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Meat, Italy

Ligurian stuffed zucchini with rice

Ligurian stuffed zucchini is an Italian dish for 4 people, ready in 70 minutes, medium difficulty, for €2.70 per serving. The filling combines ground meat, mortadella and parmesan, with the chopped zucchini flesh mixed in to keep it moist and avoid waste. It's served with plain rice that soaks up the baking juices.

Ligurian stuffed zucchini are on tonight, packed with meat, mortadella and parmesan, baked golden and served with rice.

Ligurian stuffed zucchini with rice
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer
The kids
They generally like it

The filling brings together ground meat, mortadella for its smoky edge, and parmesan that forms a golden crust in the oven. Chopping the scooped zucchini flesh into the filling makes a real difference, it keeps everything moist and stops the center from drying out as it bakes. Plain rice, spooned over with the baking juices, rounds out the plate without needing anything else.

This is a summer recipe, best when round or long zucchini show up fresh at the market, though it works fine with regular zucchini year round. Kids tend to like it because the filling is soft and tender under a golden crust, easy to eat with a spoon. Plan for a bit more time than a weeknight dinner, it suits a Sunday or a meal when you have people over.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Round or long zucchini 4
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Basil 6 sprigs

Butcher

  • Ground meat (pork and veal) 300 g
  • Mortadella 80 g

Dairy

  • Parmesan 50 g
  • Egg 1
  • Milk 5 cl

Bakery

  • Breadcrumbs 50 g

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the zucchini in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a 5 mm border.

    If using long zucchini, cut them into 6 cm sections so they stand upright.

  2. Mix the ground meat, diced mortadella, chopped zucchini flesh, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, garlic and basil.

    Knead by hand, the filling becomes nicely even and stays juicy.

  3. Fill the zucchini with the mixture, place them in an oiled dish and drizzle with a bit of oil.

    Pack the filling in, mounding it slightly so it forms a nice dome.

  4. Bake at 190°C until the filling is golden and the zucchini are tender. 40 min

    Cover with foil halfway through if the top browns too quickly.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, drain it and serve it alongside the zucchini with the baking juices. 11 min

    Spoon the baking juices over the rice, it picks up all the flavor from the filling.

Our tips to get it right

  • Scoop out the zucchini without piercing the bottom, or the filling will leak out during baking.
  • Soak the breadcrumbs well in the milk, then squeeze them lightly before using, this binds the filling without making it heavy.
  • Pick zucchini of similar size so they all finish cooking at the same time.

The variations

  • Swap the mortadella for ham if you want a milder flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat and mortadella with sauteed vegetables and chopped mushrooms, keeping the parmesan and egg to bind everything.
  • To save time, stuff the zucchini the night before and bake them straight from the fridge, the rice cooks while the dish browns.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony green salad
  • Bread for soaking up the juices
  • A glass of sparkling water

Storage

Stuffed zucchini keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. They freeze well once cooked, thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven. Reheat at a low oven temperature so the filling stays moist without drying out the zucchini.

Questions about this dish

Can you prepare stuffed zucchini ahead of time?

Yes, you can stuff them the night before and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. Take them out a bit before cooking so they don't go into the oven too cold.

Can you replace the mortadella?

You can use diced ham or cured ham for a milder flavor. The result will be slightly less tender but the filling will still taste good.

Do you need to precook the zucchini before stuffing them?

No, they cook alongside the filling in the oven for 40 minutes. Pick zucchini that aren't too large so they turn tender within that time.

Can you freeze stuffed zucchini once cooked?

Yes, let them cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven to keep the filling's texture.

How long does it take to make Ligurian stuffed zucchini with rice?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in Ligurian stuffed zucchini with rice?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Ligurian stuffed zucchini with rice cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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