Middle Eastern · main

Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce

Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce reads sourness 5.9, sweetness 5.6 and citrus 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 5.9 · Sweetness 5.6 · Citrus 5.6 · Umami 4.6 · Richness 4.1 · Allium 4.0 · Salinity 2.6 · Fruity 2.1 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Earthy 2.1 · Nutty 1.2 · Herbaceous 1.1 · Bitterness 1.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.1 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (15)

• 2 pounds small zucchini (4 to 4 3/4 inches long)
• 5 ounces lean ground lamb
• 1/4 cup short-grain or risotto rice
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 to 1 1/2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon crushed, dried mint

Time & effort: about 40 min (25 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 62.1 kcal, 2.5 g protein, 1.4 g fat, 10 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (15 steps)

1. Wash the zucchini, slice off the stem ends, and shave off the brown skin on the other ends.
2. With a long apple corer, make a hole at the stem end of each vegetable and scoop out the flesh, being careful not to break the skin, or to break through the other end, which must remain closed.
3. This is done by digging in while gently turning the corer, then giving a sharp, quick twist as it reaches near the end, before pulling out the flesh.
4. It is a skill that is acquired with a little practice.
5. With the corer or a small, sharp knife, cut out a little more of the flesh, if necessary, but the shell must be left intact.
6. Put the filling ingredients together in a bowl and knead well by hand until thoroughly blended.
7. Fill each zucchini, packing in the filling to within 1/2 inch of the end to allow for the expansion of the rice.
8. For the sauce, fry the onion in the sunflower oil until golden.
9. Use a pan that will hold the zucchini in one or two whole layers.
10. Add the garlic and stir until the aroma rises, then add the tomatoes.
11. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the tomato paste, sugar, and juice of half a lemon.
12. Place the stuffed zucchini side by side in one or two layers in the sauce.
13. Add water, if necessary, to cover them and simmer very gently, with the lid on, over low heat, for about 45 minutes, or until the zucchini are soft.
14. Carefully lift the zucchini out of the pan and place them on a serving dish.
15. Stir the mint and the juice of the remaining lemon into the sauce, and continue cooking for a moment or two, then pour over the zucchini.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Imam Bayildi — Turkish
• Lahmacun — Turkish
• Sancocho de Gallina Valluno — Colombian
• Crispy Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion — Mexican
• Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry — Indian

Keep reading: what sourness, sweetness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.