Turkey Stuffed Zucchini with Marinara Sauce
Serves 4 to 6
I absolutely love the flavor of ground turkey and use it in many recipes as a substitute for ground beef. Besides being delicious, it is usually lighter and healthier, depending on the grind. I prefer to use 93% lean ground turkey. It includes dark meat, which has more flavor than breast meat, and just enough fat to help prevent it from drying out. Despite the number of ingredients, this is an easy, healthy and delicious main dish. The stuffing can be used for peppers, eggplant or other types of squash.
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 small onion, grated (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons canned plain tomato sauce, preferably no-salt-added
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 4 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese
- 1 cup finely chopped reserved zucchini centers
- 1/4 cup dried unseasoned breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
- 1 pound ground turkey, preferably 93% lean
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce (see notes below)
- Olive oil for drizzling
Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the ends from the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Using a sharp-edged spoon, gently scoop some of the flesh from the center of the zucchini, end to end, to form a boat, leaving about 1/4 of the flesh with the skins. Chop enough of the scooped out flesh to equal 1 cup and reserve.
To prepare the stuffing, whisk together the onion, garlic, egg, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, parsley and basil in a large bowl. Sir in 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, all of the Romano cheese, chopped zucchini and breadcrumbs. Add the turkey and combine well. (If you want to check the seasoning, take a little piece of the mixture, form into a small patty, and cook in a small skillet or in the microwave until cooked through. Adjust seasonings as desired.)
Lightly coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with olive oil or olive oil spray. Fill each zucchini half with the turkey mixture, mounding as needed and pressing down lightly to ensure it does not fall out. Place in the baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce all over. Drizzle all over with a little more olive oil. Bake until the turkey is thoroughly cooked, 50 to 60 minutes. If uncertain, an instant read thermometer inserted into the stuffing should read 165° F. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and bake 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, before serving. All you need to make this a meal is some crusty bread.
Notes: See the similar and related recipes for my Homemade Marinara Sauce. If you do not have marinara sauce on hand and want a quick fix, just use one 14.5-ounce can whole tomatoes, crush the tomatoes with your fingers, add some plain tomato sauce to the juices to thicken slightly, and season lightly with salt, pepper and basil. Mix it all together and you have an uncooked marinara sauce. It will yield about two cups and work perfectly in a recipe like this.
No matter where I take my guests, it seems they like my kitchen best.
Pennsylvania Dutch Saying
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