I don’t know if you’re still getting nice zucchini where you are, but we are! If you like this recipe, thank my sister – she gave me the recipe when I lived with her over 20 years ago, although I’ve tweaked it some over the years. Unlike most of my recipes, I can’t claim it’s quick and easy, but I can assure you it’s well worth it (there is a quicker option at the end). There is a lot of explanation (and in-progress pictures) in the recipe, but once you’ve made it once, the steps make sense.
You should use medium to medium-large zucchini for this (the “quicker” option works if you can’t find large enough zucchini). You can use either pork or turkey sausage, and I usually use sweet sausage, but if you prefer hot, you can use it or some of each. This is a great way to “stretch” sausage – you know when you buy the value pack of sausages and they don’t divide neatly, so you end up with two extra? This is a great way to make two small sausages feed at least two people, if not more (see Note 1 for serving size).
Sausage Stuffed Zucchini – serves 2-4
3 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 sausages (I prefer 3, but you can use 2 if that’s what you have)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (you may need a little more depending on the size of the zucchini and how much you like cheese)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat about 2 inches water in a large pot over high heat.
Wash zucchini, cut off stem ends, and cut lengthwise. Next comes the interesting part (I promise once you’ve done it, it makes sense). Take a smaller knife and cut about 1/4 inch from the edge of the zucchini on all sides (you should basically have cut a large rectangle). Try not to cut through the bottom of the zucchini (it’s not the end of the world if you do, but it’s better if you don’t). Make small cuts lengthwise in the middle part of the zucchini (see really bad picture below).
That caption tells you the next step. Using a teaspoon, remove the middle pieces from the zucchini. Don’t throw the middles out – you’ll be using them soon! Cut the pieces removed from the zucchini into small cubes. Run your teaspoon over the bottom of each zucchini boat (you can discard whatever you pull out then or use it). You’ll end up with something that looks like the picture below.
Hopefully by now, the water you put on will be boiling. Put the zucchini boats in the boiling water for one minute. Remove and drain.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon oil. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute. Squeeze sausage meat out of casing and add to pan. If you are feeling proactive, you can do that step in advance, and you probably should – if you don’t, you’ll have to keep the water running and wash your hands between squeezing each sausage so you can stir the onion and garlic and make sure it doesn’t burn. If squeezing sausage out of its casing squicks you out, you can cut the sausage into small pieces (halve the sausage lengthwise and then cut it into the smallest pieces possible). Saute sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Add zucchini to pan, saute for two minutes, and add tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, parsley, onion powder, and oregano. Let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Most of the liquid should be boiled down.
Put zucchini boats on ungreased cookie sheet and fill with sausage/zucchini/tomato mixture. Here they are, ready for their next step.
Top with shredded mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cheese melts (see Note 2).
NOTE 1: If you’re making pasta and/or garlic bread to go with this, it will definitely serve 4. We usually eat two pieces each, but I usually make an extra zucchini just in case. It reheats well in the microwave too!
NOTE 2: If you’re cooking something else at the same time (when we ate bread regularly, I liked Texas Toast as a side for this), the zucchini can bake at a higher temperature – keep an eye on it, because it will take less time (usually around 15 minutes if the oven is at 400-425 degrees).
QUICKER/SMALL ZUCCHINI OPTION: If you’re craving these flavors but don’t have the time, the patience, or the large zucchini, make Stuffed Zucchini Pasta. Put a pot of water on to boil, cut the zucchini into small cubes, and saute onion, garlic, sausage, zucchini cubes, tomatoes and spices as shown above. Boil 1/2 box penne for 7 minutes and drain. Combine cooked pasta with sausage/zucchini/tomato mixture and top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Eat and enjoy!
OK…I know that in Texas, you don’t put beans in chili. And I’m reasonably sure you don’t make it with ground turkey either. But I’m from New York, so I have no chili traditions to worry about! That said, if the beans are making you think this it’s not chili, give it another name (I have no idea what, but I’m open to suggestions), but try it, because it’s really good!
