Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian)
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These Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian) are hearty, wholesome, and bursting with summery goodness. With a clever use of the entire squash and a rich, savory filling, it’s the kind of no-fuss recipe that brings comfort to any table.
If you love zucchini, try my Fried Zucchini Pasta and Zucchini Fritters Recipe next!
Quick Look: Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Servings: 12 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made gluten-free
- Method: Hollow-and-fill zucchini + bake until golden
- Technique: Scoop and reserve zucchini flesh, mix into the filling, then bake until the tops are crisp and the centers are soft
- Flavor & Texture: Savory, cheesy, tender, lightly crisp on top with a soft, flavorful interior
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite!
These easy stuffed zucchini are my Nonna Laura’s beloved recipe from Sardegna—a true celebration of summer’s bounty. We call them zucchine ripene in Italian, meaning “stuffed zucchini”.
She never let a bit of zucchini go to waste, scooping out the tender insides to mix into a flavorful filling, then stuffing it right back into the zucchini shells. It’s simple, rustic cooking at its best.
This recipe shines with medium to large zucchini—more room for that savory goodness. As summer rolls on and the squash grows bigger, this dish only gets better. It’s a family favorite we’ve cherished for generations—and now it’s yours to enjoy too!
You’ll also like my Oven Roasted Zucchini!
Made With AmorE,
“I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit. We love zucchini but needed a different way to cook it. This was perfect! I can’t wait to try out more of you recipes!”
– Kari
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian)
- Simple Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Zucchine Ripiene)
- Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian) FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Tips
- More Zucchini Recipes
- More Italian Recipes
- Italian Stuffed Zucchini Recipe (Zucchine Ripiene)
Simple Ingredients
Simple, wholesome ingredients come together to create this Italian dish that’s both comforting and full of flavor.
- Zucchini – The star of the dish, hollowed and used both as the base and mixed into the filling for a tender, flavorful bite
- Onion – Adds natural sweetness and depth when sautéed with the zucchini filling
- Egg + Bread Crumbs – Combined to bind the filling together and create structure with a soft, cohesive texture
- Parmigiano – Brings a rich, salty, nutty flavor that melts into the filling and crisps on top
- Olive Oil + Salt & Pepper – Essential for cooking, enhancing flavor, and creating a golden, savory finish
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the Zucchini: Yellow squash works just as well. Try my Roasted Zucchini and Squash recipe!
- Make it Heartier: Stir in ground meat, cooked rice, or lentils. Try using my Homemade Italian Sausage.
- Brighten the Flavor: Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or mint add a fresh finish.
- Boost with Garlic: A little fresh garlic brings earthy depth.
How to Make Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Zucchine Ripiene)
With a little tender love and care, you will be glad you spent the extra 10 minutes of prep time to make this delicious Italian zucchini recipe. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash zucchini. Cut ends and discard. Cut zucchini into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces. With a melon cuter or knife carve out the white flesh of the zucchini, creating a hole still leaving enough at the bottom to hold the filling.
- Save the zucchini shells for later. In a large skillet pan heat 1 tbs olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and interior flesh of the zucchini.
- Cook 8 minutes until soft and golden brown. Set aside and let cool in pan.
- Once the zucchini mixture in pan is cooled, add egg, parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork until well combined.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot, add olive oil and heat on high. Fry the zucchini on all sides about 6-8 minutes total. Remove from oil onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Drizzle an oven safe baking dish with olive oil. Place the fried zucchini shells in the dish. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini shells until the tops are filled.
- Sprinkle the tops generously with parmigiano and bread crumbs.
- Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until tops are golden brown.
Italian Stuffed Zucchini (Vegetarian) FAQs
Store leftover stuffed zucchini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through to keep the tops slightly crisp (the microwave works too, but will soften the texture). You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
No, the skin helps the zucchini hold its shape while baking—just wash them well.
The zucchini should be tender, and the tops lightly golden. A knife should slide in easily.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving these twice-baked zucchini straight from the oven with warm, crusty bread to soak up every savory bite. Try them with Focaccia Bread Recipe, Crusty Bread, or Ciabatta Bread for the ultimate pairing. They also shine alongside Pan-fried Breaded Chicken Breast. for a cozy, satisfying meal that feels straight out of an Italian kitchen.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Use medium-large zucchini for easier stuffing and more filling.
- Scoop gently—don’t pierce the skin, or they’ll fall apart while baking.
- Chop the zucchini flesh finely so it blends nicely into the filling.
- Don’t skip the olive oil drizzle before baking—it adds richness and helps with browning.
- Let them rest a few minutes after baking for the flavors to settle.
More Zucchini Recipes
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Italian Stuffed Zucchini Recipe (Zucchine Ripiene)
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini, it helps if they are thick in diameter
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for topping
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, unflavored, more for topping
- 3 tablespoons parmigiano, finely grated, more for topping
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Wash zucchini. Cut ends and discard. Cut zucchini into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces. With a melon cuter or knife, carve out the white flesh of the zucchini, creating a hole still leaving enough at the bottom to hold the filling.
- Save the zucchini shells for later. In a large skillet pan heat 1 tbs olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and interior flesh of the zucchini. Cook 8 minutes until soft and golden brown. Set aside and let cool in pan.
- Meanwhile, in a small pot, add olive oil on high heat. Fry the zucchini on all sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Remove from oil onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Once the zucchini mixture in pan is cooled, add the egg, parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork until well combined. Drizzle an oven safe baking dish with olive oil. Place the fried zucchini shells in the dish. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini shells until the tops are filled.
- Sprinkle the tops generously with parmigiano and bread crumbs. drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until tops are golden brown.
Notes
- Use medium-large zucchini for easier stuffing and more filling.
- Scoop gently—don’t pierce the skin, or they’ll fall apart while baking.
- Chop the zucchini flesh finely so it blends nicely into the filling.
- Don’t skip the olive oil drizzle before baking—it adds richness and helps with browning.
- Let them rest a few minutes after baking for the flavors to settle.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These zucchini fritters were simply amazing. My family couldn’t stop eating them. They are so easy to make too. Love them!
Made this recipe to try to impress a friend. It worked!
YAY!! 🤩
Hi Elena,
I just made your stuffed zucchini for lunch and they were delicious. I like how they’re creamy, full of taste and very light tasting at the same, but has a side of lovely richness to it. Another fantastic recipe of yours…I’m hooked and having so much fun with it! :O)
Thank you so much
I made these a few weeks ago. I added a little garlic and used Parmesan. It was amazing, my family loved it. Today I am making them again. This time I will use Parmigianino, and I’m going to ad some artichoke hearts to the filling. Great recipe. Thank you
I am so happy you loved one of our treasured family recipes. I love the idea of artichoke hearts! Enjoy.
I’m not a zucchini fan but these looked great and sounded interesting. I’m so glad i tried them. They are awesome. Can’t wait to make and share. I added a bit of fresh garlic and lemon pepper.
Kim, I’m so happy you loved it! It’s a great recipe to share and make all season. Enjoy!
Thank you very much.
Hi Elena, Can you make this ahead of time? I am having a party for 25 people, so I was wondering if I can make this ahead of time and reheat before serving. If so, how early can I prepare it. Thanks!
Hi! Yes! You can make them up to 24 hours in advance. Option 1- make them up until the point of baking them, cover well with plastic wrap and store in the fridge and bake full amount + 5 minutes right out of the fridge. Option 2- bake them completely, let them cool, then bake them at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes to warm until the inside is completely heated. Enjoy! Elena
Please give the nutritional content for all recipes.
This recipe sounds excellent – I can’t wait to try it. But, I’m just a little confused – do you cut the zucchini into 2” rounds regardless of their length, such that some will not have any “shell” at the bottom?
Make sure that there is a little bit at the bottom of each 🙂
I’m still confused — I have some giant homegrown zucchini that are 12 inches long… how can I cut them so that there is some “shell” at the bottom of every slice?
Hi Angela, you will cut the large zucchini into about 2 inch pieces. Then, one piece at a time, start scraping out the inside, but not all the way through!, the zucchini will still have a little bit left at the bottom. This will create a nice “shell” for the stuffing. I hope this helps! Enjoy.
Elena this sounds absolutely DIVINE!! I cannot wait to make this at our next dinner party. Thank you for sharing! xo Morgan (tampa, fl)
Morgan, I hope you love it! Let me know.
I’m wondering if there is a substitute I can use for Egg. I have a Egg allergy. Can you recommend a good substitute?
Hi Morgan, you can make a “flax egg” if you have ever done that with flax seed and water. I have not tested that for this recipe so I can’t guarantee the outcome! Basically, you need a binder for the filling. Hope you enjoy other recipes on CucinabyElena!
I’m vegan and Just Egg has worked well for me in these types of recipes. I can’t wait to give this one a try!
That’s great to know! Let me know how you love them!