Last updated: 29 July 2023
It was on a short break to Bologna Italy that we were introduced to a delicious dish, Zucchine Ripiene di Carne, during a home cooking demonstration. The cooking demonstration took place in a small kitchen overlooking the quadrilatero of Bologna’s main shopping district and nearby Piazza Maggiore and consisted of us donning aprons and, under careful and kind tutoring, we created what was to become one of our favourite dishes during our entire trip in Italy.
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What Is Zucchine Ripiene di Carne?
Essentially, Zucchine Ripiene di Carne is hollowed-out zucchini/courgette stuffed with a ground meat, ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese cooked slowly in a marinara-style sauce. Zucchine Ripiene di Carne is a relatively simple dish to make but that is part of its appeal. It’s easy to make, warm in the belly, and comforting to the thought. It’s little wonder it universally loved and an essential meal to have when exploring Bologna.
This classic recipe from Bologna makes the perfect weeknight meal, and has become one of our favourite ways to use zucchini! We loved making and devouring our Zucchine Ripiene di Carne meal during our visit to Bologna and it’s become a meal which has found itself in our regular meal rotation.
It can be gluten free and keto friendly with the right tweaks, with all the flavours of the classic lasagne without the extra carbs from the pasta sheets.
Through travelling to Italy, and cooking Italian meals like this, I am slowly increasing my Italian vocabulary. You can join me on this journey by learning Italian too with this great language course.
The Recipe
Zucchine Ripiene di Carne
A classic recipe from Bologna, these easy-to-make stuffed zucchinis are the perfect weeknight meal and one of my favorite ways to use extra produce from the Veg box!
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini (hollowed using a corer)
- 2 slices pancetta (diced and fried)
- 500g ground beef
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 40g Breadcrumbs
- For the Sauce:
- 1 large jar of roasted garlic marinara sauce
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp tomato puree
Instructions
Chop the ends off zucchini, and using a corer, hollow the centre flesh from zucchini while leaving a 1/4-inch rim. Set aside.
Dice and fry the pancetta until it’s crispy. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix together (raw) meat, ricotta cheese, egg, cheese and the cooled pancetta. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano. Set aside.
Add marinara sauce, wine and 1 tbsp of the basil to a pan and heat. Stir occasionally.
Stuff the hollowed zucchini with the meat/cheese mixture. Fill well, to the edge, at both ends. Repeat until you’ve filled all of the zucchinis. Any leftover meat mix can be rolled into meatballs, approx the size of a golf ball. - Lightly toss meatballs in breadcrumbs.
Place filled zucchini in the marinara mix, cover, and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins. Turn over, and simmer again for another 15. If the sauce is thin and watery, leave the lid ajar from the pot to allow the steam to escape and the sauce to thicken.
If your pot is large enough, add the meatballs. If not, use a second pan to brown them off and pop them in the sauce.
Notes
To Serve:
Plate a combination of zucchini and meatballs into a bowl and serve with a sprinkling of fresh basil and parsley. Serve warm.
To Stretch It:
Serve on a bed of rice or pasta such as orzo or penne.
Notes:
Look for zucchini that are wider and more uniform in width. Width is more important than length. Skinny zucchini won't accommodate much filling.
You can make marinara from scratch or use store bought pasta sauce.
Substitutions:
- No pancetta? Use bacon or omit entirely.
- No parmesan? Use Grana Padano.
- Use minced/ground meat that you have at hand. Pork works well as does a combination of pork and beef. Venison and Turkey will work.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 628Total Fat: 26.6gSodium: 1146mgCarbohydrates: 32.6gFiber: 5.3gSugar: 13.4gProtein: 63.4g
Final Thoughts
If doesn’t matter if you’re currently planning your first visit to Italy or just returned from a trip abroad because with this easy-to-recipe you’ll be able to bring the taste of Italy to life in your very own kitchen! We don’t think there’s anything better than planning a trip to Italy whilst enjoying Zucchine Ripiene di Carne that you’ve made yourself.
Please let us know how you go with this recipe in the comments below because we’re hoping you enjoyed it as much as we do.
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If you’re currently planning a short break in Italy then you might some of our other Italian posts helping in your planning stage. If you have your sights set on a holiday in the delicious city of Bologna then be sure to check our our Sightseeing in Bologna Italy post.
One absolutely amazing place you definitely need to visit when spending time in Bologna is San Luca and its stunning porticoes! Here’s what you can expect from a visit to San Luca and its Beautiful Porticos in Bologna.
There’s a reason why Bologna is considered to be the foodie capital of Italy! Some of the most delicious food in the world comes from Bologna! Find out here about What & Where to Eat in Bologna, Italy
Have you ever considered exploring the concept of Agriturismo in Italy? If you’ve never heard of it before then be sure to check out The Best Agriturismo in Trentino post because it has everything you’ve wanted to know about Agriturismo in Italy.
