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Stuffed Zucchini with Meat / Italian Style

Stuffed Zucchini with Meat, Italian style, nothing says Italian Summer Dinner Dish then this. A delicious meatball mixture stuffed inside a hollowed out Zucchini and then pan-fried or baked to perfection.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 330 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 5 medium zucchini
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 pinches salt
  • 3/4 cup water
MEAT STUFFING
  • 2 slices bread (I use day old Italian if extra thick use 1 1/2 slices)
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 -1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If the zucchini is long, cut it in half, then hollow it out, rinse and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl soak the bread for about 30 seconds in either water or milk. Remove the crust and squeeze out the excess moisture, crumble and place in a medium bowl, add the ground beef, egg, parmesan cheese, spices and garlic, and mix well.
  3. Stuff the meatball mixture into the zucchini. In a medium to large frying pan add 2 tablespoons of oil and place the stuffed zucchini in the pan, sprinkle with a pinch or 2 of salt and extra spices if desired, drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the water, cover the pan slightly. Cook on low/medium heat until the zucchini is tender and water has evaporated. Raise the heat, and uncover and cook till zucchini is slightly browned, turn and brown the other side. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

  • It's best to use either young small or medium zucchini, just make sure they are thick enough to hollow out. Large zucchini is best used for jarring or even bread or donuts.
  • In order to make stuffed zucchini baked in the oven,  I slice the zucchini lengthwise, remove extra pulp and place the stuffing on top,  in the pan, cook it slowly in a 350F (180C) pre-heated oven for about 25-30 minutes (when the zucchini is fork tender), then sprinkle with a good amount of Parmesan Cheese and broil it in the oven for a few minutes. Perfect.

Nutrition Information

Calories 330kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 92mg (31%) Sodium 634mg (26%) Potassium 835mg (24%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 612IU (12%) Vitamin C 44mg (49%) Calcium 149mg (15%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 330

% Daily Value*

Calories 330kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 92mg 31%
Sodium 634mg 26%
Potassium 835mg 18%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 612IU 12%
Vitamin C 44mg 49%
Calcium 149mg 15%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.