Stuffed zucchini, Middle Eastern style! In this recipe, the humble zucchini act as vessels for a special stuffing of spiced rice and ground beef with tomatoes and fresh herbs. See my step-by-step tutorial for foolproof, and absolutely delicious results!
When nostalgia takes me back to certain foods and flavors, sometimes all I have to help me is my memory to try and recreate foods I love.
But today is one of those very infrequent and fortune times when my mom happens to be right here in my kitchen! And with her help, I was able to recreate the stuffed zucchini of my childhood.
You already know how much I adore zucchini– sauteed in a skillet; in the form of a boat topped with tomato and feta; rolled around feta and grilled; roasted and served with garlicky yogurt or these light Baked Zucchini Sticks. Whatever way zucchini is served, I love it!
But today’s stuffed zucchini is kind of a big deal recipe; it’s the stuff for special dinners and Middle Eastern banquets.
First, the zucchini are hollowed out using a vegetable corer like this one. Then they are filled with a hearty, spiced filling of rice and ground beef or lamb. Finally, the stuffed zucchini are cooked in red sauce until the filling is cooked through the zucchini is perfectly tender.
It may seem labor intensive, but these stuffed zucchini are easier to prepare than you think. And the result is worth every effort!
Here is the step-by-step tutorial for Middle Eastern Stuffed Zucchini
(scroll down for the print-friendly recipe)
In a large bowl, combine the stuffing ingredients of rice, ground beef, fresh parsley, dill, diced tomatoes, water, olive oil and spices. Mix by hand to combine.
Now, remove the tops of 3 tomatoes and remove the core to hollow out the tomatoes making room for the stuffing. Do this using a corer like this one; a melon baller or even a spoon may work here.
With a knife, remove the very top of the zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half to make shorter zucchini for stuffing. Now you need to hollow out the zucchini to make room for the stuffing. Insert your corer about 3/4 of the way into the zucchini, making sure not to poke the bottoms. Twist the corer and pull out the zucchini cores or hearts. Do this a few times, and gently scrape the sides of the zucchini until you have hollowed each out making room for the stuffing. You’ll want to leave about 1/4 inch rim of zucchini.
Lightly oil the bottom of a large deep cooking pan like this one. Slice the remaining tomato and spread over the bottom of the pan. Now add the onion slices and the cores (or hearts) of the zucchini. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Now, using your hands, gently stuff the hollowed tomatoes with the rice stuffing. Then loosely stuff the zucchini with the rice stuffing about 3/4 of the way (do not over-stuff or crowd the rice stuffing in the zucchini or it will not fully cook. Remember, rice needs room to expand as it cooks).
Arrange the stuffed tomatoes somewhat in the center of the cooking pan, then add the zucchini (stuffed side up) around them. Tilt the zucchini a little, this helps them cook nicely through using less liquid (it also allows the lid to close nicely on the pan). Now add the tomato sauce and water. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Place the pan on the stove and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid starts boiling. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for for 50 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the rice stuffing is fully cooked.Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with the sauce from the cooking pan. Enjoy!
You may also like: Greek stuffed peppers or stuffed tomatoes.
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Middle Eastern Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-8 1x
Description
Middle Eastern stuffed zucchini recipe with a spiced rice and meat filling, cooked in red sauce. A must-try!
Ingredients
For stuffing
- 1/2 cup long-grain rice, rinsed well
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, shredded
- 1/3 packed cup chopped parsley
- 1/3 packed cup chopped dill
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomato with juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
- Scant 1 tsp allspice
- Scant 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
For Zucchini
- 4 large and very firm tomatoes, divided (3 to be cored and stuffed, and 1 to be sliced)
- 1 small onion, sliced into rounds
- 2 1/2 lb Medium-sized zucchini or Middle Eastern zucchini (about 8 or so zucchini), lightly peeled
- 1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the stuffing ingredients of rice, ground beef, shredded onion, fresh parsley, dill, diced tomatoes, water, olive oil, allspice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Mix by hand to combine.
- Now, remove the top of 3 tomatoes and remove the core to hollow out the tomatoes making room for the stuffing. Do this using a corer like this one.
- With a knife, remove the very top of the zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half to make shorter zucchini for stuffing. Now you need to hollow out the zucchini to make room for the stuffing.
- Insert your corer about 3/4 of the way into the zucchini, making sure not to poke the bottoms. Twist the corer and pull out the zucchini cores or hearts. Do this a few times, and gently scrape the sides of the zucchini until you have hollowed each out making room for the stuffing. You’ll want to leave about 1/4 inch rim of zucchini.
- Lightly oil the bottom of a large deep cooking pan like this one. Slice the remaining tomato and spread over the bottom of the pan. Now add the onion slices and the cores or hearts of the zucchini. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Now, using your hands, gently stuff the hollowed tomatoes with the rice stuffing. Then loosely stuff the zucchini with the rice stuffing about 3/4 of the way (do not over-stuff or crowd the rice stuffing in the zucchini or it will not cook well).
- Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in the center of the cooking pan, then add the stuffed zucchini (stuffed side up) around them. Tilt the zucchini a little, this helps them cook nicely through using less liquid.
- Now add the tomato sauce and water. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place the pan on the stove and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid starts boiling. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for for 50 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the rice stuffing is fully cooked.
- Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with the sauce from the cooking pan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
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I am a graduate of the California Culinary Institute, so I do know how to follow a recipe. I made this for my family’s Sunday dinner and it was an epic failure. I even cooked 30 minutes longer than the recipe called for and the zucchini was still under cooked. The filling lacked any flavor with a remote taste of dill, and why was the allspice in the filling it added nothing to the bland taste. The stuffing was so watery, REALLY adding a can of chopped tomatoes with their juice and additional water to ½# of ground beef? It was sludge! The tomatoes and onions and zucchini trimmings at the bottom of the dish we uncooked and never became a part or that sauce which resembled very thin and watery tomato soup. None in the family liked it, fortunately I planned side dishes that filled them up. We threw out the leftovers and chalked it up to a bad recipe that will never be repeated in out home. No Idea who gave you the 5 stars, but they sure must have low standards. We never will rely on any recipes from your website again. You have one chance to make a good impression you sure blew this one.
I am going to try this for supper tonight! Has anyone made it with ground lamb instead of beef? My husband grew up in the Middle East and has a love of lamb and I try to add it when possible.
My boyfriend is Middle Eastern and I decided to prepare this dish for him. Wow it came out great! I did use kafta seasoning in place of the listed seasoning.
I love these! What are your suggestions to build a meal around this as the main dish? Thank you!
Hi, April! We love to pair this with a simple salad like this Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad or a bright Arugula Salad.
I assume you mean a half cup cooked rice? Why is there water in the hamburger mixture. It led me to think it might be uncooked rice…
Hi, Martha. The rice should be uncooked. It cooks along with the rest of the stuffing ingredients.
Hi Suzy,Love your recipes! Making the Kousa Mahshi at the moment and I have stuffing left. Could I freeze it to use another time? Thanks!
Sure! That should be just fine.
For anyone who doesn’t have an apple corer – I used a steak knife to cut a little hole into the top of the zucchini, then the butt end of a butter knife I found that has a bit of a pointed handle! It works really well also if you are working with the smaller type of zucchini that this is traditionally made with! Hope it can help someone 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Alexa!
Hi, love this recipe as is, but I just got a Pressure cooker and I would like to try to make this recipe in it. How can I
copy this in a Pressure cooker? Your Middle Eastern Recipes are really Delicious. Thank you in advance!
Roz Mermelstein
Hi, Roz. Thank you for your kind words! I think this could easily be made in an instant pot…I personally have not tried it, though, so can’t tell you from experience. If you do give it a try that way, we’d love to hear your feedback!
You seem to have 1 can of tomato and water twice in the recipe. Once as diced tomatoes and another time as tomato sauce. This may be the reason this one lady had too much sauce. Which one is correct? Can you also use tomato paste and water?
Hi, Randa! Both are correct. The diced tomatoes/water are used in the stuffing, while the tomato sauce/water is used in the sauce (outside of the zucchini). I recommend sticking with tomato sauce/water vs. tomato paste. Hope that helps!