The Best Gluten-Free Risotto Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe

Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable. Everything from breakfast to dinner, appetizers to dessert is possible with this adaptable summer squash. One way to elevate zucchini is by stuffing them as we do in this gluten-free risotto stuffed zucchini boat recipe. By using risotto, instead of simply mixing the filling with cooked long-grain rice, the filling sticks together much better and the taste is off the charts incredible.

Keep in mind that this gluten-free risotto stuffed zucchini boat recipe is very easily customized to different diets too. Our version uses ground beef in the filling, but you could easily omit it or replace it with a plant-based crumble, for a vegetarian dish. The possibilities are endless.

This is a great make-ahead dish for company, or to have on hand through the week, as it’s a complete, all-in-one meal. If you are pressed for time, you could easily skip stuffing the zucchini boat and simply make a delicious risotto – it’s that good.

Oh and don’t be daunted by all the steps. After the first mouthful, you’ll realize it was well worth it.

Gluten-Free Risotto Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 small zucchini

For the Meat:

• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend)
• 3/4 lb ground meat
• 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and granulated garlic

For the Vegetables:

• 2 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend)
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 4oz of mushrooms, diced
• Chopped zucchini (from the hollowed-out zucchini)
• 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic
• 1 (1/2 tsp) sprig of oregano
• 2 tbs minced basil
• 2 tsp Parmesan cheese

For the Risotto:

• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend)
• 3/4 c Arborio rice
• 3-5C gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 c cheese
• 2 tbs basil
• 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic

Tomato Mixture:

• 1 c passata (strained tomato purée)
• 2 tbs basil
• 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic

Directions:

For the Zucchini:

• Wash and dry zucchini.
• Cut the top and tip off the end of the zucchini and set it aside.

• Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise, so that you have two long equal halves.

• Using a grapefruit spoon, hollow out the zucchini so that you’ve removed most of the inside flesh, leaving behind an intact but thin shell.

Tip: Know that you can hollow out your zucchini boats by scoring the zucchini and using a small spoon. I prefer to use a grapefruit spoon, as it has a serrated edge. The serrated edge allows you to cut and scoop the inside of the zucchini out with the same utensil.

• Set the empty zucchini boats aside.
• Chop all of the zucchini you scooped out, into small pieces and set aside for the filling

For the Meat:

• Mince garlic and shallots
• Heat oil in a frying pan

• Add shallots, let cook for a minute.
• Next, add the garlic to the shallot, allowing to cook until fragrant.

• To the shallot and garlic mixture, add the ground meat.

• Using a rubber spatula, break up the meat.
• Add salt, pepper, onion, and granulated onion- mix well.
• Cook until meat is evenly cooked and all the pink colour has dissipated.

• Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

For the Vegetables:

• Using a damp paper towel, wipe mushrooms.
• Remove streams from mushrooms and discard.

• Cut mushrooms into a small dice.
• Mince garlic and shallots.
• In a clean pan, heat 2 tbs of oil.
• Add shallots, let cook for a minute.

• Next, add the garlic to the shallot, cooking until fragrant.

• Add the chopped zucchini to the pan and cook until they begin to soften.

• To the zucchini mixture, add the mushrooms.

• Season by adding 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic, whole. (Washed and dried)1 spring of oregano, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
• Cook until the mushrooms are soft and their liquid has cooked out.
• Remove sprig of oregano and let mixture cool.

For the Risotto:

• In a medium pot melt oil and butter.

• Add rice to the pot, stirring constantly as you want the rice not only to coat in the butter and oil; but also toast.

• Once the rice is toasted, add in 1/2 c of warm/hot stock at a time, allowing the stock to be absorbed by the rice. Stir continuously.

Tip: Stock must be hot when added to the rice. You can make your stock in a pot and ladle in half a cup a time or you can make 1 cup at a time in the microwave.

• Once the stock has been absorbed, add another 1/2 cup and stir.
• Continue to add in stock until the rice is starchy and tender.

• Add both the meat and vegetable mixtures to the rice, incorporating it fully.

• Add in cheese, basil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.
• Taste and season to your liking.
• Set risotto aside.

Tomato Mixture:

• In a bowl or large measuring cup add 1 c passata (strained tomato purée), basil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.

Assembling the Gluten-Free Risotto Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe:

• Grease a 9×13 baking dish using kitchen spray.
• Drizzle oil in the corners of the pan on top of the cooking spray.

• Pour half of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

• Fill the zucchini boats evenly with the risotto mixture.

• Place the filled zucchini boats in the pan.

• Once the boats are filled, top each of them with the tomato mixture. You want to cover the risotto filling completely in an even layer. This is so they remain moist.

• Covered the pan with a layer of parchment paper and foil
• Bake in a 350° for 45 minutest

• Remove pan from oven and remove the layer of parchment and foil.

• Sprinkle the top of the gluten-free risotto stuffed zucchini boats with Parmesan cheese

• Place back in the oven, under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

GFF Hints:

• If you don’t want to make the risotto, you could replace it by mixing 3/4 C of cooked rice (long-grain or even minute rice) into the filling for the boats.
• You can make this gluten-free risotto stuffed zucchini boat recipe ahead of time, by simply not baking them off. Make sure they are tightly wrapped and you can keep them in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Be sure to label and date them. You can also include the reheating directions on the label as well. When I freeze meals, I always add them to my freezer inventory list, so I can keep track of what I have. Freezing meals is both time-saving and economical as you can cook food in bulk.

Buon appetito miei amici!

The Best Gluten-Free Risotto Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe

Print Recipe/Tips

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

5 small zucchini For the Meat: 2 shallots, minced 1 clove of garlic 2 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend) 3/4 lb ground meat 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and granulated garlic For the Vegetables: 2 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend) 1 shallot 1 clove garlic 4oz of mushrooms, diced Chopped zucchini from the hollowed-out zucchini 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic 1 (1/2 tsp) sprig of oregano 2 tbs minced basil 2 tsp Parmesan cheese For the Risotto: 1 tbs butter 1 tbs  olive oil or Puroliva (an olive oil and canola oil blend) 3/4 c Arborio rice 3-5C gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock 1/4 c cheese 2 tbs basil 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic Tomato Mixture: 1 c passata (strained tomato purée) 2 tbs basil 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic

INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS

For the Zucchini:

• Wash and dry zucchini.
• Cut the top and tip off the end of the zucchini and set it aside.
• Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise, so that you have two long equal halves.
• Using a grapefruit spoon, hollow out the zucchini so that you’ve removed most of the inside flesh, leaving behind an intact but thin shell.
• Set the empty zucchini boats aside.
• Chop all of the zucchini you scooped out, into small pieces and set aside for the filling

For the Meat:

• Mince garlic and shallots
• Heat oil in a frying pan
• Add shallots, let cook for a minute.
• Next, add the garlic to the shallot, allowing to cook until fragrant.
• To the shallot and garlic mixture, add the ground meat.
• Using a rubber spatula, break up the meat.
• Add salt, pepper, onion, and granulated onion- mix well.
• Cook until meat is evenly cooked and all the pink colour has dissipated.
• Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

For the Vegetables:

• Using a damp paper towel, wipe mushrooms.
• Remove streams from mushrooms and discard.
• Cut mushrooms into a small dice.
• Mince garlic and shallots.
• In a clean pan, heat 2 tbs of oil.
• Add shallots, let cook for a minute.
• Next, add the garlic to the shallot, cooking until fragrant.
• Add the chopped zucchini to the pan and cook until they begin to soften.
• To the zucchini mixture, add the mushrooms.
• Season by adding 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic, whole. (Washed and dried)1 spring of oregano, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
• Cook until the mushrooms are soft and their liquid has cooked out.
• Remove sprig of oregano and let mixture cool.

For the Risotto:

• In a medium pot melt oil and butter.
• Add rice to the pot, stirring constantly as you want the rice not only to coat in the butter and oil; but also toast.
• Once the rice is toasted, you need to add in 1/2 c of warm/hot stock at a time, allowing the stock to be absorbed by the rice. Stir continuously.
• Once the stock has been absorbed, add another 1/2 cup and stir.
• Continue to add in stock until the rice is starchy and tender.
• Add both the meat and vegetable mixtures to the rice, incorporating it fully.
• Add in cheese, basil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.
• Taste and season to your liking.
• Set risotto aside.

Tomato Mixture:

• In a bowl or large measuring cup add 1 c passata (strained tomato purée), basil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.

Assembling the Gluten-Free Risotto Stuffed Zucchini Boat Recipe:

• Grease a 9x13 baking dish using kitchen spray.
• Drizzle oil in the corners of the pan on top of the cooking spray.
• Pour half of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
• Fill the zucchini boats evenly with the risotto mixture.
• Place the filled zucchini boats in the pan.
• Once the boats are filled, top each of them with the tomato mixture. You want to cover the risotto filling completely in an even layer. This is so they remain moist.
• Covered the pan with a layer of parchment paper and foil
• Bake in a 350° for 45 minutes
• Remove pan from oven and remove the layer of parchment and foil.
• Sprinkle the top of the gluten-free risotto stuffed zucchini boats with Parmesan cheese
• Place back in the oven, under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

NOTES/TIPS

Know that you can hollow out your zucchini boats by scoring the zucchini and using a small spoon. I prefer to use a grapefruit spoon, as it has a serrated edge. The serrated edge allows you to cut and scoop the inside of the zucchini out with the same utensil. Stock must be hot when added to the rice. You can make your stock in a pot and ladle in half a cup a time or you can make 1 cup at a time in the microwave. However, you could skip making the risotto and mixture, by mixing 3/4 C of cooked rice (long-grain or even minute rice) into the fillings and stuff that filling in the boats.

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