Drop Dead Delicious Stuffed Zucchini

canarygirl's Note:

My mother-in-law is famous for her stuffed zucchini, and now I have the pleasure to share the recipe with all of you.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 medium zucchini
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 (7 ounce) can roasted red peppers, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 thyme, sprigs
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 lb ground beef (or chicken, turkey, fish, 1 can of tuna, or other veggies...you get the idea)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices cheese (any kind really, we use Gouda or Gruyere, though this really is a matter of personal preference)

Directions:

1. Wash zucchini, and put in a pot of cold water (do not remove ends).
2. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes, maybe a little longer depending on the size of your zucchini.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a fairly large skillet.
4. Saute garlic first, then add onions, green pepper, thyme, and oregano.
5. When the veggies begin to soften, add ground meat (or whatever you are using), season with salt and pepper, and brown until cooked through.
6. Drain off any excess grease.
7. Set aside to cool slightly.
8. When the zucchini have cooked through, remove from water, and allow to cool enough to handle.
9. Slice cooled zucchini lengthwise, and scoop out center, leaving a little veggie flesh to form a"boat.
10. "Mix ground meat mixture with the red peppers, and the scooped out zucchini (chopped), and the egg.
11. Fill the zucchini boats with the mixture, and top each with a slice of cheese.
12. Bake in a 375ºF oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through, and cheese begins to bubble and brown.
13. Serve hot.
14. Note: If making this dish with tuna or fish, I like to add a little mayo or garlic mayo, and substitute the raw egg for a hard boiled and chopped one.

Reviews

[HeatherFeather]

I thought these were amazing! Delicious and impressive looking. I used ground beef and can't wait to try it with other meats as well. I used one small jar of chopped roasted peppers, drained,and thought it was the just right amount (about 1/2 cup). The flavors all blended very nicely. Be sure to add enough salt and pepper - I was pretty lighthanded with the seasonings and next time with be more generous, but that is no fault of the recipe. I will definitely make this one for guests if I know they are zucchini fans. Great recipe!

[892742]

"Drop Dead" is right! 684 calories with 440 grams fat! No wonder we're all overweight. There must be a lower fat recipe for this somewhere!

[Paja]

I had some left-over roasted red peppers and I wanted to use them with zucchini. I found this recipe and used it as a basis for a very delicious side dish! I replaced the green pepper with mushrooms and omitted the meat. Since I was in a bit of a hurry and the "stuffing" was still very hot, I thought the egg would scramble if I added it, so I left that out too. I kept the seasonings the same and they were delicious. Once I got the "hang" of getting the zucchini flesh out, while leaving the skin intact, things were great. I put the stuffing back into the zucchini boats and gave a liberal sprinkling of parmesan cheese. 15 minutes in the oven and then a couple more under the broiler and they were absolutely delicious. They looked wonderful too! Thank you, canarygirl, for a very versatile recipe!