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Summer Stuffed Vegetables

Not only do these stuffed vegetables make a beautiful presentation, but they are a great way to use up your summer produce (zucchini harvest, I’m looking at you).
Print Recipe
Ready In 1 hour 30 minutes
Meal Type Side Dish
Good For Summer
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • Your favorite vegetables for stuffing (I like to use 2-4 globe zucchini, hollowed out and flesh reserved, and 12-24 baby bella mushrooms, stems reserved. I often also use tomatoes, bell peppers, or eggplants).
  • 5 cups (330g) white Italian bread, cut into small chunks
  • ½ cup (125mL) whole milk
  • ½ cup (125mL) olive oil
  • 1 sweet Vidalia onion (100g), minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Roughly chopped zucchini and mushroom stems from your vegetables
  • 1 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • Freshly-ground black pepper 
  • ½ cup (25g) chopped Italian parsley
  • ½ cup (40g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Step by Step Instructions
 

Step 1

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 2

  • In a medium bowl, pour the milk evenly over the bread. Set aside to absorb.

Step 3

  • Prepare your vegetables for stuffing. Scoop out the flesh of the zucchini with a melon baller or spoon, and set aside. Slice off the tough end of the mushroom stem, but reserve the rest of the stem, and set aside.
    Use a small melon baller, or small spoon, to hollow out the mushroom caps, reserving the extra flesh. Pulse the reserved flesh of the mushrooms and zucchini in a food processor, or roughly chop, and set aside.
    prepared zucchini and mushrooms

Step 4

  • In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and sauté until browned and fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved zucchini flesh and mushroom stems, and cook the water out, allowing vegetables to brown slightly.
    This may take up to 20 minutes; it will take less time if you are using vegetables with a lower water content.

Step 5

  • Season with ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

Step 6

  • To the bowl with the bread, add parsley, cheese, beaten eggs, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and a few more grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine. Add the cooled contents of the skillet, and stir to combine.
    mixed stuffing prepared for the stuffed vegetables

Step 7

  • Place vegetables in a large roasting pan (line with foil if desired for easier cleanup). Lightly brush the interior of the vegetables with olive oil. Add stuffing to each (you may add as much stuffing as you wish, but do not pack down). Drizzle remaining olive oil over vegetables, and cover tightly with foil.
    stuffed vegetables ready for baking

Step 8

  • Bake for 40 minutes, and remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425° (220°C), remove foil from dish, and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, and serve.