Zucchini baked with minced meat and cheese in the oven is a delicious dish, very juicy, fragrant and satisfying. The recipe cannot be called simple, but all your efforts will pay off handsomely, do not even hesitate. It is so delicious that you will want to repeat it again and again!
First you need to prepare the filling of meat (minced beef and pork in a ratio of 1: 1), vegetables and tomato paste. Then stuff the zucchini boats with minced meat, cover with a layer of cheese and bake until fully cooked in the oven. Zucchini will be very juicy, completely saturated with meat and vegetable juices, and the cheese crust will stretch deliciously and tease the taste buds with a magical aroma. Try it!
Ingredients:
- Zucchini or zucchini – 2 pcs.
- Minced meat (pork and beef) – 350 g.
- Raw unsalted bacon – 30 g
- Onion (small) – 1 pc.
- Celery – 1/2 stalk.
- Carrots – 1/2 pc.
- Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt and black ground pepper – to taste.
- Tomato paste – 1 tbsp. l.
- Water – 150 ml.
- Mozzarella cheese – 80 g.
- Mixture of Italian herbs – 1 pinch.
How to cook:
1. Start cooking with the filling. Cut the bacon into small cubes and fry in a pan until lightly browned.
2. Add diced onion to it.
3. As soon as it softens, then throw in the diced celery and grated carrots into the pan. Continue sautéing until the vegetables are soft.
4. Send the minced meat to the pan. Turn up the heat and continue to fry until it starts to turn golden.
5. Add tomato paste, salt and pepper. Pour in water and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
6. Cut young zucchini or zucchini lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the pulp, leaving the walls intact to make “boats”. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with vegetable oil.
7. Place the zucchini “boats” on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Send to the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Then fill with meat filling.
9. Close the filling with cheese – cut the mozzarella into thin slices and lay them as close to each other as possible so that there are no gaps.
10. Send the zucchini to the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Sprinkle with Italian herb mixture before serving.
Enjoy your meal!