Baked Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Thank you my sweet friend Regina for another one of your many amazing recipes. It’s so easy to prepare and is just delicious. It’s sure to be a hit with anyone it’s served to. My family loves it and I’ll be sure to make this again very soon. Grab a zucchini and stuff away!

 A note from Regina……While at the Farmers Market I came across a very interesting vegetable, a round zucchini.  I thought it would be perfect vessel to stuff, just as I would a pepper.  I decided to mix up the ingredients and to my happy surprised my family loved it, including my somewhat picky son.  It was requested that I make this dish again, which is exactly what every aspiring cook wishes to hear.

 

 Baked Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Yields: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 round zucchini, if you can’t find round zucchinis, use the traditional shape.
• 4 sausage links with casing removed
• 1/3 cup rice
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/3 cup of tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and dry zucchini, then cut in half through stem straight down to bottom.  Scoop out the seeds and then the flesh with a melon baller.  Leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of flesh onto the shell.  Squeeze the extra moisture from the flesh, then chop and set aside in a medium bowl.
3. Rub olive oil on the inside and outside of the zucchini shells.  Place into a baking dish with the cut side up.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the zucchini shells in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Drain any excess liquid that may accumulate in the shells when down cooking.  Set aside.
5. Cook the rice in a 2 to 1 water ratio – 1/3 cup rice and 2/3 water.  When complete add to the bowl of chopped zucchini.
6. Remove the sausage meat from the casing and cook the meat over medium heat until cooked through.  Break up the meat as it is cooking.
7. When the sausage is done add to the pan the following:  zucchini, rice, basil, chopped tomatoes, and sauce.  Cook on low heat until the tomatoes and zucchini soften.  Stir in the cheese at the end.
8. Scoop the mixture into the zucchini shells.
9. Combine the melted butter with the breadcrumbs, then evenly distribute onto of the meat/zucchini mixture.
10. Return the baking dish with the filled shells back to the hot oven and cook for 10 minutes more, or until the breadcrumbs have browned.

Serve hot, enjoy!