These stuffed zucchini boats with ham and mozzarella are not my usual dish. But they will become one! 😉
My son and I are big zucchini eaters. I usually stick to classic sautéed zucchini, which my son likes (and that’s no small feat! It’s one of the few vegetables he’ll eat!) and they’re easy to prepare.
In search of ideas to vary our meals a bit, I flipped through my recipe notebooks and finally found these stuffed zucchini boats. They’re an unusual recipe for us, so I found them perfect for a Sunday lunch, even though they’re diet-friendly.
Yes, yes, in fact they’re so simple and light that I recommend them to anyone on a diet, or anyone just wanting to cook lightly. They are cooked without anything (😁), meaning no oil, butter, or other, and the filling (a quarter of a mozzarella and half a slice of ham per person), is definitely diet-proof.
For us, they were a great main dish, but of course, they can also be considered as a side dish.
Are you ready? Let’s cook together the stuffed zucchini boats with ham and mozzarella!
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Other zucchini recipes on the blog:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Oven, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini (medium-sized)
- Half mozzarella
- 1 slice cooked ham
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- pepper
- nutmeg (optional)
Tools
- Knife
- Teaspoon
- Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
Steps
I cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, placed them in the microwave (on a plate) for a few minutes (about 5-6 minutes, or until just softened).
👉 Update: for more information, I’ve now completed a tutorial on microwave cooking zucchini. Check it out!
I removed the zucchini from the microwave and hollowed them out using a knife and a teaspoon.
I chopped the zucchini pulp with half a mozzarella and a slice of cooked ham using a knife.
I added some pepper and parsley and the breadcrumbs. In one half of the mixture, I also added nutmeg.
I was curious to taste the difference (better with or without?), and I knew my son would prefer them without nutmeg (which he did 😃, but I liked them with nutmeg!).I filled the zucchini boats with the mixture, sprinkled them with breadcrumbs. I drizzled the surface of the filling with a little bit of oil (a drizzle in the true sense of the word, just enough to moisten the breadcrumbs).
I placed them on the baking tray and baked them in the oven at a rather low temperature, 300-340°F, for about half an hour.
They didn’t stick to the baking tray, but it might be helpful to place them on parchment paper (or use a non-stick baking tray).
Enjoy your meal!!
Tips Without Salt
The flavor of the filling is ensured by the mozzarella and ham. To add flavor without adding salt, you can enrich the filling with finely chopped garlic and/or onion.
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Decrease salt gradually, the palate needs to get used to it slowly and shouldn’t notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granulate and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (griddle, en papillote, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Allow yourself to break the rule occasionally. It’s good for your mood and helps you persevere.
If you don’t want, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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In my new WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, in Pinterest and in my two groups: Catia’s Group, in the Kitchen and Beyond and Exactly What I Was Looking For! and if you like… subscribe to my Newsletter.
