The Tasty and Healthy Dinner That No One Expected: I Made an Impression, Nobody Believed They Were Eating Zucchini
For a delicious and flavorful main course, we recommend the zucchini meatloaf, and you’ll see that you can’t go wrong. Indeed, it’s an exceptional dish that will allow you to enjoy a lunch or dinner completely different from the usual, adding a touch of color to your table.
The combination of mushrooms, eggs, and cheese provides a good protein intake, useful for muscle health. This dish can be easily adapted to different diets, including vegetarian, and can be customized with herbs and spices of choice to increase flavor without adding calories. It can be served as a main dish accompanied by a side salad, providing a balanced meal.
In general, the zucchini meatloaf stuffed with mushrooms and cheese is a tasty and healthy option that incorporates nutritious ingredients, making it an excellent choice for a nourishing and satisfying meal.
Ingredients :
- 3 zucchini (weighing 800 g / 1.8 lbs)
- 200 g (7 oz) sliced button mushrooms
- 100 g (3.5 oz) grated light cheese (e.g., mozzarella)
- 50 g (1.8 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
- 200-250 g (7-9 oz) breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 minced red onion
- 3 grated garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chopped parsley to taste
- Fresh or dried basil to taste
- Dried oregano to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make Zucchini Meatloaf:
- First, trim the zucchini, grate them into a bowl, salt them, mix, and let them rest for about 15 minutes.
- Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a non-stick pan, add the minced red onion, let it soften, add 2 grated garlic cloves, stir, let it brown, and add the sliced mushrooms.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, stir, add dried oregano, mix, and cook for 6-7 minutes over medium heat.
- Now add chopped parsley to the zucchini (don’t squeeze them), the egg, breadcrumbs (leave a couple of tablespoons for the surface later), pepper, dried basil, and 1 grated garlic clove. Mix well to obtain a soft and compact mixture.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper, grease it with olive oil, spread the zucchini mixture on the surface, leveling with a spoon. Fill with mushrooms (place them in the center) and grated cheese, then roll up the zucchini base using the parchment paper.
- Finally, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the meatloaf with the parchment paper to a loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
- Once cooked and the surface is well browned, let it cool a bit before serving.
Enjoy your healthy and delicious zucchini meatloaf!
