Stuffed Zucchini ~ More From The Endless Zucchini Season

So here we go again. I think the zucchini in my garden will be coming to an end very soon. But there are a few stragglers that have managed to get a little bigger than I like for sautéing. That’s when I pull out the recipe for Stuffed Zucchini for the endless zucchini Season.

This season I had less zucchini than most years, but still more than we could eat. So some was frozen for future cakes, breads, and muffins. Some given away, and a lot of it eaten.

This is a great way to end the season with a little Italian flare.

I had a couple of zucchini that had gotten a little bigger than I usually let them get. They seem to grow before your very eyes! But these are perfect for stuffing.

First wash and then slice them in half so they will lay flat with the cut side up.

Then hollow them out leaving about a 1/4 inch around the edge.

Then place them, a couple halves at a time, into a microwaveable dish and cook on high for 2-3 minutes depending on size. They need to remain tender crisp because you will be finishing them off in the oven later.

Cut up the pulp that you have scooped out into cubes.

Place a pound of Italian sausage in a skillet and break up in to small pieces

Add the zucchini pulp and cook over medium heat till sausage is no longer pink. Drain the fat off.

Then add tomatoes. If I had ripe fresh tomatoes, that’s what I would use. But since my tomatoes are not yet ripe enough, I turned to a jar of home Italian stewed tomatoes from last years garden.

Also add in Bread crumbs, freshly grated Romano cheese, chopped fresh herbs, black pepper and if you like, a little crushed red pepper. I usually add the crushed red pepper if the sausage is a mild version.

The herbs I use are fresh from the garden (see below). I use about 1/2 cup total after chopped. Mostly parsley, with a little oregano and basil.

Stir together and spoon into shells.

Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes till hot.

Then top with fresh mozzarella grated. Return to the oven just till cheese begins to melt.

Each half will be more than enough for one person so go easy on the sides!

Stuffed Zucchini

2 medium/large zucchini (cut in half)
1 pound Italian sausage (we like it hot but whatever you prefer)
2 medium tomatoes seeded and chopped or 1 pint jar Italian stewed tomatoes
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup fresh herbs chopped (mostly parsley with about 2 Tbsp each fresh oregao and basil)
black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes if you are using mild sausage
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each zucchini in half.

Scoop out pulp leaving 1/4 inch shell and chop pulp into cubes

Microwave zucchini shells on high for about 2-3 minutes till tender crisp. Do not over cook.

In a large skillet, break up sausage and add zucchini cubes. Cook till sausage in no longer pink

Stir in tomatoes, bread crumbs, Romano cheese, herbs and pepper.

Fill zucchini shells. Bake at 350 degree for about 20 minutes or till hot.

Top with mozzarella and return to oven just till cheese melts.

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(adapted from Taste of Home.com recipe for Italian Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini)

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