Zucchini Boats

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Salt, to taste

  • Black pepper, to taste

  • Dried oregano, to taste

  • 1 pound Italian sausage

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes

  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, optional


Steps

  1. Carefully cut 4 medium sized zucchini in half lengthwise, splitting the 2 halves apart

  2. Use a spoon to scrape and scoop out the zucchini insides and place to the side

    1. You will want a hollow boat that is at least a quarter of an inch thick on the bottom and all sides

  3. Roughly chop the leftover zucchini flesh into small pieces

  4. Lightly pour some olive oil into half of the zucchini boats

  5. Use a brush to spread the oil all over and coat the remaining boats

  6. Season the zucchini with some salt, black pepper, and dried oregano to taste and set the zucchini aside until the filling is ready

  7. Score and carefully peel the casing away from 1 pound of Italian sausage and put the meat in a saute pan

  8. Put the pan on medium heat over the stove and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces stirring as the sausage cooks so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan

  9. When the sausage is almost fully cooked and the fat has rendered, add in the diced onion and stir to combine

  10. Season the sausage and onion with some crushed red pepper flakes to taste

  11. Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan and stir to combine

  12. Add all the chopped zucchini flesh into the pan and stir to combine with the sausage and onion as the zucchini cooks

  13. Pour in a 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes and stir with the meat and vegetables until incorporated and the juices have thickened

  14. Spoon and spread the prepared sausage filling into the seasoned hallowed zucchini boats, filling each zucchini until just to the top

  15. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese onto each zucchini boat

  16. Spoon some breadcrumbs on to each filled zucchini boat (optional)

  17. Bake the stuffed zucchini boats in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes

  18. Remove the zucchini boats from the oven when the cheese has melted and the zucchini are tender


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