Best Zucchini Italian Style Recipes

ITALIAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Drizzle olive oil on zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini is fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• While zucchini is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef with onion and garlic until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic salt.
• Combine tomato paste with 1 cup of water in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Drain fat from beef mixture if needed. Add tomato paste mixture and heat through. Turn off heat, add fresh basil leaves, and mix until well blended.
• Remove zucchini from the oven; leave the oven on. Scoop meat mixture generously into each zucchini quarter and sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

ITALIAN STYLE BAKED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small skillet render the bacon. When almost crisp, add the olive oil and heat up. When the olive oil is hot, add the shallots and cook for a few minutes or until tender. Add the oregano and prosciutto and simmer for a minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cut the baby zucchini in half. If you are using small zucchini, then cut them in half horizontally, then each half in quarters lengthwise. Set them in a lightly oiled gratin dish, skin side down. Sprinkle with the bacon mixture and scatter parsley on top. Cover and bake or 20 minutes.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED ZUCCHINI SQUASH (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• To toast pine nuts, place them in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden or about 5 minutes.
• Place the zucchini halves in the bottom of an oval shaped slow cooker.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato sauce and vinegar.
• In another small bowl, combine the onions, garlic, rice, parsley, basil, pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Fill the zucchini halves with the rice mixture.
• Top with the remaining tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Cover and cook on LOW until the rice is tender, 4 to 6 hours.
• Garnish with the pine nuts, fresh herbs, and cheese.
• Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.

EASY ITALIAN-STYLE PORK CHOPS AND ZUCCHINI DINNER

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the pork chops and sprinkle both sides with the rosemary (or oregano) and salt, cook the chops, turning occasionally, until well browned on both sides, about 6-7 minutes.
• Add the onion, garlic, and zucchini slices, and continue cooking until the onions are soft about 5-6 minutes longer.
• Add the pasta sauce, stirring until it is well combined with the chops and vegetables, adjust the heat so that the sauce simmers gently and cook 6-8 minutes longer, or until the zucchini slices are crisp tender and the chops are just cooked through, tested in the thickest part with the point of a paring knife.
• Serve the chops and zucchini sauce mixture over the pasta.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS OR ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Brown ground meat with onion and garlic. Add rice, water, and sauce. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is done.
• Meanwhile, shred cheese. Wash and split peppers or zucchini. Split the peppers into thirds or quarters, depending on size. Or split zucchini in half. Remove seeds from peppers or scoop out the seeded center of zucchini, leaving about 1/2 inch all around. Arrange peppers or zucchini in a 9"x13" or 10"x15" pan, hollow side up.
• When the meat-rice mixture is cooked, turn off heat. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Stuff the peppers or zucchini. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce. Bake uncovered at 350F for 30 minutes for peppers, or 45 minutes for zucchini, until heated through and sauce is bubbly.

ITALIAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 8x12-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown and onions begin to soften, approximately 10 minutes. Drain grease. Add minced garlic, canned tomatoes, Diamond Crystal® Fine Sea Salt, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Drain or blot moisture from the zucchini noodles; place evenly over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with 1/3 of the sauce, half the cottage cheese, all the baby spinach, and 1/3 of the mozzarella.
• Make another layer of 1/3 of the sauce, the rest of the cottage cheese, 1/3 of the mozzarella.
• Top with the rest of the sauce, the rest of the mozzarella, and the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake until the cheese is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

HEALTHY ITALIAN STYLE ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO STIR FRY

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in pan with zuccini on medium high until they begin to brown.
• Move zuccini one side of the pan, add more oil, and cook garlic for about 3-5 minutes or until they begin to brown.
• Add all remaining ingredients (except optional walnuts and brown rice!) and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
• Take off the stove and stir in the walnuts if using them.
• Serve and enjoy by itself or over cooked brown rice.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• In large skillet, brown sausage.
• Drain well.
• In same skillet, saute onion & garlic 5 minutes in oil.
• Cut zucchini in half - remove seeds from center, reserving meaty party and cutting into cube approximate 1/2" in size, leaving boat shell for stuffing.
• In large bowl mix together sausage, bread crumbs, seasonings, egg, onion, garlic and tomatoes and cubed zucchini.
• Mix to just combine.
• Stuff into zucchini boats and place in 9x13 baking dish.
• Pour entire can of tomato sauce over stuffed boats.
• Bake un-covered in 375º oven approximately 45 minutes.
• Place cheese (tear to fit boats or use shredded) & place on top of tomato sauce.
• Return to oven for approximately 10 minutes - cheese should bubble.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (KID-FRIENDLY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and hollow out the center using a spoon to create a "boat". Lay each half, face-up, on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until hot and slightly tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir tomatoes, crackers, corn, olives, mushrooms, salsa, garlic, Italian seasoning, and oregano together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook and stir tomato mixture in a skillet over medium heat until all liquid evaporates, 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon tomato mixture into zucchini "boats". Top each "boat" with Gouda cheese.
• Bake stuffed zucchini "boats" in the oven until tender and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

ZUCCHINI ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Saute onions in oleo margarine; add zucchini and coninue cooking approximately 5 minutes. Stir frequently so that zucchini cooks evenly Dice tomatoes into 1/2" pieces and add with juice to squash the mixture. Season with salt and pepper Place in a well greased baking pan and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until tender and slightly brown, approximately 20 minutes.