Stuffed Zucchini with Ground Beef and Rice Recipe
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This recipe for stuffed zucchini with ground beef and rice is filled with a mixture of savory ground beef combined with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and rice. It’s a delicious and versatile meal that everyone will love!
Stuffed zucchini with ground beef is a tasty way to enjoy your vegetables without feeling like you’re eating vegetables. Stuffed with ground beef and rice, the result is a savory, nutrient-packed dinner that’s both satisfying and wholesome. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a weekend treat.
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Stuffed zucchini is a lot like stuffed peppers. Ground beef and rice fill a hollowed-out zucchini, and it’s topped with cheese. It’s one of our favorite summer dinners because it’s tasty and easy to make, and a great way to use up zucchini. I love how the zucchini adds a fresh twist, and the melted cheese is perfection. If you are looking for a quick and satisfying meal, this dish hits the spot every time.
Why you will love stuffed zucchini
- Easy! It takes just a few simple steps to prepare; making it perfect for a weeknight meal.
- Make Ahead! Stuffed zucchini is perfect of making ahead of time.
- Flavor! The combination of ground beef, tomatoes, rice and cheese are a simple yet satisfying dinner.
Here is what you will need
This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make this zucchini recipe and a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section.
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Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Medium zucchini
- Olive oil
- Cooked brown rice
- Garlic
- Onion
- Diced tomatoes
- Fresh herbs such as oregano and basil or Italian seasoning
- Mozzarella cheese
How to make stuffed zucchini with ground beef
Prepare the ingredients: Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Chop the garlic, herbs, onions and tomatoes if you are using fresh. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees F.
STEP 1: Cut zucchini in half length-wise. Then use a sharp knife to score around the zucchini edges.
STEP 2: Use a spoon to scoop out the zucchini flesh. Chop the flesh and set it aside with the two zucchini shells.
STEP 3: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is hot add the ground beef, garlic, and chopped onion. Reduce to medium heat and cook until the beef is almost cooked through.
STEP 4: Add the tomatoes and zucchini pulp, reduce to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the zucchini is soft.
STEP 5: Stir in the cooked rice and fresh herbs.
STEP 6: Fill each of the zucchini halves with the beef mixture. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
STEP 7: Remove the cover, sprinkle on the cheese and bake for 5 minutes longer until the cheese has melted.
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Substitutions and Variations
The complete list of ingredients to make this zucchini boat recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients along with ideas for substitutes.
Ground beef – I find that ground sirloin is a good choice for this recipe. It has less fat and more flavor. If that is not an option for you, look for 90/20 ground beef. Ground beef can also be replaced with ground chicken or ground turkey.
Zucchini – I find that medium-sized zucchini works the best for stuffed zucchini recipes. Small zucchini is difficult to stuff, and large zucchini does not have as much flavor, and the seeds are large. Zucchini can be swapped with yellow squash.
Garlic & Onion – I like to use fresh whenever I can, but both of these ingredients can be substituted with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder.
Tomatoes – When they are available and in season, I use fresh tomatoes which can be substituted with low-sodium canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.
Cheese – Since the flavor profile in this recipe leans toward Italian, I like to use mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese. It can be substituted with your favorite cheese. Swiss, feta or cheddar cheese are good options.
Vegetables – add chopped mushrooms, red bell pepper, or diced eggplant to the stuffing mixture.
Spicy – add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to taste to spice it up.
Vegetarian – Leave the meat out and add a half block of crumbled tofu, a cup of cooked quinoa or 8 to 10 ounces of diced mushrooms.
Mexican – Add 1/2 to a teaspoon of chili powder or taco seasoning to taste to the meat and rice mixture along with a 1/4 cup of black beans, and fresh cilantro. Top with cheddar, jack, or cotija cheese.
Low carb – Replace the rice with cauliflower rice for a low carb version.
Deconstructed stuffed zucchini – instead of stuffing zucchini, cut up each of the ingredients and cook them all in a skillet like I do in this deconstructed stuffed peppers recipe. Start with the beef, and add the vegetables once the beef has cooked, simmer and top with cheese.
If you are looking for more easy and delicious ground beef recipes, check out these Grass Fed Ground Beef Recipes!
Serving suggestions
Serve stuffed zucchini with a green salad, air-fried broccoli and cauliflower or sliced tomatoes.
How to make stuffed zucchini ahead of time
This is a great recipe for meal prepping. Here’s how; hollow out the zucchini and prepare the filling. Store each separately in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
When it’s time to serve, stuff the zucchini halves with the filling and bake as per recipe instructions.
How to store leftover stuffed zucchini
Store leftover stuffed zucchini in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat it in the oven or in the microwave. Freezing is not recommended, zucchini has a high water content and usually does not freeze well.
Tips
- Shred your own cheese! Shredded cheese can be convenient, but contains unnecessary ingredients.
- Use a melon baller or a small cookie scoop to easily scoop out the zucchini pulp.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe for stuffed zucchini is healthy. It’s made with fresh zucchini, herbs, and tomatoes all full of vitamins, fiber and nutrients. Lean ground beef adds a healthy dose of protein.
Yes, you can use any type of squash that you like to stuff. A few suggestions are yellow summer squash, spaghetti squash or acorn squash.
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Zucchini Stuffed with Ground Beef and RiceIngredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup minced onion 1/2 small onion
- 2 cups diced tomato about 1 large fresh
- 3/4 cup cooked brown rice
- 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 2 medium zucchinis
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to score around the edges leaving about 1/4 inch around the sides. Use a spoon to scoop out the pulp.
- Chop the pulp and set it aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onions and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the beef is almost cooked through.
- Stir in the tomatoes and zucchini pulp. Reduce the heat to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked rice and fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the beef and rice mixture to the zucchini shells and sprinkle with cheese.
- Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for 5 minutes longer.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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This was so good and easy to make! My family loved it!
This was delicious and easy to make. My 5 year old wanted to stuff one of our zucchinis, which were pretty big, and I found this recipe. It was easy enough that she could help make me make it. The only thing I wish I had done differently was scoop out more of the zucchini to add to the mixture, leaving only a thin layer on the shell. I’m pretty sure the instruction even said to scoop more out but I didn’t listen. The best part about this recipe is that you can add lots to it if you want: peppers, beans, mushrooms, etc. This recipe is going into my favourites. 😀
Thank you Lindsey! I am happy to hear that you liked it!