Ingredients
Method
Preparation Steps
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 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.
- Drop zucchini halves into boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove from water and drain well.
- Place 0.25 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch baking dish, and arrange zucchini halves cut side up.
- In a large skillet, brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside.
- 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.
- Combine the cooked vegetable mixture with the browned sausage and cook for a few more minutes.
- Using a spoon, generously fill each hollowed zucchini half with about 0.33 cup of the cooked sausage mixture, pressing firmly.
- Top each stuffed zucchini with 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce, 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
- 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.
