Zucchini boats, anyone? This veggie can be a vessel for all kinds of different meals, though this version calls on sausage and cheese for a hearty topping that packs a lot of flavor.
Not into sausage? Try ground chicken, ground beef, or even veggie crumbles – in fact, you could skip the meat all together and simply top the zucchini with other veggies and cheese. And if you really love marinara, you can pour some extra over the boats before topping them with cheese and tomatoes. This recipe’s versatile!
Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini
(makes 8 zucchini boats)
Ingredients:
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1/4 cup marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 14 ounces Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Bringa large pot of water to boil while also preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh using a spoon, so each “zucchini boat” is about 1/4-inch thick.
- Put the zucchini in the boiling water and let them cook for a minute, then remove them from the water. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish, then add the marinara sauce so it covers the bottom of the pan.
- In a large sauté pan, brown the sausage and break it up into smaller pieces while it is cooking. Once browned thoroughly, set it aside. Add the oil to the pan and add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and let them cook on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the sausage and some salt and pepper to the pan, letting everything cook together for another 2-3 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop the sausage mixture into the zucchini (each should hold about 1/3 cup of sausage). Top each zucchini with a sprinkle of tomatoes, a tablespoon of mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 35 minutes, or the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Skinny Taste