We eat lots of vegetables, but let’s face it, everything steamed, grilled or fried gets boring. I had a couple decent sized zucchini and decided to stuff one. I relied on a stuffing mix, but turned it up with some add in ingredients.
The easiest way I’ve found to scrape out zucchini is to use a melon baller. It’s sharp edges easily cut through the seedy part of a zucchini. This leaves a long hollowed out tunnel down the length of the zucchini half.
It’s as easy as making the stuffing mix on the stove top, adding in a few things to spice it up a bit, and make it healthier, and then piling the stuffing mix into the zucchini boat.
Add a little cheese on top and what can be better than that?
Easy Stuffed Zucchini
a side dish with kicked up stuffing mix
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini halved lengthwise
- 2 large kale or swiss chard leaves, chopped small or 1/2 cup baby spinach
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp onion, chopped
- 4-5 large button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and diced
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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Prepared the liquid & fat for the stuffing mix and heat until boiling. Add in the greens and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the stuffing mix and cook per the directions.
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Dice up the bacon, and cook in a skillet over medium low heat. Remove when cooked and set aside; pour of extra bacon grease. Add the onion and garlic. Saute briefly until onion wilts. Add in the diced mushrooms, and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
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While the skillet ingredients cook, use a melon baller to scoop out the center/seeds of the zucchini. Place in the baking dish – it helps to oil the bottom to prevent stickiing.
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Season the onions/mushrooms with salt and pepper, and add smoked papprika. Stir to mix well.
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In the pot the stuffing mix in is, add the skillet ingredients and the reserved bacon, and mix well. Then scoop and heap inito the zucchini boats.
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Bake for 30 minutes; at about 25 minutes remove and sprinkle the boats with the cheese, and return to the oven for 5 mintues.
Recipe Notes
Change up the flavoring with different spices – I would try cumin or an Italian herb mix. Or use 1/4 lb of sausage instead of bacon.