Creamy Meat-Stuffed Zucchini

Try this stuffed zucchini filled with a creamy ground beef sauce for a nice change. The white sauce with Parmesan cheese has a hint of nutmeg and white pepper for subtle flavor. Zucchinis are precooked, so they need only a short time in the oven.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 358 Calories

Ingredients

• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ onion, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground paprika
• ¾ pound ground beef
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
• 2 large thick zucchinis, ends trimmed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and immerse the zucchini in the boiling water. Set heat to medium, and cook the zucchini until they feel slightly soft when pressed with a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes. Drain the zucchini, and set aside to cool.

Step 3

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, and cook and stir the meat, breaking it up as it cooks, until the beef is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Stir in the paprika, and set the beef mixture aside.

Step 4

Cut the zucchinis in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a 1/2-inch thick shell. Chop the scooped-out zucchini flesh, and mix into the ground beef mixture.

Step 5

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour in the milk, a little at a time, and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking constantly. Whisk in white pepper, nutmeg, and salt, and stir in half the Parmesan cheese to create a smooth sauce. Mix the white sauce thoroughly with the ground beef mixture. Place the zucchini halves into a baking dish. Fill the zucchini shells with the creamy beef mixture, and sprinkle each with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until the Parmesan cheese topping begins to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes.