Zucchini Casserole with Mint and Parsley

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

Zucchini halves are layered with rice, sausage, fresh mint, and parsley for a hearty way to use up your zucchini summer crop. It will have everyone in the family coming back for seconds!

Ingredients

4 zucchini, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
3 sweet onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup short-grain white rice
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
1 cup water, or more as needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, or more to taste
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Chardonnay wine
1/2 (14 ounce) package little smoked sausages, diced

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the inside of a casserole dish.
2 Scoop pulp from the center of each zucchini half, leaving a 1/2-inch deep shell. Chop pulp and reserve. Place zucchini shells in a pot of lightly salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until zucchini are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and arrange zucchini in bottom of prepared casserole dish.
3 Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions and zucchini pulp until onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Add rice and reserved juice from canned tomatoes; cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, stirring regularly, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to combine.
4 Stir water in 1/2 cup increments into rice mixture until rice has absorbed all the water and is almost tender, 10 to 15 more minutes. Add mint, parsley, wine, and sausages; cook until heated through and rice is tender, adding additional water if needed, 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon rice mixture over zucchini halves in casserole dish.
5 Bake casserole in preheated oven until zucchini are tender, about 20 minutes.