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Sian Victoria © - Stuffed courgettes Hello Fresh recipe

Easy vegetarian courgette & mushroom recipes

Sometime ago I shared a vegan Thai Massaman curry recipe that I made with the ingredients Hello Fresh gifted me in a veggie box. In that fresh food delivery box was also the recipe cards and ingredients to make a delicious warm lentil salad with roasted butternut & minted feta dish and this recipe of stuffed courgettes with balsamic spinach & tomatoes.

I enjoyed all three veggie meals, so I’ve made them myself a lot since getting the recipes. I’ve eaten the meals more so during the past few months when I’ve been cooking at home instead of going out for dinner.

So, I thought it was about time to share with you these vegetarian and plant-based recipes. They are relatively quick to prepare and cheap to cook for all the family.

The stuffed courgette boats filled with creamy mushrooms and panko breadcrumbs served with balsamic spinach and tomato salad is a flavoursome veggie dish counting towards 4 of your 5 a day. Making it a healthy plant-based meal with a great source of calcium, protein and healthy fats from the dairy-free cheese.

So, here’s everything you need to know to make stuffed courgettes for four people at home. Ofcourse, tailor the ingrediants for your desired quantity.

Ingredients to make four stuffed courgettes:

4 Courgettes (also known as zucchini), halved
2 Shallots, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, grated
1 punnet of Button mushrooms, chopped
2 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large pot of Crème Fraiche (the vegan Oatly Creamy Oat Fraiche is my favourite)
30g Panko breadcrumbs
60g Hard Italian cheese (there are so many great vegan alternatives so any will do for the melting)
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 bag of Baby Spinach
Mixed seeds to sprinkle – sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seed will do
Olive oil
Greaseproof paper

Notes:

There is approximately 454 kcal, 34g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 12g sugar and 18g of protein per serving. Of course, depending on what cheese and crème Fraiche you choose this will differ, but this gives you an estimated idea of the nutrition guide.
Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables before using.
Preheat the oven to 180°c
You’ll need two baking trays, a fine grater or garlic press, two mixing bowls and a non-stick frying pan.

Instructions:

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make delicious stuffed courgettes:

1. Prep the courgettes:

Cut the courgettes in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Put the ‘boats’ on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place the tray of courgettes on the top shelf of the oven to roast for 15 minutes.

While the ‘boats’ are roasting. Halve, peel and finely chop the shallot. Peel, grate or press the garlic. Chop the mushrooms and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Once roasted remove the courgettes out of the oven and turn it up to 200°c.

2. Make the stuffing:

Put a splash of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add the mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.

Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed into the mushrooms, for about 5-7 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, add the crème Fraiche and stir through.

3. Stuff the courgettes:

Divide the mushroom stuffing between the courgette ‘boats’. In a bowl mix the panko breadcrumbs and hard Italian cheese and sprinkle over the stuffed courgettes.

Grind on some black pepper and put back in the oven to cook until browned around the edges. This should take approximately 15-20 minutes.

4. Roast the tomatoes:

Put the sliced cherry tomatoes on another baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Drizzle them with balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Then place them on the middle shelf of the oven to roast for 8-10 minutes.

5. Dress the spinach:

hile the tomatoes and courgettes are roasting. Use the rest of the balsamic vinegar in a mixing bowl with a splash of olive oil. Add the spinach and toss the leaves for even coverage.

6. Finish and serve:

Take the courgettes and tomatoes out of the oven once they look juicy and roasted. Either serve the spinach and tomatoes in separate bowls or simply serve the salad on a plate on the side of the courgettes. Drizzle any left-over balsamic vinegar and olive oil from the tray and finish by sprinkling mixed seeds.

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