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Tuna Stuffed Zucchini Boats Recipe


These Italian-inspired zucchini boats with sausage, mascarpone, and two cheeses are a comfy and satisfying solution to flip contemporary summer season zucchini into a straightforward, flavor-packed dinner the entire household will love.

Two stuffed zucchinis on a white plate.

 

Each summer season, it’s the identical story, our backyard is overflowing with zucchini! One among my favourite methods to make use of them is that this Italian-style twist on zucchini full of meat, a recipe my mother-in-law made typically through the season. These zucchini boats with sausage are creamy, tacky, and stuffed with taste.

I nonetheless love all of the zucchini recipes she handed down, like her grilled zucchini lasagna or Italian savory zucchini pie. Now and again, I like to modify issues up and these sausage-stuffed zucchini boats strike the proper stability of custom and one thing new.

Why You’ll Love Stuffed Zucchini Boats

  • Creamy, tacky, and stuffed with taste: With mascarpone, melty cheese, and savory sausage, these zucchini boats with sausage are the proper summertime meal.
  • A scrumptious manner to make use of up zucchini: Excellent when your backyard is overflowing otherwise you discover a whole lot on the market.

Ingredient Notes

  • Zucchini: Use 3 medium-large zucchini. Search for agency, contemporary ones, the more energizing they’re, the higher they maintain their form when baked.
  • Italian sausage: Delicate or spicy each work nice. You’ll want about ½ cup cooked. Bulk sausage saves time, since there’s no casing to take away.
  • Olive oil: Used for sautéing the sausage and drizzling earlier than baking. A very good-quality further virgin olive oil provides beautiful taste.
  • Eggs: Assist bind the filling and provides it construction. 
  • Breadcrumbs: Take in moisture for a just-right texture, neither soggy nor dry.
  • Mascarpone or double cream: Mascarpone provides richness and an Italian contact, however cream works in a pinch.
  • Salt, pepper, and non-compulsory crimson pepper flakes: Season to style. Add a pinch of warmth if you happen to like a bit kick within the zucchini boats with sausage.
  • Parsley flakes or Italian seasoning: Dried parsley provides colour and lightweight natural taste, however Italian seasoning is a good different.
  • Shredded cheese: Mozzarella, Gruyère, or Fontal give the proper melty chew. A mixture is even higher.
  • Parmesan cheese: Don’t skip this! It provides sharp, salty taste that rounds out the dish superbly.

How you can Make Zucchini Boats with Sausage

Trim the zucchini then slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, with a spoon or a melon baller scoop out the pulp. Reduce the pulp (with out seeds is greatest) and put aside.

Zucchini boats cleaned and scooped. Pulp chopped in a white bowl.Zucchini boats cleaned and scooped. Pulp chopped in a white bowl.

In a medium bowl add pulp, tuna, bread crumbs, cheese, egg (barely overwhelmed), parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper combine collectively.

Ingredients for the filling in a white bowl and mixed together.Ingredients for the filling in a white bowl and mixed together.

Drizzle a bit olive oil on the underside of a baking dish, place the zucchini slices within the pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then fill the zucchini with the filling.

Zucchini boats in a white pan and filling on pan.Zucchini boats in a white pan and filling on pan.

Drizzle with olive oil and bake. Serve instantly sprinkled with contemporary chopped parsley if desired.

Filled zucchini boats in a white pan baked.Filled zucchini boats in a white pan baked.

recipe suggestions

  • Salt the water when boiling: It seasons the zucchini from the within out.
  • Don’t over boil: Parboil simply till tender as overcooked zucchini can collapse.
  • Scoop gently: Depart a skinny border of flesh so the zucchini boats preserve their form.
  • Use bulk sausage to save lots of time: No casing to take away—simply prepare dinner and go.
Cooked zucchini boats in a white pan.Cooked zucchini boats in a white pan.

Variations & Substitutions

  • Swap zucchini for yellow squash: Select ones comparable in measurement and form for even cooking.
  • Strive rooster or turkey sausage: Lighter however nonetheless flavorful.
  • Use Pecorino Romano: For a sharper, saltier chew, or combine with parmesan.
  • Complete cream as a substitute of mascarpone: Use ¼ cup and cut back the eggs to at least one.
  • Gluten-free choice: Swap breadcrumbs for cooked rice, that is nice for utilizing leftovers.
  • Strive contemporary herbs: If in case you have contemporary parsley or basil, be at liberty so as to add it to the filling.

Extra Zucchini Recipes

Whether or not you make this Stuffed Tuna Zucchini Boats now or wait till the height season for zucchini, I hope you get pleasure from it and let me know what you suppose. Buon Appetito!

2 zucchini boats on a white plate.2 zucchini boats on a white plate.

Extra Zucchini Recipes

  • 4 medium zucchini
  • ½ cup chopped zucchini pulp
  • 5 ounces flaked tuna
  • 1 tablespoon bread crumbs
  • 1 cup shredded agency mozzarella/gruyere/swiss or cheddar
  • 1 egg barely overwhelmed
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon parsley
  • 1-2 dashes black pepper
  • Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C)

  • Trim the zucchini then slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, with a spoon scoop out the pulp. Reduce the pulp (with out seeds is greatest) and put aside.

  • In a medium bowl add pulp, tuna, bread crumbs, cheese, egg (barely overwhelmed), parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper combine collectively.

  • Drizzle a tablespoon olive oil on the underside of a baking dish, place the zucchini slices within the pan, drizzle them with a tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1-2 pinches of salt, then fill the zucchini with the filling, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and bake for roughly half-hour. Serve instantly sprinkled with contemporary chopped parsley if desired. Get pleasure from!

Storing Directions for the Zucchini boats

Any leftovers must be saved in an hermetic container and saved within the fridge. They’ll preserve for as much as 3-4 days. Re warmth in a low oven or microwave till heated by way of.
Baked zucchini doesn’t freeze properly, it tends to get soggy. Nonetheless, the filling freezes superbly. Simply pass over the zucchini pulp, freeze in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months, and stir in contemporary pulp when able to bake.

Energy: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 19g | Fats: 31g | Saturated Fats: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 18g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 748IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 294mg

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Up to date from Could 25, 2022.

Recipe FAQs

Can I add sauce to the zucchini boats?

Sure! Some variations bake the zucchini boats with a spoonful of marinara sauce beneath or on prime. It provides moisture and a lift of Italian taste.

Can I make stuffed zucchini boats forward of time?

Completely. You’ll be able to prep the filling and stuff the zucchini a number of hours upfront. Cowl and chill within the fridge till able to bake.

How you can retailer leftovers?

Retailer baked zucchini boats in an hermetic container within the fridge. They’ll preserve for 3 to 4 days and reheat properly within the oven or microwave.

Can I freeze the zucchini boats?

Baked zucchini doesn’t freeze properly, it tends to get soggy. Nonetheless, the filling freezes superbly. Simply pass over the zucchini pulp, freeze in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months, and stir in contemporary pulp when able to bake.

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