Stuffed Zucchini Balls
Brooke McArthur
Zucchini balls are just like the more familiar elongated zucchini, except they grow into more of a spherical ball shape without a hollow cavity in the middle. The sides are firm enough to hollow out the inside, and go soft and tender once stuffed and baked. The great thing about zucchini is that it doesn't have a lot of flavour in its own right, so absorbs the spices and flavours of whatever it's stuffed with.
Stuffed zucchini is a great way to use up an entire harvest in a more diverse way. Since long and ball zucchini are both really perishable, having a wider range of ways to prepare and eat zucchini is essential. This recipe is well-suited to ball zucchini that may only have a few more days before its destined for the composter.
Ingredients:
-Zucchini Balls
-Parmesan (or similar cheese, for grating over top)
Stuffing:
-Butter, 1/3 cup
-Salt (to taste)
-Pepper (to taste)
-Rosemary, dried (to taste)
-Basil, dried (to taste)
-Oregano, dried (to taste)
-Chili flakes, dried (to taste)
-Onions, diced (1 large or 2 small)
-Garlic, minced (1-4 cloves, depending on taste)
-Green Onion, chopped (or garlic scapes)
-Ground beef, 454g (1 lb) - or as much as you'd like (can substitute ground chicken, turkey, bison, elk, etc)
-Spinach, fresh or frozen (whole leaf or chopped)
-Corn kernels, fresh or frozen (1-2 cups)
-Oil, 2 tbsps
-Pasta Sauce (1 jar or more to desired thickness)
Method:
Stuffing:
1. Add oil to pan and turn to low-medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and green onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. When onions start to turn translucent, add butter and ground beef. Stir occasionally.
4. When ground is almost browned off, add rosemary, oregano, basil, and chili flakes. Stir occasionally, until beef is browned off.
5. Add pasta sauce, corn, and spinach to pan (or transfer everything to a bigger pot). Turn to low and simmer until spinach is desired texture and corn is cooked through.
Assembly:
1. Cut off the top of the washed ball zucchini and hollow out the middle until seed flesh is removed. Walls will be thick, but they can be hollowed a little thinner if desired. Place zucchini on parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Add stuffing to the cavity. Make sure bottom of the zucchini top is flat, and place over the stuffing.
3. Place zucchini in the oven at 400 degrees F, for about 20-30 mins, or until walls of the zucchini ball are the desired texture. I prefer it somewhere between crunchy and soft, but leave in longer if you prefer softer walls.
4. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes. Serve either as a centrepiece, individual servings, or cut into sections. Top with grated parmesan and enjoy.
