Stuffed Zucchini

January 2023. Second Marlene anniversary. Tater tot hotdish in Grinnell. The tradition. The tots golden. He doesn't say she'd critique them anymore. The nothing is progress — grief settling into the floor rather than the furniture, something you stand on rather than navigate around.

Jack's greenhouse revolution: he started seeds in January for the first time. The greenhouse lets him push boundaries, start earlier, extend later. The Marlene tomato, fifth generation, sprouting under grow lights while Iowa winter rages outside. Five years of the name in the soil.

I made homemade ravioli — ricotta and spinach, crimped, boiled, served with brown butter and sage. Three hours. Kevin ate twelve. Noah ate eight. Emma said they were "gallery-worthy." Jack asked if we could grow sage in the greenhouse. The answer is always yes.

The ravioli took three hours and fed everyone in a way that felt almost ceremonial — that particular kind of kitchen labor that asks you to stay present, keep crimping, keep going. When Jack asked about growing sage in the greenhouse the same night, it struck me that the recipes that mean the most always seem to reach toward the garden. Stuffed zucchini is that same kind of recipe: unhurried, filled from the inside out, and made better by whatever you’re coaxing out of the soil. When summer brings more zucchini than we know what to do with — and it always does — this is where it goes.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini (about 8 inches each)
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup marinara sauce, divided
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Trim the ends from each zucchini and halve lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the center flesh, leaving about a 1/4-inch shell. Roughly chop the scooped flesh and set aside.
Cook the filling. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add the onion and reserved zucchini flesh and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Build the mixture. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce, the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Fill the shells. Spoon the remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the zucchini shells cut-side up in the dish. Divide the filling evenly among the shells, pressing gently to mound it slightly.
Top and bake. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the filled zucchini. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden and the zucchini shells are tender.
Finish and serve. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve directly from the baking dish.

Nutrition (per serving)

Stuffed Zucchini — What the Greenhouse Gives Back