Stuffed Zucchini
Cut into thick rings, zucchini holds its shape far better than hollowed-out boats and cooks evenly all the way round. The raw rice in the filling drinks up the sauce and stays juicy, while the sauce itself reduces to exactly the consistency that calls for bread.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 390 kcal
Ingredients
Zucchini and filling
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What to use instead
With minced chicken add another spoon of sour cream and a knob of butter; chicken is leaner than pork and needs the fat.
Sauce
Makes: 8 rings, 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Cut the zucchini into rings
Trim the ends and cut the zucchini into 4 cm rings. Scoop out the centre with a spoon, leaving about a centimetre of base, so each ring becomes a cup that will not collapse.
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Step 2: Mix the filling
Combine the mince, rinsed raw rice, onion, garlic, egg, half the dill, salt and pepper. Work it with your hand for a minute until it is even and slightly sticky.
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Step 3: Brown the cups
Heat the oil in a wide pan and fry the rings cut side down for 3 minutes. The caramelised edge adds flavour and firms the zucchini so it keeps its shape.
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Step 4: Fill and pack them in
Turn the rings over, mound the filling into each and set them tightly against one another so they hold each other upright.
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Step 5: Cook out the tomato paste
Push the rings aside, add a little oil and fry the tomato paste with the paprika right in the pan for a minute. Raw paste tastes sharply acidic; cooked, it turns deep and sweet.
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Step 6: Build the sauce
Add the sour cream, water and bay leaves, stir and bring to a simmer. The liquid should come halfway up the rings.
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Step 7: Braise covered
Turn the heat low and braise for 35 minutes. The raw rice drinks the sauce and finishes at the same moment as the meat, which is why it is not pre-cooked.
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Step 8: Rest before serving
Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes so the filling sets. Scatter over the rest of the dill and serve from the pan.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Sour cream splits if it hits a hard boil. Add it once the pan has come off high heat and keep the sauce at a lazy simmer.
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Variation
Swap the rice for 3 tbsp of bulgur, or for the grated zucchini flesh you scooped out — a lighter filling that cooks faster.
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Swap
With minced chicken add another spoon of sour cream and a knob of butter; chicken is leaner than pork and needs the fat.
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Storage
Three days in the fridge, and better on day two: the rice takes up more sauce and the garlic and paprika spread through the filling.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 390 kcal | 1,560 kcal |
| Protein | 23 g | 92 g |
| Fat | 22 g | 88 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g | 96 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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