Stuffed Zucchini with Meat and Pine Nuts
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
355 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Stuffed Zucchini with Meat and Pine Nuts
Description
This recipe starts with selecting wide, light green zucchini, cut in halves lengthwise and hollowed to create boats for stuffing. The scooped zucchini flesh is finely chopped to incorporate into the filling, ensuring no part is wasted. The meat filling consists of ground lamb sautéed with minced onion, garlic, pine nuts, and a blend of aromatic spices including cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, and allspice for complexity.
The filling is combined with tomato sauce and paste to provide a rich and slightly tangy base that coats the meat and nuts before being stuffed back into the zucchini shells. These are placed in a baking dish and cooked until the zucchini is tender and the filling is cooked through.
This dish offers a harmonized texture of tender zucchini and flavorful meat with a pleasant nuttiness from the pine nuts. It can be served alone or alongside grains or salads. The use of spices adds warmth and depth without overwhelming the natural flavors.
Use a melon baller to hollow the zucchini carefully to maintain thick enough walls for holding the filling. Adjust spice levels to preference, omitting red pepper flakes if preferred milder. The recipe allows substitution of ground beef or chicken if lamb is unavailable. Baking at moderate temperature ensures even cooking.
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini about 2 lbs. total - the light green variety has the best shape and flavor, wide and fat
- 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can, or tomato puree, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper if you like spicy flavors, use 1/2 tsp
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lamb you may substitute ground beef or dark meat ground chicken, ground
- 1 whole onion minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced, fresh
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch allspice
- 1/4 cup cilantro plus more for garnish, or parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if spice sensitive, omit
Instructions
- If you can find them, light green zucchini work best for this recipe-- they are fatter and shorter than regular zucchini, making them better for stuffing. If you can't find them, choose the widest zucchini you can find, no longer than 7 inches.
- Slice the stem ends and bottom tips off of the zucchini, then cut them in half lengthwise.
- Use a melon baller to scoop the insides of the zucchini out, leaving a 1/4 inch wall around the edge and a 1/4 inch layer on the bottom of each zucchini. Reserve the part that you scoop out, chop it into small pieces and place it in a bowl. Reserve.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, stir together the tomato sauce or puree with 1 tbsp tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 cup water until well blended.Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute the ground meat, breaking it up into little pieces as it cooks, until it is evenly browned (it can be a bit "rare" at this stage).
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop the meat out of the skillet and place it into the bowl with the chopped zucchini innards. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, reserving about 1 tbsp. Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the minced onion. Saute for a few minutes until the onion softens and browns a bit. Add the garlic and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes more until fragrant.
- Add the ground meat and chopped zucchini innards back into the skillet along with the remaining 1 tbsp tomato paste, pine nuts, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, chopped cilantro or parsley and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce mixture. Stir to blend all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from heat.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Place the zucchini halves into the dish (it can be a bit of a jigsaw puzzle to make them all fit-- it's okay if they're snug). Fill each zucchini half mounded with the meat filling. Side note: you may have a small bit of filling left over. It never lasts long in our home, but if you have a lot left over you can repurpose it by stirring it together with some tomato sauce, then serving it over pasta, quinoa or rice.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed zucchini, making sure each squash is fully covered with sauce. Pour any excess sauce into the bottom of the dish.
- Cover the dish with foil. Bake zucchini at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until squash is tender. Serve warm garnished with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes
- Select wide, light green zucchini for best shape and flavor; avoid overly long, thin zucchini.
- Hollow zucchini carefully using a melon baller to keep about 1/4 inch thickness on sides and bottom.
- Substitute ground beef or dark meat ground chicken for lamb if desired.
- Adjust spice heat by omitting or reducing red pepper flakes as preferred.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 355 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 355kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 473mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 872mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 965IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 30.2mg | 34% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3.4mg | 19% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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