These Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are an easy, healthy and low carb dish, filled with a delicious Bolognese sauce and mozzarella cheese.
You don’t really need a side dish for this stuffed zucchini recipe, but if you’re looking for ideas, here are some of my favourites:
Nope! You just make the sauce, spoon it into the zucchini boats, add cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Zucchini cooks really quickly in the oven so unlike stuffed peppers, you don't need to bake the zucchini ahead of time while you're making the sauce.
How To Make Zucchini Fritters Like An Italianvincenzo's Plate
You can easily make these Italian zucchini boats vegetarian. Just swap out the ground beef for extra veggies like mushrooms and bell peppers, or even your favourite non-meat alternative like tofu or Beyond Meat.
I typically use a regular spoon to scoop the flesh out of the zucchini, but a tablespoon or watermelon scoop spoon would also work well.
To eliminate food waste, you can use the scooped-out zucchini flesh to make zucchini muffins or zucchini bread! You could also add it to the sauce mixture if you’d like, just let it simmer for a bit.
Grilled Italian Zucchini Fritters
This stuffed zucchini recipe is perfect for your weekly meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner! It's low carb so it's a great alternative to heavier pasta dishes with all the same yummy flavours. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days – anything past that, and the cheese will start to get slimy. To reheat, pop the zucchini boats in the oven for 10 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through.
Unfortunately, zucchini doesn’t freeze very well – but you can freeze the Bolognese sauce! I like to cook and freeze the Bolognese sauce ahead of time for easy meal prep later. This allows me to get the zucchini into the oven earlier and get dinner on the table faster! You can store the sauce in glass bowls in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to make your stuffed zucchini boats, let the sauce thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the recipe instructions as normal.
Stuffed Zucchini Swirls
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Calories: 337 kcal (17%) Carbohydrates: 19 g (6%) Protein: 35 g (70%) Fat: 14 g (22%) Saturated Fat: 6 g (38%) Cholesterol: 92 mg (31%) Sodium: 1519 mg (66%) Potassium: 1512 mg (43%) Fiber: 5 g (21%) Sugar: 13 g (14%) Vitamin A: 3840 IU (77%) Vitamin C: 51.5 mg (62%) Calcium: 225 mg (23%) Iron: 5.2 mg (29%)
Hey there, my name's Taylor! I’m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I also run the awesome 5-Day Meal Prep Challenge, which is a free email course and Facebook group where I share my meal planning strategies and easy meal prep tips and recipes. Be sure to check out my free beginner’s guide to meal prep and follow me on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get my latest recipes and meal prep tips!
Easy Italian Zucchini Stew
Did you make this recipe or want to share your thoughts? Make sure to leave your review below and tag me on Instagram # so I can check it out!
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our website also includes other affiliate links where we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on our links.If you’re searching for a simple and delicious side dish to complement any meal, you’ll love this Italian sautéed zucchini and onions recipe. Tender, fresh zucchini and onions are quickly panfried in fragrant olive oil until they reach a perfectly golden hue.
If you are a fan of zucchini and have them growing in your backyard, you probably know you don’t need to have a green thumb to get an overabundance of Italian squash!
Italian Style Baked Zucchini With Panko Recipe
Another great way to enjoy zucchini during the summer months is by grilling it. You can then marinate the grilled zucchini ribbons or roll them with a ricotta filling to make low-carb gluten-free zucchini lasagna rolls, or simply use your air fryer or oven to make the best zucchini sticks.Did you know you can also make a pizza with zucchini?
If you’re looking for an effortless way to change the taste of zucchini, try this easy sauteed zucchini recipe. The zucchini becomes tender and sweet as it cooks in the cast-iron skillet, caramelizing slightly.
The best part about this easy recipe is that only a few ingredients are needed: zucchini, onions, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs such as parsley and/or oregano if available. A grating of Parmesan cheese is optional.
Italian Style Grilled Zucchini
Prep the zucchini: In this dish, fresh zucchini forms the foundation. You need about 1½ pounds (680 grams) of zucchini or yellow squash. Depending on their size, this is about 3-4 small to medium zucchini.
Then, place a clean kitchen towel on the countertop. Remove the zucchini slices from the colander and place them on the tea towel. Gently pat dry the top with another tea towel. Paper towels can also be used.
Prep the garlic: While waiting for the salt to draw out the moisture from the zucchini, crush 2-3 garlic cloves with the side of your knife. Remove the papery skins and cut off the tips. Give them a coarse chop.
Italian Baked Breaded Zucchini Recipe
Prep the onion: Remove the outer skin of one small onion (or shallot) using your hands or a knife before cutting it into slivers.
Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil onto a 12-inch (or wider) large skillet (cast-iron) with high sides over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Cook undisturbed until browned around the edges, about 3-4 minutes, then flip them gently using tongs; you may need to work in batches depending on how large your pan is. Add garlic during the last 2 minutes of cooking to infuse zucchini with a savory flavor.
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe {with Sausage}
When it comes to sauteing or pan-frying zucchini, there are a variety of fresh herbs that can complement the flavor of this dish. Some good options include fresh basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. If you’re looking for a spicy kick, sage or cilantro can be nice additions.
Simply chop up the herb of your choice and add it to the pan at the end of sauteeing it. The key is to use fresh herbs, which will have the most flavor. Dried herbs can also be used, but you’ll need to use more to achieve the same level of flavor. Ultimately, it’s up to you to experiment and find the combination of herbs that you like best.
There are endless possibilities for cheese pairings for this zucchini side dish. However, one of the best ways to enjoy this flavorful vegetable is to pair it with classic Italian cheese. A good quality hard cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano brings out the natural sweetness of the zucchini, while also providing a creamy contrast to the crispy pan-fried onions.
Italian Baked Zucchini Side Dish Recipe
For a more robust flavor, Pecorino Romano is an excellent choice. This sheep’s milk cheese has a sharp, salty flavor that pairs well with the savory zucchini and onions. Lastly, Asiago cheese is another great option. Its mild flavor won’t overpower the other ingredients and will melt beautifully on top of the hot vegetables. No matter which cheese you choose, this easy zucchini recipe is a delicious and satisfying dish.
When it comes to side dishes, sauteed zucchini is an Italian classic. This simple dish is quick to prepare and can be served with various main courses.
It pairs well with grilled chicken or baked fish. It can also be combined with orzo or pasta. or other vegetables like caramelized cabbage or glazed carrots.
Recipe: Hot And Crispy Zucchini Fritters
You can serve sauteed zucchini with a big Italian salad if you want a lighter option. Whatever you choose to serve with your sauteed zucchini is sure to please.
Have you ever tried cooking zucchini with eggs? If you haven’t, here are some of my favorite zucchini recipes for you to try.
Zucchini frittata is a great way to use up your zucchini bounty! This dish is simple to make and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Best Italian Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
Another simple recipe is this zucchini and eggs scramble. Adding the grated cheese is, of course, totally optional, but oh so very delicious! This vegetarian zucchini fritter recipe is tasty and so easy to make.
Have plenty of zucchini left in your garden, may I suggest giving them away to your neighbor in honor of Sneak Some Zucchini onto
