Stuffed zucchini quickly cooked in an air fryer, a light but tasty recipe, quick and economical. It doesn’t get better than this! A vegetable that, rather than being a side dish, is a main course in this case. Prepare them after a not very hearty first course, like a soup. Cook a larger portion and you can even serve them as a single dish. There are cheese and tuna providing fats and proteins, nothing else is needed. This recipe for preparing these ricotta and tuna stuffed zucchini is really easy to make, and the air fryer will allow you to cook them faster than a traditional oven. I’ll confess that I really like them too, even though you know I don’t really like vegetables, but cooked this way they’re really tasty.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: for 2 people
- Cooking methods: Air Frying, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 257.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.61 (g) of which sugars 0.08 (g)
- Proteins 20.48 (g)
- Fat 17.60 (g) of which saturated 4.70 (g)of which unsaturated 4.29 (g)
- Fibers 2.25 (g)
- Sodium 579.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (quite large)
- 2 tablespoons ricotta
- 1 package canned tuna in oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 High-Sided Saucepan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Fork
- 1 Bowl
Let’s Prepare Stuffed Zucchini with Tuna and Ricotta
The first thing to do to prepare these stuffed zucchinis is to blanch the zucchinis. Bring some salted water to a boil. Trim, clean, and wash the zucchinis well. Cut them into 2 parts, even 3 if they are very large, lengthwise and then cut them in half. Plunge them into boiling water and let them cook uncovered for about 3 minutes. Remove them from the water and let them drain well.
In a large bowl, to work comfortably, gather all the ingredients. The ricotta, the tuna drained of the oil and crumbled with a fork, a pinch of garlic powder, or half a clove of fresh garlic crushed, 1 egg, and a pinch of salt. Also, add the inside of the boiled zucchinis, which you have scooped out and mashed with a fork. Work the ingredients well, obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Taste and adjust for salt, and if you like, add a grind of black pepper.
Fill the zucchini spaces with the tuna and ricotta mixture. Divide it evenly among the zucchini pieces you have obtained and press it lightly so that it stays attached during the cooking in the air fryer.
Arrange the tuna and ricotta stuffed zucchinis in the baking pan, lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Salt them slightly and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Cook in the air fryer for 15 minutes in vegetable mode at 356°F (180°C). Check after 10 minutes to ensure they are not burning on the surface. If so, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
My Advice
The tuna and ricotta stuffed zucchinis are excellent hot, but they are not bad even when warm. If there are leftovers, keep them covered in the refrigerator for a maximum of a couple of days.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I cook the stuffed zucchinis in a traditional oven?
Certainly, in this case, the air fryer is used like a small oven and allows us to save time and energy. Cook in a ventilated oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes.
Can I avoid blanching the zucchinis before baking?
To avoid blanching, the zucchinis must be small and tender, otherwise, they really struggle to cook in the oven. However, in this case, if too small, they are not very suitable for stuffing because you wouldn’t have the necessary space for the filling.
