Make these zucchini boats for a straightforward summer time dinner! They’re contemporary and filling, filled with a scrumptious combination of breadcrumbs, herbs, and cheese.
I began making this stuffed zucchini boats recipe a number of years again. It’s been a staple in our summer time dinner rotation ever since!
I really like this recipe for a number of causes. First, it’s a improbable strategy to take advantage of a summer time stockpile of zucchini. I don’t let any of the squash go to waste right here. As an alternative of tossing the scooped zucchini flesh, I combine it into the zesty filling.
Second, it’s stuffed with contemporary summer time taste. These zucchini boats characteristic seasonal veggies like cherry tomatoes and contemporary herbs along with the zucchini. Lemon zest brightens up the filling too.
Third, these stuffed zucchini boats are easy to make. You possibly can hole out the squash and blend up the filling in 20 minutes. Then, simply pop them within the oven to bake! They’re a stunning summer time meal you can have on the desk in underneath 45 minutes. I hope you like them as a lot as I do!
Substances for Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Right here’s what you’ll must make this stuffed zucchini recipe:
- Zucchini, in fact! I take advantage of it 2 methods, stuffing the shells with a zucchini-loaded filling.
- Egg binds the filling collectively.
- Coarse breadcrumbs create a scrumptious physique for the filling—the highest will get toasty, whereas the within stays moist.
- Parmesan cheese provides melty texture and umami taste.
- Garlic punches it up.
- Cherry tomatoes dot the filling with candy, juicy bites.
- Pine nuts add crunch.
- Lemon zest and thyme give it a vivid, contemporary end.
- Additional-virgin olive oil helps the zucchini soften within the oven.
- And salt and pepper make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements beneath.
Tips on how to Make Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Stuffed greens could appear fussy, however they’re deceptively easy. As with my stuffed bell peppers and stuffed poblanos, these come collectively in just some steps. Right here’s all you should do:
- Minimize the zucchini. Halve them lengthwise and hole out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick rim round every half.
- Make the filling. Chop any giant items of scooped flesh and switch all of it to a kitchen strainer. Press out any extra moisture, after which add the zucchini flesh to a bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, cherry tomatoes, thyme, lemon zest, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt. Stir till the whole lot’s properly mixed.
- Load up the zucchini. Place the zucchini shells in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and spoon within the breadcrumb combination.
- Bake! Switch the stuffed squash to a 475°F oven and bake till the zucchini is tender and the filling is ready and properly golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
Get pleasure from!
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe Suggestions
We’ve made this stuffed zucchini recipe (initially impressed by the stuffed zucchini within the Ottolenghi Easy cookbook) many instances. Following the following tips yields the most effective outcomes:
- Squeeze out as a lot water as you may from the zucchini flesh earlier than stirring it into the filling. You don’t need it to be watery! Chop any greater zucchini chunks into small items earlier than including them to the seedy, pulpy innards and urgent them over a kitchen strainer.
- Don’t scoop an excessive amount of. Ensure you go away a sturdy border of zucchini flesh to help the yummy filling. Should you scoop an excessive amount of, your stuffed zucchini boats shall be flimsy.
- Make your individual breadcrumbs. Higher bread = higher bread crumbs, so discover a good baguette or loaf of crusty bread for this recipe. Tear it into chunks and pulse them in a meals processor to create coarse crumbs for the filling. Benefit from the remaining bread on the facet!
- Prime them with pesto. These stuffed zucchini boats are nice on their very own, however a drizzle of pesto actually takes them excessive. Make do-it-yourself basil pesto or use store-bought. In pinch, tomato sauce or marinara sauce can be good right here too.
Serving Recommendations
We like these stuffed zucchini boats as a predominant or facet dish. Should you make this recipe with 3 medium zucchini, it serves 6 as a facet. Should you make it with 2 giant zucchini, it serves 4 as a predominant course.
Pair the boats with a bowl of gazpacho or a summery pasta like my cherry tomato pasta or pesto pasta. They’d additionally go properly with any of those summer time salads:
Leftover zucchini boats maintain properly in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat them within the microwave or a 350°F oven.
Extra Favourite Zucchini Recipes
Should you love this stuffed zucchini, strive one in every of these zucchini recipes subsequent:
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Serves 4 to six
We like to make these stuffed zucchini boats for a straightforward summer time dinner! With medium zucchini, the recipe serves 6 as a facet dish. With giant zucchini, it serves 4 as a predominant course.
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Preheat the oven to 475°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a small spoon to hole out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving just a little greater than ¼-inch thickness across the edges. Place them reduce facet up on the baking sheet.
Make the filling. Place the scooped-out zucchini flesh right into a mesh strainer and gently press out any extra water. Try to be left with 1 cup flesh. Chop any coarse items and switch to a medium bowl with the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme, pine nuts, and salt. Combine till mixed, utilizing your fingers if mandatory.
Drizzle the hollowed-out zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon within the filling and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or till the filling is ready and is golden brown and crisp on high.
Serve with pesto.
Impressed by the stuffed zucchini recipe in Ottolenghi Easy and reprinted with permission from the writer.
