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Top Rated Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
The delicate and beautiful zucchini flower was once discarded by many… can you imagine? This is a real stand-alone dish, no accompaniments required — just a glass of wine and an appetite. — Vicky Valsamis, author of The Vegetable: Recipes That Celebrate Nature
Sorbillo is widely considered to be one of the best pizza places in Naples. They now have a location in New York where they make their Neapolitan-style pizza, as well as other Italian favorites. This seasonal appetizer makes it on the menu in the summer months when zucchini blossoms are easily found at New York farmers markets.
My grandparents have been growing vegetables on the same land my great-grandfather tilled when he first came to this country from Italy. And as long as I can remember they've grown zucchini and squash on terraces between the concord grapes my great-grandfather planted along them almost a century ago. Anytime I'm visiting them up in Massachusetts and I see a bunch of blossoms growing I try to grab them to bring back with me. Doesn't get much more farm-to-table than stuffing homegrown zucchini blossoms.Conventional practice is to batter the blossoms, but one, that makes them heavier, and two, they're gorgeous, why ya wanna go and hide 'em! So sometimes I skip the battering and just give them a quick sauté in some butter and oil. It's a simple process and a quick, simple tomato sauce adds a nice touch.
8 Spectacular Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
We&rsquore heading into prime zucchini season. The sweet, tender squash is the perfect vessel for a wide range of delicious fillings from lamb to shrimp to rice. Here, our eight best recipes for stuffed zucchini.
We’re heading into prime zucchini season. That means bowlfuls of zucchini pasta, platters of crispy fried zucchini and loaf upon loaf of zucchini bread. And, of course, stuffed zucchini. The sweet, tender squash is the perfect vessel for a wide range of delicious fillings from lamb to shrimp to rice. Here, our eight best recipes for stuffed zucchini, all of which can be made even easier with this super-smart zucchini prep hack from F&W’s Justin Chapple.
1. Onion-Stuffed Zucchini
Round, tennis ball-sized zucchini are perfect for filling with a pleasantly dense onion and bread-crumb stuffing.
2. Herb-Stuffed Zucchini
These squash are stuffed with ham, rice, tomato and a double dose of zucchini.
3. Shrimp-and-Feta-Stuffed Zucchini
The key to these insanely delicious zucchinis: Broiling them briefly until the feta becomes melted and golden.
4. Provenl Stuffed Zucchini
The stuffing for these Provence-inspired zucchini is crazy indulgent. It’s made with smoky bacon, ground pork, olives, basil, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and crispy bread crumbs.
5. Rice-and-Dill-Stuffed Zucchini
Brined grape leaves give this dish a deliciously tangy flavor.
6. Stuffed Zucchini with Pecorino Sauce
These vegetarian stuffed zucchini are filled with a cheesy mix of zucchini and eggs. They’re topped with a creamy Pecorino sauce.
7. Spiced-Lamb-Stuffed Zucchini
This recipe is called kussa mehshi in Arabic. Cooks stuff zucchini shells with a mix of tender cumin-spiced ground lamb and rice, then braise them on a bed of sliced tomatoes.
8. Stuffed Zucchini Pesaro-Style
These zucchini are stuffed with veal, which stays unusually juicy within its vegetable cocoon.
How to make this recipe
As mentioned above, you will basically want to cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (pictured below) and then scoop out the seeds. Be gentle as you do this because you don't want your zucchini to break. I like to remove just the seeds and not make the zucchini boats themselves too hollow because then they will wilt and get overcooked if they are too thin. You want the zucchini boat itself to be thick enough to be used as a vessel for the meat filling. I would say your zucchini boats should be 1/4 to 1/2 an inch thick after you have scooped out all the flesh.
Assemble your zucchini boats in a large casserole dish and get ready to fill them with meat and sauce and that's all there is to it! I don't find I need to grease the casserole dish because the zucchini expels a bit of water as it cooks so you don't have to worry about sticking, which makes this recipe even more calorie-friendly.
Why are they called zucchini boats?
When you slice a zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds, you can stuff the zucchini with just about anything your heart desires! In this version of stuffed zucchini, we're going with an Italian version of a ground beef-based bolognese sauce and melted cheese. YUM!
Do I need to cook the zucchini ahead of time?
No! This recipe is super easy! You just make the sauce, add it to the sliced zucchini, add cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Zucchini cooks really quickly in the oven so unlike stuffed peppers, you don't need to bake the zucchini ahead of time while you're making the sauce.
Health benefits of Zucchini
Zucchini is a summer squash and a member of the gourd family. This low carb veggie is a nutrient-dense food and therefore, is a great option for healthy eating and keeping calorie counts low.
In addition to the fact that a zucchini has nearly no fat and very few calories, here are some other reasons why you should include more zucchini in your diet:
- Improves digestion. Zucchini is high in water content and contains a significant amount of fiber, which helps in keeping your digestion healthy. This combination also helps you feel fuller longer after eating, which discourages overeating and in-between-meal snacks.
- Heart health. Aside from aiding digestion, fiber may help in lowering your risk of heart disease. Zucchini also have pectin, a soluble fiber that studies have shown help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.
- Rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect your body from damage by free radicals.
- High in nutrients. Zucchini contains significant amounts of vitamins B6, C and K, riboflavin, folate, potassium and manganese.
One cup of sliced zucchini provides:
- calories: less than 20 calories
- fat: less than 1 gram
- protein: 1.4 grams
- Fiber: 1.1 grams
- Potassium: 295mg
Making the bolognese sauce
For this Italian stuffed zucchini, I opted for an easy bolognese sauce that goes right in the zucchini boats and then all you have to do is add cheese on top before you bake them!
Use extra-lean ground beef (or ground turkey!) and saute that with minced up carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Add some jarred spaghetti sauce of your choice and some Italian seasoning, and that's all there is to it. Super simple, yet you're adding some more veggies in there for extra nutrients.
Meal prepping zucchini boats
This recipe is perfect for your weekly meal prep or just as a weeknight dinner! It's low carb so it's a great alternative to heavier pasta dishes but you still get all the same flavours with the easy sauce.
One thing I like to do to make this stuffed zucchini a little bit easier is to prep the bolognese sauce ahead of time. This allows me to get the zucchini into the oven earlier and get dinner on the table faster!
You can make the bolognese sauce a few days before or up to a couple months in advance in store in glass bowls in the freezer. When you're ready to make the stuffed zucchini, let the sauce thaw in the fridge overnight then add it to the zucchini. Top with cheese, bake and that's it!
Can you freeze stuffed zucchini boats?
If stored in an airtight container, stuffed zucchini can be left in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days, but if you won’t be using them up during that time, then it’s better to freeze the leftovers.
Allow the baked stuffed zucchini to cool completely. Place the zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the coolest part of your freezer (to ensure they freeze quickly). Once they have hardened, transfer the zucchini to airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
The frozen zucchini can be kept in the freezer for up to five months, but may start to lose their texture quality after two months.
To thaw, place the stuffed zucchini boats in the refrigerator overnight. You can bake them again from there.
Other stuffed zucchini ideas
You can easily swap out some of the ingredients and customize this stuffed zucchini recipe to your family’s liking or account for different dietary restrictions. I honestly LOVE stuffed vegetables for how versatile you can make them!
Here are some easy ideas below:
- Replace the ground beef with ground chicken
- Rather than mozzarella cheese, make them with other cheeses, such as cheddar, parmesan or monterey jack. When I'm in a pinch I just use a pre-shredded cheese mix
- Make the recipe vegetarian and vegan-friendly by replacing the meat with crumbled tofu. You can also skip the filling replacements and just add extra cheese
- Add more protein and fiber by using quinoa, couscous, chickpeas, or lentils. Lentils are actually a great sub in for the ground beef if you're looking for a similar texture of bolognese sauce
What can I serve with baked stuffed zucchini?
Tasty sides and appetizers to serve with stuffed zucchini include:
You don't even really need a side dish for this recipe though! It's super filling and I'm willing to bet you won't even notice that it's low carb!
How else can I enjoy zucchini?
Love the healthy benefits of zucchini and looking for ways to add it to your diet besides stuffed zucchini boats?
Try some of these ideas below:
- Add raw zucchini to your salads.
- Steam or boil the zucchini, blend it, then make zucchini soup.
- Make breaded and fried or baked zucchini chips
- Make lasagna roll ups using zucchini instead of noodles
- Add zucchini noodles to soups, salads and stir fries
- Add it to baked goods such as muffins, cakes and brownies
Here are some more healthy zucchini recipes for you to check out!
More zucchini recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning the stuffed zucchini boats into your weekly lunches.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
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Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini
This Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini is a fun twist to taco night!
Ingredients
- 2 - Zucchini
- 2 tbsp - Butter
- 1 lb - Ground Beef
- 1 tbsp - Chili Powder
- 2 tsp - Oregano, ground
- 1 tsp - Cumin, ground
- Garlic Powder tsp - Garlic Powder
- 5 oz - Cheddar Cheese
- 1/4 cup - Marinara/Tomato Sauce, low sugar
- 4 tbsp - Parsley, fresh
- to taste - Salt and Pepper
The directions to make Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini are in the section below, but first, please take a moment to learn about our personalized Keto plans.
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This recipe, "Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini," was taken from our private library of recipes. So you can see the food you'll be eating is keto-friendly and delicious.
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How to make stuffed zucchini
- The first step to make this dish is to halve your zucchini lengthwise, hollow them out (a melon baller works really well for this), and pre-bake them.
- While the “boats” bake, you can make the filling. Chop the zucchini flesh that you removed and sauté it in olive oil along with diced sweet onion and minced garlic.
- Combine the sautéed veggies with breadcrumbs and your favorite shredded cheese (we’ve used both mozzarella and fontina with great results) and spoon the mixture into the hollowed zucchini halves.
- Now that they’re stuffed, the zucchini “boats” are ready for their second baking. Pop them back in the oven and bake just long enough for the cheese to melt and the crumbs get a little bit toasty.
Note: This dish reheats very well so if you have an abundance of zucchini from your summer garden, it’s easy to make enough for a couple of meals or prepare them ahead for a company dinner.
The Best Zucchini Recipes
I love zucchini for their versatility. Here’s a vegetable that makes both a fantastic relish for hamburgers and my kid’s favourite sweet bread.
I grill it all summer long, and when fall arrives and kids head back to school, zucchini is the base for all sorts of muffins.
Right now, summer squash and zucchini varietals are available in abundance let’s work them into more recipes and meal plans.
If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you’ll know that doing so makes you feel like an expert gardener. A bumper zucchini crop in the homestead garden requires little more than the initial planting and water along the way.
The Best Zucchini Recipes Ever!
When I was a kid, I remember making cheese-topped, stuffed zucchini boats. I think just about everyone has a version they make!
Today I’ve pulled my best zucchini recipes from my repertoire. From mini pizza bites to vibrant summer soups, these recipes are a tad more creative than zucchini boats.
Sweet, savoury, and pickled, too, this round-up is all the inspiration you need for cooking and baking with zucchini.
We have to start with a classic – the most beloved treat of all – zucchini bread. My recipe took months to develop and is indeed the best you’ll ever taste. Spiced with cinnamon and studded with dark chocolate, this loaf is an essential recipe for fall baking.
A fall muffin through and through, these lightly-spiced mini’s make the best lunchbox treat.
These double chocolate muffins are great for when those cravings hit, but they are also surprisingly nourishing.
A peak-summer edition of our favourite oatmeal muffin. This recipe is perfect for when zucchini is prolific and muffins are essential for picnic fare.
These dreamy little pizza bites feature baby zucchini, fragrant herbs and a pinch of cheese. They make an ideal savoury (and seasonal) appetizer.
Savoury Zucchini Galette
I recently whipped this up galette for a Sunday brunch. In zero waste efforts, I used up a bunch of produce ends from the fridge drawer.
It’s just a simple puff pastry + soft cheese combo (use ricotta or chevre), topped with zucchini, porcini, tomatoes and corn.
I riffed off of this savoury galette recipe. Play around and make it yours!
Zucchini can be a little bland, but not in this salad. It features slightly charred zucchini with toasted hazelnuts, crumbled feta cheese and plenty of torn mint and basil.
Topped it off with a creamy yogurt mint dressing and the result is a late-summer salad that you can’t stop eating.
Loaded with grilled zucchini, cherry tomatoes and cannellini beans, this antipasto pasta salad is easy weeknight dinner plan you need. Bring it on your next picnic or beach outing.
Add this to your menu plan when the weather turns cooler yet the markets are still loaded with produce. Its full of seasonal vegetables, including our hero, the zucchini.
More soup recipe inspiration. the zucchini may take more of backseat in this recipe, but it bulks up the soup base and adds a splash of colour, too.
Simple and seasonal, this fresh vegetarian dinner is perfect for weeknight suppers.
A simplified version of chicken parm, bulked up with delicious zucchini and served up over pasta. It’s a one-pan recipe that’s perfect fall comfort food.
Here’s another one-pot meal that lets the oven do the work. Rice, chicken and zucchini work so well together in this simple recipe. And another classic trio – lemon, garlic and rosemary – ensure that the flavours sing.
Here’s a late summer canning project to add to your list and has a relatively short ingredient list. Crunchy and sweet, this relish is SO simple to make.
More Zucchini Inspiration….
If you’re still looking for more ways to cook and bake with summer squash….you can always turn zucchini into zoodles, make baked zucchini fries, or crispy zucchini fritters. Go crazy!
Cooking has always been Aimée's preferred recreational activity, creative outlet, and source of relaxation. After nearly ten years in the professional cooking industry, she went from restaurant to RSS by trading her tongs and clogs for cookie cutters and a laptop, serving as editor here at Simple Bites. Her first book, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars - Family Recipes from the Kitchen of Simple Bites, was published in February 2015.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Make these stuffed zucchini boats for an easy summer dinner! Lemon, thyme & Parmesan make the simple, delicious filling zesty, fresh & bright.
Zucchini season is upon us! For me, this time of year is always a race to enjoy summer squash in as many ways as possible. I bake it into cake, blend it into soup, toss it into pasta, layer it into lasagna, and eat it right off the grill. This year, I’m adding a new recipe to my usual rotation: stuffed zucchini! I first made these a few weeks ago for my family and even my little 2-year old nephew, who is going through a no-zucchini phase, gobbled his up.
These easy stuffed zucchini boats are a simple, fresh, and delicious showcase for peak-season summer squash. I don’t let any of the zucchini go to waste here, as I load up the zucchini shells with a bright, lemony filling that includes the scooped zucchini flesh. This recipe works best with medium-large zucchini (larger squash = more space for filling), so it’s one that you can continue to make as the season progresses and the squash get bigger. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Recipe Ingredients
This stuffed zucchini recipe requires just a few every day ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes. Here’s all you need:
- Zucchini, of course! I use it 2 ways, stuffing the shells with a zucchini-loaded filling.
- Egg binds the filling together.
- Coarse breadcrumbs create a delicious body for the filling – the top gets toasty, while the inside stays moist.
- Parmesan adds melty, cheesy texture and umami flavor.
- Garlic punches it up.
- Cherry tomatoes dot the filling with sweet, juicy bites.
- Pine nuts add crunch and richness.
- Lemon zest and thyme give it a bright, fresh finish.
How to Make Stuffed Zucchini
Stuffed vegetables may seem fussy, but they’re deceptively simple. As with my stuffed bell peppers and stuffed poblanos, these come together in just a few steps. Here’s all you need to do:
- Cut the zucchini! Halve them lengthwise and hollow out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick rim around each half.
- Make the filling. Chop any large pieces of scooped flesh and transfer it all to a kitchen strainer. Press out any excess moisture, and then add the zucchini flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Mix until everything’s well combined.
- Load up the zucchini. Drizzle the zucchini shells with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spoon in the filling.
- Bake! Transfer the stuffed squash to a 475-degree oven and bake until the filling is set & nicely golden brown, 16-18 minutes.
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe Tips
We made this stuffed zucchini recipe (originally inspired by the stuffed zucchini in the Ottolenghi Simple cookbook) a few times this summer. Following these tips yielded the best results every time:
- Squeeze out as much water as you can from the zucchini flesh before stirring it into the filling. You don’t want it to be watery! Chop any bigger zucchini chunks into small pieces before adding them to the seedy, pulpy innards and pressing them over a kitchen strainer.
- Don’t scoop too much. Make sure you leave a sturdy border of zucchini flesh to support the yummy filling. If you scoop too much, your stuffed zucchini boats will be flimsy.
- Make your own breadcrumbs. Better bread = better bread crumbs, so find a good baguette or loaf of crusty bread for this recipe. Tear it into chunks and pulse them in a food processor to create coarse crumbs for the filling. Enjoy the remaining bread on the side!
- Top them with pesto. These stuffed zucchini boats are great on their own, but a drizzle of pesto really takes them over the top. Make your own or use store-bought pesto in a pinch.
What to Serve with Stuffed Zucchini Boats
We like these stuffed zucchini boats as a main or side dish. If you make this recipe with 3 medium zucchini, it serves 6 as a side, if you make it with 2 large zucchini, it serves 4 as a main course along with a side dish. They’d be delicious served with refreshing gazpacho or watermelon gazpacho, this easy summer pasta salad, pesto pasta, or any of these yummy summer salads:
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Stuffed Zucchini
A quick and easy treat the whole family will enjoy
- 3 medium to large zucchini
- 1 pound chicken, shredded
- 18 slices pre-cooked bacon
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 18 toothpicks
Saucy Stuffed Zucchini
Like many people I know, I've had an overabundance of zucchini in my garden
- 3 to 4 medium zucchini (1-3/4 to 2 pounds)
- 12 ounces Johnsonville® Mild Ground Italian Sausage, cooked and drained
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 cups milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Stuffed Zucchini
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 TBSP butter, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 small plum tomato, chopped
- 4 slices bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup shredded Italian 5 cheese "with a touch of Philadelphia"
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Servings: 4 • Size: 2 halves • Old Points: 6 pts • Weight Watcher Points+: 7 pt Calories: 286 • Fat: 12
- 4 medium (32 ounces) zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 cup mild salsa
- 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
- 4 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions or cilantro, for topping
Bacon Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini
Spray pam on small baking sheet
- Two Medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 onion chopped fine
- 1 cup mushrooms chopped fine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup shredded & chopped spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped fine
- 2 tbsp bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp bacon bits
- 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato, seeds removed (Roma works well)
- salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
- Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- A dab of garlic butter adds a nice flavor to filling and also rubbed on zucchini while baking.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Spinach & Grain
I had so many zucchini and just felt like something different
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of your choice, (Farro, Rice, Quinoa, Barley)
- 1 cup frozen (10 oz) spinach, drained well
- 1-1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup half n half (more if needed)
- 1/2 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 medium zucchini
- 12 oz pkg of shredded mozzerella cheese
- Optional: 1/4-1/2 lb. Italian sausage***
Moroccan Stuffed Zucchini & Peppers
Why just stuff zucchini? This recipe is inspired by the flavors of Morocco and stuff both zucchini and peppers with.
- RAS EL HANOUT:
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 medium red bell peppers
- 2 cups brown rice, cooked (any rice you like) or quinoa
- 4 tablespoons Ras el Hanout spice blend (recipe below)
- 1 small eggplant, peel removed and cubed
- 1 cup chick peas, cooked
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- Lemon zest from one lemon
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Slice Zucchini lenght wise and hull out the middle saving for later use, wash and pat dry
Yes, you can add meat like ground beef sausage to this recipe if you wanted to. If you do, I would cook the meat along with the onions until the meat is fully cooked, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
While for my stuffed cubanelle peppers recipe I stuff them raw and let everything cook together in the oven, I DO NOT recommend that with this recipe. Precook the meat in the saute pan first then stuff the zucchini and bake.
Get Creative, Add in other Ingredients:
While I like to keep my recipes very simple, you can certainly get as creative as possible when choosing ingredients to stuff your zucchini.
- mushrooms
- eggplant
- shrimp
- beef (pre-cooked)
- sausage (Pre-cooked)
- squash
- red onion
- lentils (pre-cooked)
- barley (pre-cooked)
- rice (pre-cooked)
Recipe Summary
- 2 large zucchini
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 (1/2- x 1/2- x 2 1/2-in.) logs
- ½ cup (about 2 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ⅔ cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup marinara sauce
Cut ends off zucchini, and cut each in half crosswise. Using an apple corer, remove the center of each zucchini piece, and stuff each with 1 mozzarella log. Cut stuffed zucchini crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
Place flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs in a second shallow dish, and breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Dredge each stuffed zucchini round in flour, and dip in egg, shaking off excess. Dip in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.
Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high. Fry coated zucchini rounds 3 at a time, turning occasionally with a fork, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer fried zucchini rounds to a plate lined with paper towels to drain sprinkle with salt. Serve with marinara sauce.
8 Crazy-Easy Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
The weather's getting warmer, and you know what that means&mdashwe're about to be faced with an abundance of inexpensive, low-calorie, nutrient-packed zucchini! You could make a pile of zoodles&hellipbut we think these 8 simple stuffed zucchini recipes are way tastier.
These protein-packed Paleo boats come together in just about a half hour. All you need for the filling: ground beef, salsa, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, and a handful of spices. Here's the complete recipe from $5 Dinners.
For a meatless take on the taco-inspired zucchini boat, try this this recipe from Tastes Lovely. Black beans, quinoa, and fresh corn deliver a dose of satiating plant protein and fiber. (Here are the 20 highest sources of plant-based proteins.) And the cheese? Well, that just makes it irresistible.
These gorgeously colorful stuffed zucchinis are almost too pretty to eat&mdashalmost being the operative word. It's all but impossible to resist this salty-savory combo of ripe tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, garlic, and crumbled feta cheese. Here's the full recipe from ifoodreal.
Nothing makes green veggies more appealing quite like bacon. (And hey, everything in moderation, right?) This recipe from Diethood features just 6 ingredients and takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
These easy, 3-ingredient bites from According to Elle make a perfect side, snack, or appetizer. (Is it just us, or do Parmesan and fresh rosemary go together like peanut butter and jelly?) Here's the complete recipe.
Here's another Paleo-friendly take on the stuffed zucchini: Fill each squash with basil-lemon cauliflower rice, asparagus, and high-protein grilled shrimp marinated in honey and cayenne. Click here for the full recipe from Food Faith Fitness.
These vegan beauties rely on nutritional yeast to impart that cheesy flavor without dairy (nutritional yeast is also packed with protein and B vitamins, just like real cheese!). Head over to In Sonnet's Kitchen to grab the full recipe.
A burrito bowl (which usually is packed with calories) where you can eat the bowl, too?! Sign us up. This recipe from Making Thyme for Health is super convenient, thanks to ingredients like canned beans and jarred salsa&mdashand super flavorful, thanks to fresh cilantro, jalapeño, and bell peppers. Here's the full recipe.
