30 Minute Meal- Stuffed Zucchini Recipe with 3 Variations

This post and the photos within it may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

Yesterday I planted two little baby zucchini plants in our garden and immediately started dreaming about our summer zucchini harvest. We often rotate what we plant in the summer, opting to try our hand at growing different types of fruits and vegetables, but zucchini, tomatoes and basil make the cut every single summer. Zucchini is one of those plants that seems to do pretty well whether planted in the ground or in a pot, and the harvest from two plants is huge! A former co-worker once told me that when she and her husband first got married, they had a little veggie garden in their back yard. They loved zucchini so they planted 10 plants in their plot. She said that by the end of the summer they  no longer loved zucchini. Zucchini plants are heavy producers, and there definitely can be too much of a good thing! If you grow zucchinis I suggest starting with 2 plants and be prepared to give some away if they get really big. 

Want to get your kids drinking green juice? You'll want to read this post! Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert, Crystal Allen from Hello Creative Family, shares tips for getting kids to drink green juice along with a kid friendly strawberry zucchini green juice recipe!

A few of my favorite things about zucchini:

-They are readily available at the grocery store all year long.

-They have a very mild taste and picks up whatever flavors you add to it making it a really nice base for a variety of recipes.

-They have a high water content which makes them cook up quickly, making them an ideal ingredient for weeknight dinners. 

Speaking of cooking up quickly– Today’s recipe can be prepared start to finish in 30 minutes, making this recipe a #WeekdayWin. Every family has different tastes, and since zucchini and rice are such versatile ingredients, I’m going to give you a few different flavor variations that you can play with so that this recipe is just as much a winner in your house as it is in mine! Play with the ingredients and come up with a variation that is perfect for you and your family!

I use Jasmine Minute Rice® for this recipe. You could use any minute rice of your choice (white, brown, basmati, jasmine, etc). Being the health conscious mama that I am, I originally wondered what it was about Minute Rice® that made it cook up so quickly. I wasn’t willing to put convenience before the health of my family and wondered if it had extra additives that made it cook faster. After some research I discovered that, the only difference between Minute Rice® and other rice is that the rice has been pre-cooked and then dried to make cooking faster! If you look at the ingredient list, there is one ingredient- rice. There are no additives or preservatives which makes this mama very happy! 

Having rice that cooks up so quickly makes getting dinner on the table a breeze, which is something I know all busy parents can appreciate. 

Read on for our Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe with 3 Variations.

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

30 Minute Meal- Stuffed Zucchini Recipe with 3 Variations

 

Variation 1- Meatless Monday Stuffed Zucchini Recipe 

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

Ingredients:

-3 medium sized zucchinis
-1 pouch of Minute Rice® Jasmine Rice (each box comes with 4 pouches)
-1 tablespoon olive oil 
-1 bell pepper, diced
-1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
-1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
-1/2 cup feta, crumbled
-Juice and zest from 1 lemon
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-2 teaspoons dried basil
-salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Make rice as per directions on box.

3. Wash zucchini, trim off ends, and cut in half lengthwise.

4. Scoop out zucchini center (saving to add into filling) so that zucchini is turned into “boats” that can be stuffed. Roughly chop the zucchini centers that you scooped out and put into a large bowl. 

5. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté bell pepper and onion until soft (approximately 3-5 minutes), add grape tomatoes for last minute of cooking. 

6. Transfer cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, feta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and spices to the large bowl with the roughly chopped zucchini centers. Fold together until all ingredients are incorporated. 

7. Spoon into zucchini boats and bake for 15-20 minutes (until zucchini is warmed through). 

8. Serve and enjoy!

 

Variation 2- Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

Ingredients:

-3 medium sized zucchinis
-1 pouch of Minute Rice® Jasmine Rice (each box comes with 4 pouches)  
-1 cup of mozzarella cheese + 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top
-1 cup of marinara sauce
-Your favorite pizza toppings. Ideas: Pepperoni, peppers, olives, mushrooms, etc. 
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. 

2. Make rice as per directions on box.

3. Wash zucchini, trim off ends, and cut in half lengthwise.

4. Scoop out zucchini center (saving to add into filling) so that zucchini is turned into “boats” that can be stuffed. Roughly chop the zucchini centers that you scooped out and put into a large bowl. 

5. Chop up pizza ingredients. 

6. Transfer cooked rice, marinara, pizza toppings, 1 cup of mozzerella cheese and spices to the large bowl with the roughly chopped zucchini centers. Fold together until all ingredients are incorporated. 

7. Spoon into zucchini boats, top with remaining 1/4 cup of mozzerella and bake for 15-20 minutes (until zucchini is warmed through). 

8. Serve and enjoy!

 

Variation 3- Taco Tuesday Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

Ingredients:

-2 medium sized zucchinis
-1 pouch of Minute Rice® Jasmine Rice (each box comes with 4 pouches)
-1 cup of cooked ground beef 
-1 cup of your favorite salsa (We suggest our homemade pico de gallo)
-1 cup of chickpeas or black beans
-1 cup of cheddar cheese + 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top
-1 tablespoon of taco seasoning (Learn how to make our taco seasoning here)
-Optional add ins: black olives, corn, sour cream, guacamole, salsa verde, shredded lettuce, tortilla chips (last 5 to sprinkle on top after cooking)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. 

2. Make rice as per directions on box.

3. Wash zucchini, trim off ends, and cut in half lengthwise.

4. Scoop out zucchini center (saving to add into filling) so that zucchini is turned into “boats” that can be stuffed. Roughly chop the zucchini centers that you scooped out and put into a large bowl. 

5. Transfer cooked rice, salsa, ground beef, beans (and any other taco ingredients you want baked) 1 cup of cheddar cheese and taco seasoning to the large bowl with the roughly chopped zucchini centers. Fold together until all ingredients are incorporated. 

6. Spoon into zucchini boats, top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar and bake for 15-20 minutes (until zucchini is warmed through). 

7. Top with your favorite taco toppings, serve and enjoy!

Dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! That’s what I call a #WeekdayWin! Want some more recipe ideas that are cooked up in minutes? Visit ThirdOfTheWay.ca!

Pin me for later:

Looking for a 30 minute meal dinner idea? Whether you are craving pizza, tacos or meatless monday this easy stuffed zucchini recipe has 3 variations to keep your whole family satisfied.

Tell me… What are your favorite weekday meal recipes?

Disclosure: Thank you to Minute Rice® for working with us on this post. As with every post on Hello Creative Family, all thoughts and opinions are 100% our own!

Like this post? Check out our One Pot Greek Lemon Chicken With Rice Recipe and our Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Recipe

This one pot, 30 minute meal is sure to be a hit for the whole family! Made with deboned chicken thighs, this Greek lemon chicken with rice recipe is a favorite with adults and kids alike! It cooks up in about 20 minutes giving you extra time to put together a delicious side dish. Uses all simple recipes you probably have at home!

One Pot Greek Lemon Chicken With Rice Recipe

Chocolate-Chip-Zucchini-Bread-Recipe--1024x1024

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Recipe

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Comments

  1. These look so tasty! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday! 🙂

  2. Cynthia Rusincovitch says:

    The one with the fresh jalapenos looks like it would be my favorite! Yum! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!

  3. kathy downey says:

    Thanks i will be keeping this recipe for in the Fall when we harvest the small ones