This recipe for Italian sausage and corn stuffed zucchini is a seasonal family favorite with its delicious flavor and use of garden fresh produce.
Sausage and corn stuffed zucchini is one of those recipes I make only once or twice a year when the zucchini are in season. And then I taste it and wonder why I don't make it more often!
So, I should probably come clean and admit that while I love zucchini in fritters, bread, and even sautéed briefly with corn, tomatoes, and feta, I can't stand it cooked to mushiness.
So that eliminates most zucchini casseroles you can think of - anything that cooks for awhile with lots of other ingredients equals soft, squishy zucchini.
But this recipe deserves a spot on our menu because it removes the part of the vegetable that is my least favorite- the seedy inside -and leaves only the firm outside.
Well, and plus the fact that it's got sausage, corn, and cheese. It really is very delicious!
Sausage & Corned Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
- Four small-to-medium size zucchinis.
I cannot emphasize this enough: if you have a garden, don't let the zucchini get to the baseball-sized stage and then think they are good for anything other than grating (and even then don't grate the center with all the huge seeds).
If you regularly pick zucchini at this stage - roughly the length of your hand - then you should not be swimming in zucchini, and it will be firm enough for kabobs, and grilling, and sautéing without the pithy, seedy center.
That's not to say that there will never be one that "gets away from you" but they will be a lot fewer and then those can be grated - and used for scrumptious White Zucchini Cake, and No Fail Zucchini Bread for instance.
The remaining ingredients you need are:
- Italian Sausage, hot or mild
- Corn
- Tomato
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cream Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese (or other cheese)
Directions
Prep zucchini by trimming the ends and cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Put face down in a shallow pan to steam-cook - do not overcook or they will not be firm for filling. I only cook between 1-2 minutes.
Cool the zucchini for a few minutes and then scoop out the center evenly.
How do you scoop out zucchini?
I've used a melon baller for this in the past (I finally got rid of it when I realized no one in my family likes melons...), and now use a small cookie scoop.
What do you do with the insides?
I throw them in the compost happily - I think I mentioned this is not my favorite part of the vegetable? If you have a place for mushy zucchini centers in your recipes, by all means save it to use for that.
While the zucchini steams, cook the sausage, add the onion and and garlic and cook another few minutes before mixing in the cream cheese and corn.
Remove the pan from heat and gently stir in a chopped tomato and some Parmesan cheese.
Place the zucchini in an oiled baking pan, fill each scooped half with the sausage mixture.
If there is any leftover filling, place it around the zucchini. Grate a bit more cheese over the top, bake and serve.
It really is a one dish dinner since it contains protein and lots of vegetables. But I do often serve it with a salad and usually with a loaf of bread, like easy artisan or sourdough artisan.
And you can literally take this recipe and use other ingredients to make different flavored stuffed zucchini. How about a chili-powdered flavor with ground turkey, beans, and corn with jack cheese? Curry flavor with chicken, peppers, and onions with feta? You get the idea!
Can you freeze stuffed zucchini?
Yes! Complete the recipe through to the stuffing, place on a baking sheet, but instead of baking, place it in the freezer to freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
Remove the zucchini boats and place in a gallon freezer bag (about 4 fit in each), remove air, label, and freeze for 3-4 months.
To use, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Sausage and Corn Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium zucchini ends trimmed
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/3 cup cream cheese 3 ounces
- 1 ½ cups corn kernels
- 1 large paste tomato* chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan divided
Instructions
- Prep zucchini by cutting off stem end and lightly trimming off blossom end. Cut each zucchini in half.
- Fill a large, shallow pan 1/4 full with water and a bit of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and place face down in the water (as much as possible). Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 1 to 3 minutes only, just until crisp-tender. Remove from pan to a cutting board and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, cook sausage over medium heat in a large skillet until browned. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is opaque, Mix in cream cheese and corn, stirring until cheese is melted.
- Remove pan from heat and gently stir in the diced tomato and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
- Scoop out the center of each zucchini half and fill with the sausage mixture. Place the filled zucchini in a greased baking pan.**
- Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the filled zucchini. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and filling is warmed through. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Complete the recipe through to the stuffing, place on a baking sheet, but instead of baking, place it in the freezer to freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
- Remove the zucchini boats and place in a gallon freezer bag (about 4 fit in each), remove air, label, and freeze for 3-4 months.
- To use, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Nutrition
More Zucchini Recipes to Try:
This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in September of 2010.
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