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Stuffed Zucchini with Golden Herbed Rice and Avgolemono Sauce

This is a take on a Greek stuffed zucchini dish which I tweaked to make it a bit easier, increase its nutrients, and make it more anti-inflammatory.  It looks more complicated than it really is.  Most of the work is just making the rice and then everything else comes together quickly. The rice is fragrant and jam-packed with flavor from all the aromatics, greens and spices.  The creamy-citrusy avgolemono sauce brightens the whole dish up.  So delicious you can't just have one!

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 6 medium size zucchini sliced in half lengthwise and seeds scooped out
  • 1 1/2 C rice white or brown
  • 2 1/2 C vegetable broth
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 leek chopped
  • 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
  • 1/2 bunch dill chopped
  • 1 1/2 C kale finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 scallions chopped
  • 1/2-3/4 t turmeric
  • 3 t salt
  • 1/2 t pepper
  • 2 t oregano
  • Olive Oil

Avgolemono Sauce:

  • 2 lemons juiced
  • 2 eggs room temp., beaten
  • 1 C vegetable broth or water
  • 2 t cornstarch
  • salt/pepper

Instructions

  1. Slice zucchinis lengthwise and scoop out the "meat" with a spoon, making a boat to fill with filling. Save the "meat".

  2. Drizzle both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay on parchment lined sheet pan.  Set aside.

For filling:

  1. On medium heat, sautee onions and leeks in a good amount of olive oil. (At this point you can add 1 lb. of ground meat for a non-vegetarian meal and for added protein). Cook until onions are clear, and if adding meat, until it is browned.

  2. Add kale, zucchini "meat", scallions, garlic, turmeric, oregano, salt and pepper.  Cook until everything is soft.

  3. Add in rice stirring to toast it up for a few mins. 

  4. Add in 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water, parsley and dill.  You may want to add more salt at this point according to taste.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat 10 mins for white rice or 20 mins for brown rice.  Rice will not be completely cooked through.

  5. Spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini boats.

  6. Cover and bake at 375 for about 20 mins then uncover and cook for another 20 mins. or until zucchini is cooked and browning on edges.  At this point your house will smell amazing.

Avgolemono Sauce:

  1. In a cold saucepan, whisk the eggs until frothy.

  2. While whisking, add in the lemon juice and broth or water.

  3. In a separate cup dilute the corn starch in a bit of cold water and whisk that into the avgolemono sauce.

  4. Turn on the heat to medium-high WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY so as not to curdle the eggs.  Once it starts to boil, turn down the heat to medium and keep whisking until the sauce thickens.  Turn off heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

  1. Place zucchini on plate and drizzle avgolemono sauce on top.  Enjoy!!!