Description
Flavorful zucchini halves stuffed with a savory ground beef and tomato filling, topped with cheese and baked to bubbly perfection.
Ingredients
- 6 small–medium zucchini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional)
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (or oregano)
- ½ tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 1½ cups shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar or Gouda)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 360 °F (180 °C).
- Wash zucchini, slice in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh; reserve pulp.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; sauté onion until softened.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, basil, Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add tomato sauce and reserved zucchini pulp (chopped), cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and simmer 5 more minutes to thicken.
- Arrange zucchini shells on a baking sheet; fill each with the beef mixture.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over boats, and bake for 20–25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and zucchini is tender.
Notes
- Brown the meat well—browning adds flavor; drain if using fattier beef.
- If filling seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water or broth; if too wet, simmer longer uncovered.
- Use any ground meat (pork, turkey) in place of beef.
- To lighten, skip or reduce cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan instead.
- For large garden zucchinis, pre-bake or slice into thick rounds before filling.
- Store leftovers chilled in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months; reheat at 360 °F until hot.