These stuffed zucchini cups (punjene tikvice) are loaded with a tasty mix of ground beef and rice, all immersed in a flavorful tomato sauce. Paired with complementing aromatic herbs, stuffed courgettes are as wholesome as they are nourishing. Shall we?
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Background
Stuffed vegetables are called dolmas in the Balkans, and they're on the menu year-round. Many veggies are stuffed, from peppers to onions. They're delicious, filling, and healthy.
We especially like the stuffed zucchini cups, also known as punjene tikvice.
They're like tiny nutritious bombs of flavor. A smaller size allows them to hold just the right amount of the aromatic ground beef and rice stuffing. Meanwhile, they bathe in the juiciest tomato sauce so that all the flavors are absorbed evenly.
The only problem you'll have is stopping yourself from eating too many. Stuffed zucchini cups are that good!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make stuffed zucchini cups with ground beef and rice.
- Zucchini (Squash, Baby Marrow, Courgette).
- Ground meat: beef is always the best choice! Substitute with ground veal, lamb, pork, or a mix. Avoid ground chicken or turkey (too dry!).
- Rice: short grain (Italian Arborio rice is perfect.) It's more juicy when it cooks, adding almost a risotto-like feel to the stuffing. Avoid long-grained and brown rice.
- Milk: regular or soy are fine.
- Oil: vegetable, canola, or sunflower. Substitute with avocado, flaxseed, or (melted) coconut oil. Avoid olive oil.
- Onion: yellow or white. Avoid red.
- Garlic.
- Tomato: heirloom, Roma, on the vine. Avoid cherry.
- Tomato sauce: the simplest, flavor-free tomato sauce works best.
- Stock powder: or a bouillon cube. Substitute with Vegeta.
- Parsley.
- (Optional) Dill.
- (Optional) Sour Cream.
Instructions
Here are the instructions for making stuffed zucchini cups with ground beef and rice.
Step 1 - Making the sauce for stuffed zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Heat oven to 480°F (250°C). Combine sauce ingredients in glassware and heat for 10 minutes.
Step 2 - Shaping the zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Cut each zucchini into a few equal pieces. Core each piece as if making a small cup.
Step 3 - Making the filling for stuffed zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Combine filling ingredients and mix well with your hand.
Step 4 - Stuffing zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Stuff each cup generously with the filling. Carefully transfer to bakeware.
Step 5 - Make the topping for zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Combine topping ingredients. Pour over zucchini.
Step 6 - Cover and bake zucchini cups (punjene tikvice). Cover with foil and create holes. Bake. Occasionally pour pan sauce over zucchini again.
Handling
Serving: Serve several zucchini cups in a serving bowl, and top with sauce. Perfect with a slice of homemade bread, or pogacha. Optionally, add a dollop of sour cream on top. You can also fortify the dish with a side of mashed potatoes or polenta.
Storing: Place in an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat based on your preferred method. We like to reheat it on the stovetop, on low, for at least 15 minutes, (or until it's hot). This gives both zucchini cups and the stuffing, an opportunity to warm up evenly. Add a little bit of water to the stew if it's too thick, or running low.
Recipe FAQs
Stuffed zucchini is a dish popular throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa. As such, it's hard to pinpoint the exact location of their origin.
It's a matter of personal preference, but we prefer zucchini cups. The smaller size allows for the stuffing and sauces to absorb perfectly.
This way, the zucchini is not just a shell that holds the stuffing, but an integral part of the dish. Also, because they're smaller, it's easier to gauge how much to eat.
However, if zucchini boats are more your thing, you can make them with this exact recipe. In this case, instead of cutting crosswise to make cups, create boats by cutting the zucchini lengthwise.
Covering the pan with foil and piercing in a few places creates an environment similar to the water bath (bain-marie). This way the dish is baking, cooking, and steaming all at the same time. It takes the flavor to the next level, but it does take 90 minutes.
However, if short on time, skip the foil and bake the zucchini for 50-60 minutes.
More Stuffed Goodies
Thoughts?
If you make today's stuffed zucchini with ground beef and rice and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
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Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Stuffed Zucchini Cups (Punjene Tikvice)
Equipment
- 1 Round, 9-inch (23cm) diameter glass bakeware. However, A 9x13x inch (23x33 cm) or a little smaller squared pan will work. (Glassware is optional, but it produces better flavor.)
Ingredients
- 3-4 zucchinis medium-sized, about the same size
- (Optional) sour cream to serve with
Sauce:
- 2 ounces vegetable oil for the pan
- 1 yellow onion medium-sized, peeled, minced
- 1 tomato large, peeled, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons parsley fresh, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-3 garlic cloves peeled, minced, adjust to your preference
- (Optional) pinch of dill
- (Optional) 1 tablespoon stock powder or 1 tablespoon Vegeta, or a bouillon cube
Filling:
- 5-6 ounces ground beef lamb or pork also work, or a mix of
- 3.5 ounces white rice short grain
- 2 ounces milk
- 1 yellow onion medium-sized, peeled, minced
- 1 tomato small, peeled, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons parsley fresh, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- (Optional) 1-2 garlic clove peeled, minced, adjust volume to your preference
- (Optional) 1 tablespoon stock powder or 1 tablespoon Vegeta, or a bouillon cube
Topping:
- 3.5 ounces tomato sauce
- 1.5 to 2 cups water
Instructions
Making the Sauce
- Heat oven to 480°F (250°C). In an oiled glass bakeware combine sauce ingredients and place in the oven. Heat for 10 minutes, then take out.
Shaping the Zucchini Cups (Parallel to the Sauce)
- Remove stems off zucchinis, and quarter each crosswise into approximately equal pieces. Core each piece by removing the middle and seeds, as if you were making small cups. (Try not to poke through to the other end.)
Making the Filling
- In a large bowl combine filling ingredients. Mix well with your hand until the ingredients completely integrate.
Stuffing the Zucchini Cups
- Stuff each zucchini cup generously with the filling to the top. As you fill them, carefully transfer each into the hot bakeware with the sauce. If there is more filling left over, transfer it to the bakeware as well.
Make the Topping
- In a larger cup combine topping ingredients and mix them. Generously pour the topping over the zucchini. The liquid in the pan should be at the same level as the top of the zucchini cups.
Cover and Bake*
- Bring the temperature down to 400-440°F (210-225°C ). Cover the bakeware with foil. Create several holes with a toothpick or pierce with a fork to let the steam out. Place on the middle rack. Bake for 90 minutes. At about 20-minute intervals, carefully lift the foil and using a spoon pour the liquid around the zucchini on top of it, so that it's moist from all sides while it bakes.
Handling
- Serve several zucchini cups in a serving bowl, and top with sauce along with bread, and sour cream. You can add a side like mashed potatoes or polenta. Place in an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat based on your preferred method. Add a little bit of water to the stew if it's too thick, or running low. (We like to reheat on the stovetop, on low for 15 minutes).
AJ Paradis says
What a heartfelt post. Loss is so hard and I relate to that feeling of terror at receiving the news of such a profound loss. I wish we didn't have to torment ourselves, for when the moment is upon us, we'll surely be tormented enough. So curious his last night - the soul feels and knows on a deeper level. The picture of you and he together is lovely. I think the stuffed zucchini is such a cool recipe, but out of curiosity, what was your father's favorite dish? I'll give them both a try.
Aida says
AJ,
Just found your lovely note, thus a delay in responding.
My father's favorite dish? I'm not sure he would have picked only one. But he really was a meat kind of guy. So possibly lamb made under sac (a local way of roasting/ baking food in a metal pan aka "sac" (pronounced "satch" or "peka" in Croatia) that's covered and buried in wood and baked that way... (here's a 1-min video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKKD-3gItc). If you decide to make a detour to these parts sometime, I'll take you to a good place.
AJ Paradis says
Wow, so interesting! I've never heard of that before. Oh, someday I hope we begin to travel again and would love to make it to your neck of the woods. Likewise, if you ever find yourself over in Iberia, we'll share a paella 🙂
Aida says
I'd like that! 🙂
Aidaa says
Super tasty!
Aida says
Glad you liked it!