Best Italian Style Stuffed Zucchini Squash Crock Pot Recipes

ITALIAN STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a small baking dish with foil. Scoop out the seeds from the zucchini, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
• Combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend, the parsley, capicola and lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper, then fill with the ricotta mixture.
• Drizzle each zucchini half with about 1 tablespoon marinara sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend. Transfer to the baking dish and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

SLOW COOKER STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Scoop out flesh from the zucchini halves, leaving shells about 1/8 inch thick. (Zucchini flesh may be saved for another use.)
• Place tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, basil leaves, Italian herb seasoning, and sugar into a food processor and pulse until blended, about 1 minute. Set mixture aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sausage to skillet and cook, stirring often, until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato mixture and heat until simmering; stir in Parmesan cheese.
• Place hollowed-out zucchini shells into the bottom of a large slow cooker, trimming them to fit if necessary. Spoon the sausage mixture into the shells, cover the cooker, and cook on High until tender, about 6 hours. Remove cover and spread a layer of mozzarella cheese over each stuffed zucchini. Cover and cook on High until cheese has melted, about 10 more minutes.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI /SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add raw meat, water, rice, and add spices. Mix with hands until well blended. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Cut the top off each zucchini and carefully hollow out each one. Be careful not to break the edges. (I use an apple corer) Keep the end in-tact so that you have a tube.
• Stuff each zucchini with meat filling, leaving a little room for the rice to expand. (If you over stuff them, they will break when cooking). Layer in a large pot. Pour tomato sauce over the top. Fill can of sauce with water and pour water over the top until the zucchinis are covered. Squeeze lemon juice over the top. Place a plate on top if necessary to keep zucchini covered with liquid. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down the stove and let simmer for 2-4 hours, until zucchini are tender and rice is cooked.
• Serve with salad or with seasoned rice (pilaf is good).

ITALIAN STUFFED ACORN SQUASH-CROCK POT

Steps:

• Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.
• Brush squash halves with olive oil and place in slow cooker (slice off bottoms to level, if necessary).
• Pour 1 cup water into the cooker, around (not into) squash.
• In a small bowl, combine wild rice blend, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, minced garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and spices; stir until well-mixed.
• Stuff rice mixture into each squash half.
• Slowly pour about 1/2 cup vegetable broth into each squash cavity until full (don't let stuffing overflow).
• Pour any remaining broth around squash.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Just prior to serving, sprinkle with crumbled cheese.
• Enjoy!

CROCK POT ITALIAN ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Spray a slow cooker container with olive oil-flavored cooking spray. In prepared container, combine zucchini and onion. Add undrained tomatoes, Italian dressing, and sugar (or splenda). Mix well to combine.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Mix well before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each zucchini lengthwise in half. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell; chop pulp. Place zucchini shells in a large microwave-safe dish. In batches, microwave, covered, on high 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender., In a large skillet, cook sausage and zucchini pulp over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking sausage into crumbles; drain. Stir in tomatoes, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, herbs and pepper. Spoon into zucchini shells., Place in 2 ungreased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Bake, covered, 15-20 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. If desired, sprinkle with additional minced parsley.