The stuffed zucchini are very easy, quick, and very tasty, a flavorful main course perfect for a lunch with family or friends.
I love zucchini, they are extremely versatile vegetables that I prepare in a thousand different ways. Their delicacy makes them perfect for first courses, main courses, and side dishes suitable for any occasion, with a pinch of creativity you can create tasty recipes like sandy zucchini or Korean-style.
The version I propose today is a leftover recipe, a true “fridge clean-out” that you can make according to your tastes, using some ingredients that are near expiration or leftovers from the day before.
How many times in summer do we buy cold cuts and cheeses and can’t finish them? Or we bought a stretched-curd cheese like scamorza or mozzarella on sale and don’t know how to use them? Well, the recipe I propose today allows you to transform these ingredients into a tasty and flavorful main course.
Next to each ingredient, I leave you some possible variations but feel free to modify them to your liking.
Also try other zucchini recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall, All Seasons
- Energy 149.02 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.07 (g) of which sugars 0.31 (g)
- Proteins 9.83 (g)
- Fat 9.42 (g) of which saturated 3.51 (g)of which unsaturated 2.49 (g)
- Fibers 1.38 (g)
- Sodium 411.33 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
This recipe is extremely versatile, it is economical and also a “fridge clean-out” version; you can stuff the zucchini to your liking, and in parentheses, you will find some possible substitutions.
- 3 zucchini (medium-large, about 7 oz each)
- 1 zucchini (small, about 3.5 oz)
- 1 yellow onion (small or 1 large shallot)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2.1 oz stale bread
- 2.8 oz speck (or bacon or cooked ham)
- 1.1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 3.2 oz mozzarella (or scamorza, galbanino or other stretched-curd cheese)
- 2 sprigs lemon thyme (or other aromatic herbs to taste)
- 6 leaves basil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pan
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Grater
- Parchment Paper
Method
Wash the large zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh with a small spoon or a melon baller, being careful not to break the outer part.
Brush the inside of the zucchini with a little oil, season with salt and pepper, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, let’s prepare the filling.
Wash the small zucchini, remove the ends, and cut it into small pieces, also cut the inside part of the zucchini.
Finely chop the speck and cut the mozzarella into cubes.
Place the bread in a small bowl, cover it with lukewarm water, 20/30 seconds will be enough to soften it, squeeze it well, and coarsely chop it.
Peel the onion, finely chop it, and sauté it in the pan with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add the zucchini, and cook for 7/8 minutes.
Add the speck and cook for another 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the soft bread and grated Parmesan, mix.
Add the diced mozzarella, the chopped aromatic herbs, and pepper.
Mix the mixture well and adjust salt.
Take the zucchini out of the oven, stuff them with the filling, and complete the cooking.
Cook them for 10 minutes at 356°F then broil them for a few minutes until golden.
The stuffed zucchini are ready, serve them hot.
Advice
Storage
The stuffed zucchini can be stored in the refrigerator in well-sealed containers for 2 days.
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