ZUCCHINI BOATS WITH PARMESAN SPINACH RICE – Spinach rice with Parmesan cheese, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed inside zucchini boats. Zucchini boats made by slicing squash lengthwise and scooping out the seeds to make a canoe. Puts a whole new spin on eating your vegetables.
So. . .yeah. . it’s that time of year again. When giant stacks of green zucchini squash mysteriously fill half my cart at the farmer’s market so they can come home with me where I have no choice but to eat them every day until they start coming out of my eyeballs.
Zucchini is one of those things that people usually have a love/hate relationship with. I aim to change that. Every time I post a new zucchini recipe part of me secretly hopes that somewhere, some place, some zucchini loather will give it a chance and because of me they won’t hate it so much anymore.
All I’m saying is give zucchini a chance. Or a second, third or fourth chance. . .
ZUCCHINI BOATS WITH PARMESAN SPINACH RICE
Rice with spinach, Parmesan cheese, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed inside zucchini boats.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- coarse salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 cup white rice (medium or long-grain), rinsed well in a wire colander
- 2 cups frozen chopped spinach (the bagged type)
- 2 + 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup half & half, plus more if needed
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 4 medium - large zucchini
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid saute garlic with a dash of salt and pepper in the butter until fragrant.
- Add the rice, spinach, water, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and a couple dashes of black pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 20 - 25 minutes.
- Fluff up the rice with a fork then add the half & half, tomatoes and Parmesan. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems exceptionally thick you can stir in additional half & half.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the zucchini evenly in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds to form a boat.
- Fill with the rice, heaping over the top. Place in a large roasting pan or on a baking sheet. Bake 20 - 25 minutes until the zucchini is fork tender.
- Sprinkle the top with additional Parmesan to serve.
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