Baked pasta-stuffed zucchini
A complete, economical dish ideal for using up leftovers.
How many times have you had a plate of spaghetti left that nobody wants, but it’s so good it would be a shame to throw away?
Instead of making the classic, very caloric pasta fritters, here’s a solution: why not pair it with vegetables? See similar recipes like eggplant doubles or eggplant bundt cakes.
Today I filled zucchinis with it:
I had a nice plate of carbonara leftover (but it could be any sauce or even a risotto); there was so much sauce that it would have been a pity to throw it away, and this is what I came up with.
They can be served as a main dish, or as an appetizer if you use small zucchinis.
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- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 194.58 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 18.58 (g) of which sugars 0.29 (g)
- Proteins 9.30 (g)
- Fat 10.03 (g) of which saturated 2.70 (g)of which unsaturated 1.74 (g)
- Fibers 2.04 (g)
- Sodium 236.60 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 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
Grocery list
- 3 zucchini (about 7 oz each (approximately 200 g each))
- 7 oz spaghetti (or cooked rice; I used carbonara — about 2 cups cooked)
- 2 eggs
- 1 oz grated Parmesan
- to taste roasting herbs
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Baked pasta-stuffed zucchini
Tools
What you’ll need to make them
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Knife
- 1 Melon baller
- 2 Bowls
Steps
Let’s go to the kitchen
Remove the zucchini tips, then cut them lengthwise into two equal halves.
Score the flesh with crossed diagonal cuts and season with salt, pepper and herbs.
Place the zucchinis in a baking dish and cook them in the microwave for 8 minutes with plastic wrap on top.
When cooked, wait for them to cool, then scoop out the flesh with a melon baller.
Set the scooped-out pulp aside and adjust it with salt and pepper.
Add a little more salt and pepper inside the hollowed zucchinis and turn them over.
While the zucchinis release their water, prepare the filling.
In a bowl put the leftover pasta, add the beaten eggs, half of the provola (smoked mozzarella), and the scooped zucchini pulp.
Mix and, using a fork, twirl the pasta as if you were about to eat it, then stuff the zucchinis.
Finally, put the remaining provola on each zucchini, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and a little pepper, and…
Bake under the grill at 392°F for 5 minutes, or longer depending on your oven and how browned you like the topping.
Here are the baked pasta-stuffed zucchinis. Enjoy your meal.
Storage and variations.
Baked pasta-stuffed zucchini can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Tip: if the pasta you want to use is a short shape (penne, fusilli, etc.), I recommend adding some tomato sauce or béchamel to the filling to fill the gaps left by the holes in the pasta.
