We’re still in the throes of high zucchini season, and while the rabbits destroyed our own plants this year, the farmer’s market has been rife with mammoth-sized specimens. This dish is a great option for people who love Italian flavors but either they’re trying to go low-carb or just need to use up the zucchini overtaking their gardens in late summer.

This works best with really large zucchini, not the smallish ones for sale in the average supermarket produce section. Depending on the size, you might need to adjust the amounts of the other ingredients. For example, I used a zucchini about 14-15 inches long (sorry I didn’t think to measure it) and I had enough filling leftover that I could have baked a second zucchini of equal size. For this size, one zucchini serves about 4.

1-2 large (12-16-inch) zucchini
1 lb. ground turkey or lean beef
1 small onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
black pepper to taste
~1/3 c. tomato paste
~1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a baking pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil.

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seedy middle with a spoon. Set in the baking pan.

Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add the other 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Sautee the onion and tomatoes for a few minutes, then add the ground meat and garlic. Continue to cook until the meat browns, adding the seasonings.

Reduce to medium-low heat and add the tomato sauce. Cook for a couple more minutes until you are satisfied with the consistency of the meat sauce. Taste and adjust any seasonings to taste.

Carefully spoon the sauce into the hollows of the zucchini halves. Top with the mozzarella.

Bake for ~30 minutes, or until the cheese has browned on top. Let cool for a minute or two before slicing into portions and serving, unless you really don’t care to keep the skin on the roof of your mouth.