

Ingredients for 4 people:

•    4 medium zucchini
•    250 g minced meat
•    1 egg
•    salt and pepper
•    2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
•    parsley to taste
•    about 80/100 g of breadcrumbs
•   3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
•    1 clove of garlic or half an onion
•    600 ml of tomato puree

In a saucepan, pour the extra virgin olive oil, lightly sauté the clove of garlic or the sliced onion, and add the tomato puree. Adjust with salt and let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic. Trim, wash the zucchini, and cut them into three parts. With a knife and very gently hollow them out and set aside the pulp. Chop the zucchini pulp not too finely. In a bowl, add the zucchini pulp, minced meat, cheese, adjust with salt and pepper, add chopped parsley, the egg, and incorporate a little at a time the breadcrumbs until obtaining a soft and homogeneous mixture. At this point, it’s possible to fill the zucchinis with the mixture and arrange them on a tray. Add a glass of water to the sauce, bring to a boil and place the stuffed zucchini in it. Cook with the lid on for about 10 minutes, continue cooking without the lid until the zucchinis are well cooked and the sauce slightly thickened. Turn the zucchinis occasionally. Serve the stuffed zucchini in sauce hot with slices of bread or grissini.

Enjoy your meal!

Anna Cesaro

S&M