Baked Stuffed Zucchini Squash

I love baked stuffed zucchini.

These Stuffed Zucchini are baked and remind me of little stuffed boats have so much flavor using ground meats of choice.


This recipe is an old family favorite from the 1960s that we loved growing up.


Mom used lamb but you can use lamb, beef, even ground turkey.


The spices can be all Italian in flavor or as we liked to switch the recipe around a little adding some Middle Eastern flair with some delicious spices and mint.


This baked version is healthier and full of comforting vitamins with vegetables that melt in your mouth after simmering in this delicious sauce.


You can also simmer this on the stove top or even use an instant pot slow cooked.


The stuffing can be without meat also, just chop up the scooped out insides of the zucchini add it to the rice!

How To Prepare

When I was growing up mom used to save the insides of the zucchini to make zucchini bread or even egg frittata. She never wasted any of it and neither do I.


Preparing the stuffed zucchini is easy, just slice them down the length of the zucchini then take a sharp knife or small spoon and remove the insides to form a well.


Fill them with this delicious stuffing and put them an ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish.

Extra Squash

Save the insides for later by placing the scrapes of the hollowed-out zucchini in plastic bags and freeze them or place in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Since we had a garden and had so many zucchini, dad would give them away to neighbors and friends, we always had more than enough for the winter months.

Different Kinds of Squash

It's totally a preference if you want to stuff squash with or without meat.


I like it with ground lamb, ground round or even a mix of beef or ground turkey with Italian sausage.


You can leave the meat out for a totally vegetarian dish. Just use the zucchini that was hollowed out and rice in the stuffing.


When I was growing up my mom would make this often. We loved it.


We had relatives that grew a hybrid kusa on their farm and that was a delicious homegrown squash we loved but didn't have often.


Dad never did get the seeds to have that light green kusa squash, it sure had a nice flavor.

Yellow or Green

We almost always used regular green or yellow squash to make our stuffed squash recipe.


Here in Florida, they call it Mexican squash which is striped with green and white.


The taste is quite the same but so tender and seems to have fewer seeds in my opinion.

You Can Also Use Foil Pans

If you want easier cleanup, use a disposable tin.


Baking these is such an easy way to prepare this meal.


I love using throw-away pans when I want to have less to clean up.


They come out great either way.


The best thing about this recipe is leftover heat up easily and they taste great!

Rice Used

If you use quick-cooking rice like mom did, this will not take as much liquid.


I usually use raw quick rice, if you are using the regular raw long grain rice, you will need to keep adding water or another liquid, as it boils away and drys out.


You can also add white wine or chicken broth for a richer flavor.

Stovetop

You can also make the zucchini stuffed on the stovetop in a dutch oven.


Just follow the same instructions and check them around 1 hour on a low simmer to see if they are fork-tender.


Keep adding water as it boils away or the other options mentioned on liquids to use.

Spices

Spices are a matter of preference.


We love the fresh mint, allspice, cinnamon flavor stuffed squash, it's more a Middle Eastern version.


The Italian version is garlic, basil, and oregano.


Make this how you like it if you love spicy add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

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Some Ingredients You Will Need

• ground lamb, hamburger or turkey
• raw quick-cooking rice or regular
• fresh minced garlic
• fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
• cayenne pepper to taste
• granulated garlic powder
• dry basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper
• fresh basil leaf chopped
• fresh oregano chopped
• fresh mint chopped
• allspice
• tomato paste
• fresh plum tomatoes
• water or chicken broth
• white or red wine
• zucchini dark green, yellow or green squash
• olive oil

Try Some Other Favorite Recipes

Zucchini Coconut Bread
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Prize-Winning Cranberry Zucchini Bread
Stuffed Squash in a Slow Cooker

baked stuffed zucchini, baked stuffed squash, baked squash, zucchini recipes

Casserole, zucchini recipes, squash recipes

Italian, Middle Eastern

Yield: 12

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Baked Stuffed Zucchini Squash

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 1 H & 20 Mtotal time: 1 H & 40 M

This is a stuffed squash with rice and meat. You can make it all vegan by adding the zucchini middles chopped instead of meat. A delicious Italian or Middle Eastern flavor you can choose either one to make baked in the oven.

ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground lamb, hamburger or turkey
• 2 cup of raw quick-cooking rice or regular
• 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 whole fresh basil leaf chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh mint chopped
• Optional: 1 teaspoon allspice or more to taste and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• (for a Middle Eastern flavor)
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 pound of fresh plum tomatoes put through food processor skins and all
• water or chicken broth
• white or red wine
• 8 large or 10 small assorted colored zucchini dark green, yellow or green squash ... if your lucky enough to cultivate Kusa's from seeds those are the best of both squash to use!
• olive oil
• Optional: shredded mozzarella cheese for the garnish

instructions:

How to cook Baked Stuffed Zucchini Squash

1. Mix rice, and whatever ground meat you like some lamb, beef, sausage or a mixture of them.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and all spices except fresh minced garlic together in a medium-size bowl.
3. I like to add a little red wine to this mixture around 4 tablespoons plus a splash of olive oil.
4. Set aside in the refrigerator.
5. In the meantime, slice zucchini in the length then in halves this usually makes sixteen halves.
6. Scoop out all the insides with a spoon and put aside to make desserts or use with eggs.
7. Take the lamb mixture and press tightly into hollowed out zucchini.
8. Place them in a foil pan or into a dutch oven saucepan.
9. Add water, wine or chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. 
10. Add the rest of the paste.
11. Keep stacking the zucchini with the stuffing faced up.
12. Add more liquid of choice,  to be halfway up the pan using.
13. Note: You will have to add more water or liquid if using regular rice as these cook.
14. Add 2 whole garlic cloves in the tomato-water mixture, 1 fresh basil leaf, and salt, pepper to taste and some fresh mint in the liquid.
15. Place in a dutch oven pan that has a tight fitting lid in the oven at 350 degrees until the rice and zucchini are tender takes around an hour and a half to cook.
16. If adding the cheese sprinkle them the last half hour of cooking until the cheese is melted.
17. Once the fork goes through the squash it's done.
18. You can do this on top of the stove also. I like to make mine, it seems to control the heat better.
19. Here's a crockpot recipe for stuffed squash: Crockpot Stuffed Squash
20. Want desserts using that leftover zucchini? Try these recipes: Zucchini Coconut Bread, Chocolate Zucchini Bread,

Calories
225

Fat (grams)
19

Sat. Fat (grams)
11

Carbs (grams)
15

Net carbs
9

Sugar (grams)
11

Protein (grams)
19

Sodium (milligrams)
125

Created using The Recipes Generator

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Don't Forget to Try the Slow Cooker Version!

Stuffed Squash in a Slow Cooker