sausage stuffed zucchini and pasta dinner
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I got the basic recipe from a co-worker and have been making it for nearly 35 years now (though I usually serve it over cooked spaghetti so it's a more complete meal). It's great with fresh garlic bread or rosemary bread sticks. I've made it using hot Italian sausage too, which is really good (especially if you like a spicy "kick"). But I usually get the pre-ground Sweet Italian sausage in styro-foam packages that you find in the butcher section of most grocery stores. It's a lot more convenient (and less messy) than getting links and then having to remove the sausage from their casings.
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yield
4 serving(s)
prep time
15 Min
cook time
35 Min
method
Bake
Ingredients For sausage stuffed zucchini and pasta dinner
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4 smzucchini
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2 tspolive oil
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1 smonion, chopped
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1 smgreen bell pepper, chopped
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1-pound pkgground sweet italian sausage
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2 tspfresh basil, chopped finely
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1/4 tspsalt
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1 1/4 cupsmarinara sauce
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1 cupshredded mozzarella cheese
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8 ozpackage spaghetti
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1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
How To Make sausage stuffed zucchini and pasta dinner
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1Preheat oven to 450°F.
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2Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise (to produce 8 zucchini "boats" or shells). Using a spoon, scrape out the zucchini flesh, leaving a 1/4 inch margin of flesh on all sides. Chop the removed zucchini; set aside.
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3Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped zucchini, onion, bell pepper, sausage, basil and salt, and cook 8 minutes (or until sausage is thoroughly cooked). Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture frequently to help break up the sausage while it cooks.
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4Pour marinara sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange zucchini halves (cut side up) over marinara sauce. Spoon the sausage mixture into the zucchini shells. Top each with mozzarella cheese.
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5Cover baking dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake (uncovered) for 5 minutes more.
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6While zucchini is baking, cook spaghetti according to package directions, and drain well.
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7To serve, divide cooked spaghetti among 4 individual plates (it should be about 1 cup cooked spaghetti for each serving). Spoon some of the hot marinara sauce over spaghetti, then top each mound of spaghetti with 2 zucchini halves. Garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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