Enjoy these delicious zucchini stuffed with rice and feta. Perfect as a main dish for two or as an appetizer for four, they’re easy to make and packed with flavor.
There are so many different ways to enjoy zucchini! I often make this Italian Zucchini Soup or Zucchini Fritters with Corn, but my favorite way to eat them is stuffed and served as a main course.
These zucchini stuffed with rice filling are tasty and versatile, perfect for simple and healthy family meals. You can serve them warm or at room temperature, and they pair well with a fresh salad or garlic bread. Don't forget to save the scooped pulp for a creamy vegetable soup!
Ingredients: 9 + salt and pepper
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
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Recipe ingredients
Zucchini: I had two medium zucchini, each weighing between ¾ to 1 lb. When cooking two zucchini, they can serve four people as an appetizer or side dish, or two people as a main course.
Rice: I used plain long-grain white rice cooked fresh, but you can also stuff these zucchini boats with leftover cooked rice. If you have lots of cooked rice, try some Ketchup Fried Rice or Tuna Fried Rice.
Cheese: I used feta for the filling and grated mozzarella cheese to top the stuffed zucchini halves. Cheddar cheese, Gouda, or any good-melting cheese will also work well.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make rice-stuffed zucchini?
Step #1: Cook the rice. Cool, while you prepare the zucchini boats, mix them with the remaining filling ingredients.
Step #2: Use a small spoon or a melon baller to scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼ inch of the shell intact.
Step #3: Stuff zucchini shells with the rice mixture. Add the grated cheese.
Step #4: Bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Try these Stuffed Peppers with Lamb, too.
Tip
Don’t discard the scooped zucchini flesh; add it to a creamy vegetable soup. If you don’t want to make the soup the same day, you can refrigerate the pulp for 2-3 days in an airtight container or freeze it for 2-3 months.
Store and reheat
The zucchini stuffed with rice are best served immediately while they are hot, and the cheese is melty. However, I also love to eat the leftovers at room temperature or reheated.
Allow the stuffed zucchini to cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing these delicious zucchini boats, as they tend to become mushy once thawed.
Reheat in the preheated oven (350°F/175°C). Place the stuffed vegetables in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
What to serve with stuffed zucchini?
If you serve them as a main course (serving 2), make a green salad or coleslaw on the side, and serve them with bread and a yogurt dip like tzatziki.
If you serve them as a side dish (serving 4), you can serve them with chicken, fish, Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs, and so on. To keep the meal vegetarian, serve it with roasted vegetables or a hearty salad, baked beans, bread, or polenta.
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📖 Recipe
Zucchini Stuffed with Rice
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Small pot for the rice
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini each ¾ to 1 lb, Note 1
- ⅓ cup long-grain rice Note 2
- 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 5.5 oz feta cheese
- 2 thin green onions about 4 tablespoons when finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper use less if the pepper is powdery
- 1 cup mozzarella grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly oil the baking sheet.
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions, drain it well, and let it cool slightly while you prepare the zucchini.⅓ cup long-grain rice
- Prepare the zucchini boats: Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, keeping the stem intact. Use a small spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about a ¼-inch rim around the shell (Note 3). Arrange them cut side up in the baking dish.2 medium zucchini
- Filling: Combine the rice with tomato paste, crumbled feta, very finely sliced green onions, grated garlic, spices, and water.2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste + 5.5 oz feta cheese + 2 thin green onions + 2 garlic cloves + 2 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon oregano + ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fill the zucchini halves with the rice and sprinkle them generously with the grated cheese.1 cup mozzarella
- Bake the stuffed zucchini for 35-40 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Notes
- Servings: Two zucchini of the indicated size will serve two as a main dish and four as an appetizer or side dish. The nutritional information is calculated for two main-dish servings.
- Rice: You can also use about 1 ¼ cup (200 g) of cooked rice.
- Zucchini flesh: Don’t discard it; you can add it to a creamy vegetable soup, for example. If you don’t want to make the soup on the same day, you can refrigerate the pulp in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze it for 2-3 months.
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