Best Zucchini Mediterranean Style Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add chopped onions (leave the sliced onions for later) and garlic and cook minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and fragrant (do not brown).
• Add meat (ground turkey or lean ground beef). Break the meat up to help it brown. Season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium-high and cook meat until fully browned, stirring occasionally. If there is any fat or extra liquid at this point, carefully drain and return saucepan back to heat.
• Now season with allspice, paprika, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
• Add chopped canned tomatoes with juice, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
• Add zucchini, carrots, and sliced onions to the bottom of a casserole dish like this one. Add the meat sauce and spread evenly.
• Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake in 375 degrees F heated-oven for about 40 minutes. Then uncover, and then broil for a brief few minutes, watching carefully.
• Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley. Transfer to dinner bowls, add a drizzle of Private Reserve EVOO. Serve with Lebanese rice or your favorite crusty bread.

ZUCCHINI MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a separate medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes and zucchini, and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir cannellini beans into the tomato and zucchini mixture, and continue cooking about 10 minutes. Serve over the cooked rice.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH MEDITERRANEAN DRESSING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine zucchini and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to a grill wok or open grill basket; place on grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat until zucchini is crisp-tender, 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer zucchini to a serving bowl; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and red onion. When cooled slightly, sprinkle with mint, parsley, lemon juice and zest and feta cheese. Stir gently. Sprinkle with pine nuts before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Use a melon baller to separate and remove seeds and pulp separately from the zucchini, carving out each half and leaving about a half-inch shell. Chop zucchini pulp into pieces about 1/4 inch in diameter. Discard seeds.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground lamb; continue to cook and stir until lamb is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir chopped zucchini into the lamb mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mixture until the zucchini is hot, about 3 minutes. Drain excess grease. Season lamb mixture with coarse salt and black pepper.
• Remove skillet from heat. Stir tomato sauce, tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and 1/4 cup mint leaves through the lamb mixture; spoon into the zucchini halves. Put stuffed zucchini halves into a large baking dish. Pour water into the baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Mix bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mint leaves over the zucchini and top with the bread crumb mixture. Continue baking until the top is crusty and browned, about 10 minutes more.