Stuffed Zucchini: 10 simple and delicious recipes

Stuffed zucchini are a typical dish of the Italian tradition. You just need to empty them and stuff them with meat, vegetables, ricotta cheese, cheese, ham, rice or with your favorite ingredients. then you can cook them in pan or bake in the oven, in this way you will create a really tasty side dish or main course, ideal for an informal dinner, for a special lunch or a lunch break.

To make them in the best way, always use medium-sized zucchini that are perfect for stuffing, the small ones are not recommended because they are difficult to stuff, and also too large ones as they are full of seeds. Before emptying them, zucchini are usually blanched for a few minutes, so as not to break them. Here are 10 recipes to make simple and delicious stuffed zucchini to amaze your guests.

1. Zucchini stuffed with meat

Zucchini stuffed with meat are a greedy and nutritious main course that can also be served as an appetizer, whose recipe lends itself to different variations. Tasty and healthy, they are very easy to prepare and are perfect when eaten both hot and cold. First the zucchini are softened, blanching them for 10 minutes, then they are emptied and filled with the mixture made of minced meat, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, herbs, cheese and eggs. They will then be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, before being tasted.

2. Zucchini stuffed with ricotta cheese

Zucchini stuffed with ricotta cheese are ideal to prepare as a main course for a lunch or dinner, they are tasty and very easy to prepare. Just wash 6 zucchini, blanch them in salted water for 5 minutes, drain and let them cool. Then cut the zucchini in half and empty them. Fry a chopped onion in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and a little water for about 3 minutes. Then add it to a bowl with 100 grams of chopped cooked ham, 200 grams of ricotta cheese, grated parmesan cheese, aromatic herbs, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Stuff the zucchini with the ricotta cheese filling and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let it cool and serve.

3. Ligurian-style stuffed zucchini

Ligurian-style stuffed zucchinis are a classic main course of Italian cuisine of peasant origin made with a filling of zucchini pulp, onion, cooked ham, boiled potato, aromatic herbs and grated parmesan cheese. Once the zucchini are stuffed, previously blanched, they will then be enriched with the addition of black olives and pine nuts. Then just bake them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes before serving. They are also delicious to serve as an appetizer or accompanied by a fresh seasonal salad.

4. Stuffed zucchini without meat

Stuffed zucchinis without meat are an excellent vegetarian dish, a quick and simple dish, which you can serve as a main course or as a side dish. For the preparation, blanch for 5 minutes in salted water, let them cool, cut them in half and empty them. Then prepare the filling; heat a chopped onion in a pan with oil. As soon as it is golden, add the diced zucchini pulp, salt, pepper and cook for a few minutes. Then add a little tomato paste, 80 grams of breadcrumbs, mix and brown for a few minutes. Let the mixture cool and then add 50 grams of chopped cheese and parsley. Stuff the zucchini and cook them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, drizzled with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Then let them cool and serve your vegetarian stuffed zucchini.

5. Stuffed zucchini with ham and mushrooms

Stuffed zucchini with ham and mushrooms are a delicious second course with a very simple preparation. Quickly boil the zucchini, let them cool, empty them and set the pulp aside. Cook the mushrooms in a pan with the garlic. Then add the mushrooms to the zucchini pulp and blend. Then add the diced ham, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Mix well and stuff your zucchini with the ham and mushroom mix. Sprinkle them with breadcrumbs and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. For this recipe you can use both round zucchini and regular zucchini, the result will be excellent in both cases.

6. Zucchini stuffed with sausage

Zucchini stuffed with sausage are ideal to serve as a tasty and rich main course. It's an easy dish to make. once stuffed, the zucchini will be cooked in a pan. For the preparation, wash 4 zucchini, dry them and cut them in half. Steam them for 5 minutes, let them cool and empty them, keeping the pulp aside. Chop the zucchini pulp and add it to a sausage without the casing, together with 40 grams of breadcrumbs soaked in milk and squeezed, 2 eggs, grated parmesan cheese, a clove of garlic, chopped parsley and salt. Mix all the ingredients well and then stuff the zucchini. Heat 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan, brown the zucchini for 5 minutes with the filling facing the bottom of the pan. Then turn them over and cook for another 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can bake them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.

7. Zucchini stuffed with tuna

Zucchini stuffed with tuna is an ideal dish for the summer, simple and quick to prepare. Zucchini goes well with tuna in a quick and light recipe. Begin blanching the zucchini for 10 minutes in boiling salted water. Let them cool and empty them, keeping the pulp. Put in a bowl the tuna drained from the oil, the pulp of the zucchini, chopped olives, desalted capers and extra virgin olive oil. Blend everything and then add the chopped parsley. Stuff the zucchinis and bake them in the oven at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes.

8. Vegetarian stuffed zucchini

Vegetarian stuffed zucchinis are a light and tasty dish, ideal to serve as a side dish or main course. They are made with a filling of olives, bread rolls, cherry tomatoes, onion and aromatic herbs; a simple and quick preparation to be baked in the oven. Wash 5 zucchini, blanch them in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Once cooled, divide them, cut them in half and remove the pulp. For the filling, sauté a chopped onion in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, then add 6 chopped tomatoes, the zucchini pulp, salt, pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Chop 4 slices of bread, 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese and aromatic herbs in a blender. Add this mixture to the pan with the rest of the ingredients and mix. Stuff the zucchinis and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees F ° for 30-40 minutes.

9. Round zucchini stuffed with rice

Round zucchinis stuffed with rice are a main course that comes from family traditions. Once the zucchini have been emptied, the pulp is removed and cooked with chopped onion, to which is added the rice which, once cooked, is creamed with grated parmesan cheese. The dish can be served as a main course or as a single dish and prepared in advance, as the cooking is completed in the oven, so they are ideal for a dinner with friends or for a buffet.

10. Stuffed zucchini with robiola cheese and ham

Stuffed zucchini with robiola cheese and ham are a really tasty summer recipe. Also in this case, round zucchinis are recommended for preparation. Wash 6 zucchinis, blanch them for about ten minutes. Then remove the cap and gently empty them, eliminating the pulp. Spread a thin layer of robiola cheese on the sides of the zucchini, then spread 100 grams of diced cooked ham on the layer of robiola cheese. In each zucchini add a whole egg, add grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and cook in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Once ready you can serve them both hot and cold.