Stuffed Summer Zucchini

Zucchini is popping up everywhere, and we need some creative ways to use it (along with all the basil). Lidey Heuck, Ina Garten’s former right-hand and a cookbook author in her own right, developed a delicious recipe for stuffed zucchini for NYT Cooking. We tweaked it just a bit and can’t get enough. It’s summery with zucchini, tomatoes, and basil, but it’s hearty, too, with sausage and ground beef – a great rainy summer evening dinner. 

Add this easy-enough recipe to your summer repertoire. I promise it will go on the most-requested list.

This Stuffed Zucchini is summery with zucchini, tomatoes, and basil, but it’s hearty, too, with sausage and ground beef – a great summer evening dinner. (Photo: Andria Dilling)

Stuffed Summer Zucchini

3 large zucchini
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
½ pound lean ground beef
1½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium onion)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
¼ cup tomato paste
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out and discard the seeds. Then carefully scoop out some of the zucchini flesh, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges of each zucchini half. Arrange the halves in a baking dish, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and set aside. Roughly chop the zucchini flesh, then place in a paper towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as you can. Set aside.

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the sausage, ground beef, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and break the meat up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mixture to a small bowl.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have burst and “melted” into the vegetables, about 10 minutes. Return the sausage-meat mixture to the skillet and add the basil and tomato paste, stirring to mix everything together. 

Divide the mozzarella evenly between the zucchini halves and place the cubes in the zucchini. Top with the sausage-meat mixture. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese begins to bubble. Cool for 10 minutes, sprinkle with more basil, and serve.