I’m a fan of stuffed zucchini in many forms, but usually when faced with a blank slate I go straight for Italian seasonings and lots of cheese.
This year, maybe it was the bright yellow of our garden zucchini that had me thinking of stuffed zucchini in a different vein. I could imagine the earthy taste I wanted and just had to make it so.
And make it so I did. I love this recipe first and foremost because it’s delicious, but also because it is easily gluten-free, soy-free and uses nuts. I feel like we don’t use nuts enough in main dishes and sometimes I get sick of beans and tofu and other vegetarian protein sources.
I am not a real fan of mushrooms but this recipe needs them. I used the mild cremini, but if you’re a mushroom aficionado, feel free to go wild! (That’s a foraging pun, btw). I could see these being good with chopped Portobello mushrooms as well, if you’re into that sort of flavour.
For a complete meal, I like to serve these zucchini boats with wild rice.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, depending on pan (I use cast iron, which necessitates more oil)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 6 cremini mushrooms, minced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts (toast lightly on dry heat first)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- Handful of fresh oregano stems, chopped
- ~1/2 Tbsp. tamari soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
- Splash of balsamic vinegar, if needed
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Celsius.
- Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scrape out the fleshy/seedy part with a spoon and chop it. If there are large seeds, discard them.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes, until translucent.
- Add garlic and stir.
- Add chopped mushrooms and zucchini flesh. Stir and cook.
- Add a few splashes of soy sauce and stir to prevent sticking. Add oregano.
- Add toasted pine nuts and chopped walnuts.
- Cook and stir until all veggies are soft. Taste, and add a splash of balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice) if needed.
- Place hollowed out zucchini halves on an oiled cookie sheet. Fill with mushroom mixture and top with feta cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, zucchini is soft and cheese is slightly golden brown.
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