Stuffed round zucchini, or 8-ball zucchini, is a hearty dinner recipe made with beef, tomato sauce, rice, and Italian seasoning. A fun twist on classic stuffed zucchini boats!
Recipe summary
Flavor: Mild, savory beef and rice filling is flavored with Italian herbs and tomato sauce.
What kind of zucchini do I need?: This recipe is made with two 8-ball or round zucchini. This recipe can also be made with three standard zucchini or three bell peppers.
Great for: A fun summer dinner. Add a side salad and some garlic bread for a complete meal.
Similar to: Mexican Stuffed Round Zucchini, Pizza Zucchini Boats
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Oil - Olive oil can be substituted with any cooking oil you have on hand.
- Onion - Adds flavor to the filling. I don't recommend omitting it.
- Garlic - Adds flavor to the filling. If you don't have fresh garlic on hand, it can be substituted with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder (added with the other seasonings).
- Tomato sauce - 8 ounces of tomato sauce and half of the listed Italian seasoning can be substituted with marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce.
- Round zucchini - For this recipe, you'll need two large round zucchini, about 4-6 inches wide, or three to four smaller round zucchini. If you don't have round zucchini on hand, the filling can be stuffed into three medium zucchini or three bell peppers. I've included alternate directions for both in the recipe card below.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning add flavor to the filling.
- Rice - Any cooked rice will work in this recipe. I used cooked white rice.
- Mozzarella cheese - Can be substituted with your favorite melty cheese like cheddar cheese or gruyere cheese.
Preparing round zucchini
- Find a baking dish that will fit your round zucchini.
- This process is much like preparing a Halloween pumpkin. Make diagonal slices around the stem, then pop the stem off. Make sure the opening is wide enough to add filing and eat from later on.
- Use a metal spoon or melon baller to gently scoop the zucchini flesh out. Leave about ¼" around the sides and bottom to ensure your bowls are sturdy enough to hold filling.
- Return zucchini to your baking dish and par-bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
How to make stuffed round zucchini
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic, then add ground beef and cook until browned. Remove from heat and add tomato sauce, seasoning, and cooked rice, stirring to combine.
- Fill hollowed out zucchini with meat mixture.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese has melted on top.
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your round zucchini. In fact, the skin contains many nutrients and fiber you'd otherwise be missing out on. The skin also helps hold the shape of your bowls as they bake and is perfectly edible.
There's no need to toss the leftover flesh you've scooped out. It will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container and can be used in a variety of ways. Here are my favorite recipes that can be made with zucchini flesh: Blueberry Zucchini Smoothie, Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake, Zucchini Pesto, and Vegetable Pasta Sauce
📖 Recipe
Stuffed Round Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 medium round zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a casserole dish that will fit your round zucchini and set aside.
- Cut diagonal slices around the stem of each round zucchini, then pop the stem off. Use a metal spoon or melon baller to scoop the zucchini flesh out and discard (or save for another recipe). Leave about ¼" of flesh attached to the skin around the edges and bottom.
- Place into prepared casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Add diced onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Crumble ground beef into pan and cook until browned. Remove from heat. Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and rice. Stir to combine.
- Spoon prepared filling into your zucchini. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until zucchini can easily be pierced through with a fork.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- To use regular zucchini - Cut the stems off three medium zucchini, then slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scape out some of the flesh from each zucchini half and discard (or save for another recipe). Then, continue as written above.
- To use bell peppers - Slice three bell peppers in half and scoop out seeds and innards. When par-baking in step 3, bake for 20 minutes instead of the listed 10 minutes then continue as written above.
- The listed filling may fill more than two round zucchini - this depends entirely on the size of the zucchini you have on hand. Round zucchini can also be sliced in half to make four classic zucchini boats.
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