Greek Stuffed Zucchini With Ground Beef

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg (5.5 lb; about 12)medium-large courgettes
• 500 g (1.1 lb)lean minced beef, or half pork and half beef
• 80 g (4–5 small)spring onions, finely chopped
• 100 g (1 small)red onion, finely chopped
• 100 ml, plus extra for fryingextra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoonsshort- or round-grain rice, such as Arborio or Greek Karolina
• 3 tablespoonsparsley, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoonsdill, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoonground fennel
• 6 tablespoonsolive oil
• 4 tablespoonsplain flour
• 2 largeeggs
• 1egg yolk
• 2, juiced (about 120 ml)lemons
• Zest of ½lemon
• To servefreshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 litrevegetable or chicken stock
• 120 mlhot water, for the rice
• Enough to almost cover the courgetteshot water, for the pot
• To tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare courgettes

   Trim the tops and bottoms from the courgettes and cut them in half. Use an apple corer to hollow them out.

2. 2

   Soften onions

   Heat enough olive oil to coat the base of a frying pan. Fry both kinds of onion until soft.

3. 3

   Cook the rice

   Add the rice and stir-fry for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, add 120 ml hot water and cook until it has all been absorbed. Take the pan off the heat and leave the rice to cool.

4. 4

   Mix the filling

   Put the minced meat, cooked rice, parsley, dill and ground fennel in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix thoroughly.

5. 5

   Fill courgettes

   Spoon the meat mixture into each hollowed courgette, pressing gently so it holds together without packing it too tightly.

6. 6

   Arrange in pot

   Pack the stuffed courgettes closely together in a cooking pot.

7. 7

   Add cooking liquid

   Pour in enough hot water, or hot water combined with 1 litre of stock, to almost cover the courgettes. Keep the filled parts submerged; it is fine if the tops are above the liquid.

8. 8

   Simmer courgettes

   Add 100 ml olive oil and bring the pot to a simmer over moderate heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 50 minutes. Leave a very small gap in the lid if needed to let steam escape and keep the courgettes from shifting. Remove the pot from the heat.

9. 9

   Beat egg mixture

   Beat the eggs and egg yolk with the lemon juice and zest.

10. 10

    Toast the flour

    Put the flour and 6 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan. Cook, whisking continuously, until the flour is toasted and turns whitish, then take the pan off the heat.

11. 11

    Collect the stock

    Carefully tilt the courgette pot and ladle as much hot stock as possible into the flour mixture. Aim for about 1 litre; slightly less is fine. If you have more, simmer it separately for a few minutes to reduce it.

12. 12

    Thicken the sauce

    Return the saucepan to moderate heat and cook until the stock mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, whisking often. Scrape the sides and base well, where flour can stick.

13. 13

    Temper the eggs

    Pour the hot flour sauce into the beaten eggs very slowly, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Start with a thin stream, then pour faster as the eggs warm.

14. 14

    Add avgolemono

    Pour the avgolemono sauce into the pot with the courgettes. Gently shake and tilt the pot to distribute it.

15. 15

    Finish the sauce

    If you want a thicker sauce, cook the pot for a few more minutes over the lowest heat.

16. 16

    Rest and serve

    Ideally, leave the dish to stand in the pot for at least 30 minutes before serving. Finish with freshly ground pepper.

What is Greek stuffed zucchini?

Known in Greece as gemista kolokithakia, stuffed courgettes are hollowed out and filled, then gently cooked in a pot. This version combines minced beef, rice and herbs with avgolemono, the Greek egg-and-lemon sauce.

The rice helps bind the filling, while dill, parsley and fennel bring a fresh, aromatic flavour. Cooking the courgettes close together keeps them steady and lets the filling simmer in the surrounding liquid.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 572 calories, 28g protein, 35g carbs, 37g fat.

The rice and courgettes contribute most of the carbohydrate, while the beef provides much of the protein. Olive oil and the egg-based sauce account for much of the fat; serve with a crisp salad or extra vegetables for balance.

Choosing the courgettes

Size matters: medium-large courgettes are easier to core and fill than small ones. Choose ones that are firm and fairly straight so they sit snugly in the pot.

Core carefully: leave enough flesh around the outside to hold the filling. An apple corer makes a narrow channel; avoid pushing through the end.

Building the filling

Soften the onions first: this gives them a milder flavour and avoids crunchy pieces in the filling. Briefly cooking the rice with them helps it start absorbing moisture before it goes into the courgettes.

Pack lightly: press the filling just enough to help it stay together, but leave room for the rice to expand as it cooks. Overfilling or compressing it can make the courgettes split.

Keeping the courgettes intact

A close fit is useful: arrange the filled halves snugly so they do not roll around during simmering. The liquid should cover the filled sections, while exposed tops can cook in the steam.

Use a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil. A small gap in the lid can release excess steam without letting the pot bubble too hard.

Making smooth avgolemono

Toast the flour in olive oil, then whisk in the hot cooking liquid gradually to make a lightly thickened base. Keep whisking and scrape the sides of the pan so the flour does not catch.

Temper the eggs by adding the hot sauce in a thin stream while whisking constantly. This gradual warming helps the eggs blend into the sauce rather than curdle.

Timing and serving

Allow about 50 minutes for the courgettes to simmer, then leave the finished dish to stand for at least 30 minutes if possible. The resting time lets the sauce settle around the courgettes.

Serve warm with freshly ground pepper. Bread is useful for the lemony sauce, while a simple green salad can bring a crisp contrast to the soft filling.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a pot that holds the courgettes snugly in a single layer if possible.
• Keep the hollowed courgette flesh to add to soups or sauces rather than discarding it.
• Let the cooked rice mixture cool before combining it with the raw minced meat.
• Keep the stock hot when adding it to the flour mixture so the sauce comes together smoothly.
• Whisk continuously as you temper the eggs, especially while the first hot liquid goes in.
• Rest the finished dish in the pot before serving so the sauce can settle.

Variations

• Use mixed mince: Replace the beef with equal parts pork and beef, as suggested in the recipe.
• Choose the stock: Use vegetable stock for a meat-free cooking liquid or chicken stock for a fuller savoury flavour.
• Adjust the herbs: Use a little less dill or parsley if you prefer a subtler herbal taste.
• Add lemon at the table: Serve with extra lemon wedges for anyone who wants a sharper finish.
• Make it peppery: Add more freshly ground black pepper at serving for a warmer, fragrant finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overfilling the courgettes: Leave a little room for the rice to expand as it cooks.
• Boiling too vigorously: Keep the pot at a gentle simmer so the courgettes are less likely to move or split.
• Leaving the filled sections above the liquid: Add more hot water or stock so the stuffing is submerged.
• Adding hot sauce too quickly to the eggs: Pour it in slowly while whisking constantly to help prevent curdling.
• Skipping the flour-pan scraping: Whisk around the sides and base so flour does not stick and form lumps.
• Serving straight away: Let the pot stand for at least 30 minutes if time allows, so the sauce can settle.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat, avoiding a hard boil so the egg-lemon sauce is less likely to split.

Frequently asked questions