SLOW COOKER STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Slow Cooker Stuffed Zucchini image

After searching the internet for for a stuffed zucchini recipe made in a slow cooker, I wasn't too successful, so I decided to try my hand at it. My husband and I loved this recipe and I hope you do too! I served it with herbed pasta and apple sauce. Enjoy!

Provided by mpenn

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 6h55m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 large zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
4 ripe tomatoes, cored
¼ cup olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
4 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Steps:

Scoop out flesh from the zucchini halves, leaving shells about 1/8 inch thick. (Zucchini flesh may be saved for another use.)
Place tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, basil leaves, Italian herb seasoning, and sugar into a food processor and pulse until blended, about 1 minute. Set mixture aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sausage to skillet and cook, stirring often, until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato mixture and heat until simmering; stir in Parmesan cheese.
Place hollowed-out zucchini shells into the bottom of a large slow cooker, trimming them to fit if necessary. Spoon the sausage mixture into the shells, cover the cooker, and cook on High until tender, about 6 hours. Remove cover and spread a layer of mozzarella cheese over each stuffed zucchini. Cover and cook on High until cheese has melted, about 10 more minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 653.5 calories, Carbohydrate 22.5 g, Cholesterol 67.1 mg, Fat 51.6 g, Fiber 4.8 g, Protein 27.7 g, SaturatedFat 14.6 g, Sodium 1658.4 mg, Sugar 11.2 g