I was so excited to try this recipe from Martha Stewart Living because it’s such a fun and convenient way to combine protein and veggies in one dish! You don’t even need to make any side dishes with this sausage stuffed zucchini because it’s surprisingly satisfying. There are so many wonderful flavors already mixed into the Italian sausage. Plus, the fresh lemon zest and juice add such a nice brightness to the dish.
I’ve already made this dish several times because Michael loves it so much. I used sweet Italian sausage the first time, spicy Italian sausage the second time, and a mixture of the two the third time. If you can handle a little spiciness, I would definitely recommend mixing the sweet and spicy. I find it to be the perfect balance of flavors. (If you’re planning to serve this dish to kids, definitely stick with just sweet Italian sausage!)
Be sure to give this sausage stuffed zucchini a try the next time you make dinner! This recipe yields about 4 portions if served with side dishes and 2 portions if served without.
Recipe
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, removed from casing
2 large shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp.)
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
zest and juice from 1 lemon
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
nonstick spray for baking dish
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrape seeds and soft flesh from zucchini and reserve 1/2 cup, chopped. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place zucchini halves, cut sides up, in baking dish.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and shallots. Cook, breaking up sausage, until sausage is browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved zucchini; cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients; divide mixture among zucchini halves.
3. Bake until filling is firm and zucchini is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!
I wish I had this recipe when I planted zucchini a couple of years ago (I had so much I didn’t know what to do with them, lol) I’m going to make this for Ronnie and RJ. I think they will like it
I really like this recipe. The fresh lemon zest really brings everything together. Michael eats about 4 to 5 of these himself! I hope Ronnie and RJ like them too!