Portions: 6 servings Calories: 395kcal |
These chorizo and rice stuffed zucchini boats are full of flavor; how can they not be with all that good stuff? The bright red of the chorizo transfers to the juicy, but firm rice, and the bits of vegetables and olives add another dimension of textures and flavors.
By - Last revised . Original Oct 16, 2013.
Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Preparation
Chorizo and rice stuffed zucchini.
Why I ❤️ it
I absolutely love stuffed vegetables. And what's not to love in these zucchini boats filled with rice and chorizo that are so colorful, flavorful, and easy to make? You may already have most of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
This entree is a beautiful dish and can be also served as a main dish or even a side dish. The green of the zucchini contrasts nicely with the reds in the filling. It's a wonderful one-dish meal? You can have a whole dinner ready in no time. I can see myself serving this to guests, or bringing it to a potluck.
Chorizo and rice stuffed zucchini recipe
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini
- 1 pound [0.48 kilogram] of Mexican-style chorizo
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves (plus extra for garnish)
- ⅓ cup pitted green olives, sliced or chopped
- 1 bell pepper, minced
- ⅓ cup of tomato sauce
- 1 cup Carolina rice, long grain, uncooked
- 1 cup boiling-hot water
- 1 teaspoon of salt (may not be needed)
- 2 tablespoons of oil for greasing the pan (olive oil, vegetable oil, or the fat removed from browning the chorizo)
Preparation
Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1: Make the boats
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F [145 degrees C].
Halve the zucchini and hollow them scooping out the zucchini flesh using a melon baller or small spoon. Set everything aside.
Remove the skin from the chorizo sausages.
Step 2: Cook
Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and brown. Remove excess fat.
Add the zucchini flesh that you had previously removed. Also, add garlic, onion, thyme, olives, and bell pepper, and cook and stir for a minute. Mix in the tomato sauce.
Step 3: Add rice
Add the rice and mix well. Pour in the hot water and season with salt to taste (this may not be necessary, depending on the salt content in the chorizo).
Simmer until nearly all the liquid has evaporated (not all). At this point, the rice will not be fully-cooked. It will finish cooking in the next steps.
Step 4: Fill the zucchini
Remove the rice from the heat and spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini halves.
Drizzle, then brush the baking pan with the oil, and place the boats on them. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 5: Bake
Bake the boats for 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and tender.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with herbs. Serve hot.
Variations
This dish can be made with eggplants too. The method would be identical. The only thing I would change is adding a layer of your preferred pasta tomato sauce in the lasagna pan before baking.
If you're looking for alternatives to chorizo, this recipe works great with ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. If you're using any of these meats, season it with 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika before you start the process described in the recipe.
If you really love cheese, you can sprinkle the boats with feta, mozzarella, or parmesan cheese before baking, though I preferred it without.
You can try it with your favorite meatless chorizo sausage for a vegetarian choice, and add extra seasonings if you find it necessary. Maybe even drizzle with a bit of lemon juice for extra flavor.
If you do not have or do not like thyme, you can use some minced parsley, basil, or experiment with fresh herbs of your choice.
Top tips
Be mindful that Mexican-style chorizo is the one used in this recipe. Spanish chorizo is a cured sausage, while Mexican chorizo is a seasoned uncooked meat sausage.
This is a great dish to save leftovers for the next day. Refrigerate them in an airtight container and microwave covered the next day.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a salad of your choice for dinner, or as a side dish in a larger meal.
Nutritional information
Calories: 395kcal - Carbohydrates: 35g - Protein: 16g - Fat: 21g - Saturated Fat: 7g - Cholesterol: 47mg - Sodium: 675mg - Potassium: 595mg - Fiber: 3g - Sugar: 6g - Vitamin A: 1445IU - Vitamin C: 60.9mg - Calcium: 47mg - Iron: 1.6mg
More rice recipes
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FAQs
How many calories are in stuffed zucchini with rice?
The caloric content of rice-stuffed zucchini depends on the recipe you follow. For this recipe, a serving has 395 calories.
How do you hollow the zucchini?
Cut the zucchini in halves, lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh using a lemon baller or a teaspoon, leaving the rind and some of the flesh to make a small bowl.
Is it better to freeze raw or cooked zucchini?
Zucchini have very high water content and does not freeze well. It's best to freeze a pre-cooked zucchini dish, in my experience.
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How to Make Stuffed Zucchini with Rice and Sausage
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini
- 1 pound Mexican-style chorizo [0.48 kilogram]
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 small red onion minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (plus extra for garnish)
- ⅓ cup pitted green olives sliced or chopped
- 1 bell pepper minced
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup Carolina rice long grain, uncooked
- 1 cup boiling-hot water
- 1 teaspoon of salt may not be needed
- 2 tablespoons of oil for greasing the pan (olive oil, vegetable oil, or the fat removed from browning the chorizo)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the boats
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F [145 degrees C].Halve the zucchini and hollow them scooping out the zucchini flesh using a melon baller or small spoon. Set everything aside.Remove the skin from the chorizo sausages.
Step 2: Cook
- Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and brown. Remove excess fat.Add the zucchini flesh that you had previously removed. Also, add garlic, onion, thyme, olives, and bell pepper, and cook and stir for a minute. Mix in the tomato sauce.
Step 3: Add rice
- Add the rice and mix well. Pour in the hot water and season with salt to taste (this may not be necessary, depending on the salt content in the chorizo).Simmer until nearly all the liquid has evaporated (not all). At this point, the rice will not be fully-cooked. It will finish cooking in the next steps.
Step 4: Fill the zucchini
- Remove the rice from the heat and spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini halves.Drizzle, then brush the baking pan with the oil, and place the boats on them. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 5: Bake
- Bake the boats for 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and tender.Remove from the oven and sprinkle with herbs. Serve hot.
Nutrition
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By , published Oct 16, 2013 on Tia Clara
I remember stuffing zucchinis like this in my early twenties. I had completely forgotten about them. I love the idea of the sharp hit of the chorizo in these.
This is so beautiful and perfect one plate dish! Great idea of veggies, rice, and meat. I especially love the dreamy 2nd shot. My kids love zucchini but haven't mad zucchini boats before. I had chorizo too but never thought of this recipe. This is brilliant! 😉
The portion is small, but filling, so a little bit of salad, all the flavor in this dish and we thought it was a feast. My husband will have the last one today. 🙂
Love the idea of zucchini boats and of course the addition of chorizo is always a hit. Lovely photos as always 😉
How can you go wrong with chorizo? 🙂
How many zucchinis? Gracias!
6, two halves for each person.
These were fantastic.