Easy and Delicious Stuffed Vegetable Recipes
I have already had the opportunity to write recipes and recommendations about vegetables which are delicious when stuffed. Stuffed vegetables are a fun option to present to those who do not hold these wonders of the Earth in very high esteem, but of course there are some vegetables that are more suited to this culinary surgery than others. Medium-sized vegetables with a large quantity of pulp are those which can be most easily worked with… just try to imagine attempting to stuff small peas or asparagus spears!
Another thing that I like about the preparation of stuffed vegetables is that it gives us the opportunity to consume meat products while reducing the amount of carbohydrates that sometimes accompany them, for example, the use of bread or tortillas (if you're Mexican like me) and it is with these ideas that I propose three varieties of stuffed vegetables with meat filling.
One vegetable that is very convenient to prepare for stuffing is the pepper. At home we love to prepare it because it is very quick to cook. We usually fill it with ground beef which can be quickly seared in a skillet and finished off in the oven with a little cheese sprinkled on top. I think the stuffed peppers present a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures: cool, crisp and slightly sweet, all contrasting with the flavor of the meat. Courgettes and avocados are also very popular, although the latter is a new experience for me.
Now let's have a look at the recipes and do not forget to share your experiences and any questions you may have in the comments section.
Avocados stuffed with Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 Avocados
- ½ an Onion
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tomato
- 2 Carrot
- ¼ Cup of Peas
- 4 tbsp. Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. Mustard
- 1 Lemon
- 1 can of Tuna.
- Salt and pepper (sufficient amount)
Preparation:
- Chop the onion finely and put to one side.
- Grate the carrot and chop the tomatoes into chunks. You can also chop the carrot into small cubes and cook until softened in hot water. This brings another texture and flavor to the recipe.
- Boil water in a small saucepan, add the egg and cook until hard boiled. Once cooked, place in cold water and leave it to cool down completely. Remove the shell and chop into small pieces or slices.
- In a bowl or other recipient, put the previously chopped onions, tomato, grated or cooked carrots and peas.
- Drain the can of tuna removing excess water or oil and add to the vegetable mixture.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
- Cut the avocados in half, removing the central stone and hollow out slightly with the help of a spoon to make more space for the filling. Do not discard the pulp which you have removed as you can mix it with the tuna salad for filling.
- Fill 4 avocado halves with the prepared salad and serve cold or at room temperature.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
- 2-4 Peppers
- 300 g Ground beef
- 1 onion & 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Tomatoes
- 1 Cup of Cooked rice
- ½ Cup of Manchego cheese
- Vegetable oil
- Salt & Pepper (Sufficient amount)
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cut the tops off the peppers, but avoid cutting too low to leave enough space for the filling.
- Clean out the peppers, removing the seeds and veins.
- Chop the garlic and onion finely and put to one side.
- Dice the carrot and tomato into cubes and set aside.
- Saute the onion and garlic in a pan with a little oil until they appear translucent.
- Add the carrot and continue to lightly fry the vegetables: Immediately add the tomato and continue cooking until tomatoes soften.
- Add the ground beef and sauté, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.
- Add peas and mix well with all vegetables.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the stuffing from the heat and add the cooked rice; mix gently until well distributed.
- Fill the peppers with the meat stuffing and place on a tray. Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes until the peppers begin to brown.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and cover with grated cheese. Return to the oven for 2-5 minutes until all of the cheese has melted on top.
Quinoa-stuffed Courgettes (Zucchini)
Ingredients:
- 3 Courgettes (Zucchini)
- ½ an Onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ tbsp. Chili powder
- 1 Carrot
- ½ Pepper
- 1 Cup of Previously cooked quinoa
- 1 Egg
- 100 g of Gouda cheese
- Salt and pepper (Sufficient amount)
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cut the courgette (zucchini) in half and hollow out a little using a small spoon.
- Chop the garlic and onion finely and set aside.
- Chop the carrot and pepper into pieces.
- Sauté the garlic and onion in a pan, add the carrot and pepper and continue to sauté.
- Add the beaten egg and a little cheese. Season to taste and then remove from the pan.
- Stir in the cooked quinoa and fill the zucchini with this mixture, covering the finished product with the remaining cheese.
- Bake at 180°C until the cheese melts.