Zucchini Lasagna Boats
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Ground Chicken, Beef, Turkey or Sausage (or a combination)
- ½ Red Bell Pepper, diced
- ½ Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
- 1 tsp. Olive oil
- 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
- 16 oz. Marinara Sauce
- 8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
- 2 cups fresh Spinach, chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves, diced (optional)
- 1 Egg
- 3 tbsp. Italian Parsley, minced
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Pepper
- 4 medium Zucchinis, cut in ½ lengthwise, centers scooped out
- 8 oz. fresh Mozzarella, sliced
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large skillet, brown the meat; drain and set aside in a bowl
- In a large skillet, saute the diced red & yellow peppers for a few minutes until the peppers are soft; add in basil and saute for 1 minute
- Add meat, marinara sauce & oregano to the skillet with the peppers & basil
- Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, egg, salt and pepper.
- Slice each zucchini lengthwise and carefully scoop out the center with a spoon to create a boat. Place zucchini skin side down on a baking dish or sheet.
- Fill each zucchini with equal amounts of the meat sauce mixture. Add equal amounts of the Ricotta cheese mixture on top of the met mixture. Place a few thin slices of fresh mozzarella on each zucchini half. Spread the remaining meat sauce mixture on top of each zucchini half and top with Parmesan cheese & parsley.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the zucchini is tender and cheese is bubbly.