Stuffed Zucchinis 2 Ways – Vegetarian and With Meat

We cook this very often at home as we are really serious about eating as many vegetables as possible. It is a very filling dish or side dish and we eat it both ways, vegetarian or with meat. We favor lean meats such as bison.

The Meaty Option:

What you will need to serve 3 to 6 servings pending appetites or menu. Warning, it is very filling!

1. 3 zucchini sliced in half lengthwise
2. 1/2 pound ground beef or ground bison
3. 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
4. 1/2 finely chopped red peppers
5. 2 to 3 tbs. Parmesan (I love a lot of it)
6. 1/2 cup tomato sauce preferably fresh
7. 1 tsp. dried basil, or 2 tsp. fresh and very finely chopped
8. 1 tsp. dried oregano
9. Salt and pepper to your taste
10. Optional: Grated cheese, mozzarella or other (2oz). If served with full fat beef it may make the meal a little bit too high in saturated fats.

 
Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven on 400 degrees F.
2. Scoop meat out of the halved zucchinis and set the flesh aside, finely chopped
3. In a skillet, heat oil over high and add the meat, the onions and red peppers. I like to cook my onions first so they caramelize a little bit. Cook until meat is brown. Then add everything else including the zucchinis flesh.
4. Keep some tomato sauce to spoon over each stuffed zucchini half
5. Put on baking sheet and cover with foil for 30min
6. After 30min you can add some cheese and let cook for another 5 to 10min.

The Vegetarian Option:

In this version we will replace the meat with black beans, corn and Poblano peppers. Again this will deliver 3 to 6 servings. As a side dish however, one is really enough!

What you will need:

1. 3 zucchinis
2. 1 to 2 seeded and finely chopped Poblano peppers
3. 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
4. 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
5. 3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn
6. 1/2 chopped fresh tomatoes
7. 1/2 cup canned and unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained
8. 3 tbs. fresh cilantro
9. Optional: shredded cheese (2oz). Sometimes I serve this with some yogurt or sour cream sometimes.

 
Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.
2. Scoop meat out of the halved zucchinis and set the flesh aside, finely chopped
3. In a skillet, on medium heat, add some oil and then mix the Poblano peppers, the onions and cook until tender. Then add the garlic, the corn, tomato and black beans and stir regularly
4. When this mixture is heated enough, add the optional cheese and the fresh cilantro
5. Divide the mixture in the 6 halved zucchinis
6. Put on baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20min.
7. For the last 5min you can add the optional shredded cheese
8. You can serve with the yogurt or a little bit of sour cream

 
 
Enjoy!