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sausage stuffed zucchini

These delicious Stuffed Zucchini Boats are packed with flavorful Italian chicken sausage, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. A perfect low-carb option for a healthy and satisfying summer meal.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.25 cups quick marinara sauce
  • 4 medium zucchini (about 32 oz total)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 small onion (finely diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 0.5 cup red bell pepper (diced)
  • 14 oz Italian chicken sausage (removed from casing)
  • 0.5 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  3. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 0.25 inch thick walls. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini into small pieces and set aside.
  4. Drop zucchini halves into boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove from water and drain well.
  5. Place 0.25 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch baking dish, and arrange zucchini halves cut side up.
  6. In a large skillet, brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside.
  7. Heat olive oil in the same skillet and add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook on medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
  8. Combine the cooked vegetable mixture with the browned sausage and cook for a few more minutes.
  9. Using a spoon, generously fill each hollowed zucchini half with about 0.33 cup of the cooked sausage mixture, pressing firmly.
  10. Top each stuffed zucchini with 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce, 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
  11. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the zucchini is cooked through and tender.

Notes

For a firmer zucchini, some cooks prefer to skip the pre-boiling step. Instead, you can salt the scooped-out zucchini flesh and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out excess moisture before chopping and adding to the sausage mixture. Adjust cooking time as needed.