How long does it take to steam zucchini? How to cook zucchini for a baby’s first feeding: methods of cooking, steaming, in a slow cooker

In the first months of life, the baby receives all the vitamins and microelements he needs from mother’s milk, and “artificial” ones from adapted milk formulas. But by the fourth (for babies who are formula-fed) or sixth month, the baby begins to be prepared for the transition to normal nutrition: complementary foods are gradually introduced.

A baby's introduction to adult food should begin with a simple, that is, one-ingredient, hypoallergenic and easily digestible product. Pediatricians believe that zucchini is best suited for first complementary feeding. This vegetable is easy to prepare, it is very healthy, it contains a lot of mineral salts and almost no plant fiber, so it:

  • Does not overload the intestines and does not irritate the stomach;
  • Due to the content of a significant amount of pectin, it is easy to digest;
  • It has a mild diuretic property, that is, it removes excess water from the body, and along with it, toxins.

It is especially useful to prepare zucchini puree for children who are prone to constipation. This vegetable is rich in vitamin C and B vitamins, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, which is important for children. This mineral is a regulator of the water balance of our body; it normalizes the heart rhythm; nerve and muscle cells are primarily affected by its deficiency. Foods rich in potassium not only strengthen the immune system, but also support the immune system in the fight against allergies, which is important for young children.

How to properly cook zucchini

Ready-made zucchini puree in jars is sold in any store in the baby food department, but many mothers prefer to make it at home. Some people believe that store-bought food cannot always be trusted; others do not want to spend a lot of money on something that they can prepare themselves from cheap ingredients. And there are also mothers who simply enjoy not only caring for their beloved baby, but also cooking his “first real food” with their own hands.

The first adult meals should remind the baby of breast milk or formula, so complementary foods should be sweet and have a pleasant smell. The consistency of the zucchini puree should be no thicker than kefir, so that it is easier for babies to eat.

  • Baby food squash is first washed in cold running water and cleaned, then washed again;
  • You need to cook the zucchini for as long as it takes to soften it, but no more than 10 minutes. To prepare complementary foods, it is better to use bottled “baby” water. To preserve vitamin C, you need to take very little water, just so that the vegetable pieces are covered with it. If you overdo it, you will still have to drain the excess liquid. It is even more useful to steam the zucchini; in a steamer, the zucchini is cooked according to the instructions for the device (usually 15–20 minutes);
  • The puree is made with one component, that is, only from zucchini - without butter, cow's milk and sugar. You can only add breast milk or formula, and if they are not used, the broth in which the vegetable was cooked. It is not recommended to add salt, but if a child refuses to eat unsalted puree several times in a row, once again add a little salt (not “for yourself”!).

Boiled or steamed zucchini is mashed with a fork and rubbed through a sieve so that there are no pieces. Using a blender is not always convenient, because the first time you need a little puree, it is not enough for the blender.

The initial portion of complementary foods for children is from half to one teaspoon, which is given in the morning in order to observe during the day whether the baby has allergies or intestinal disorders. You can only give your baby fresh puree. Do not reheat complementary foods!

Little tricks

If the child was born in the summer or autumn, and they begin to feed him only in winter or spring, the zucchini season can still be used wisely and prepared vegetables for future use. They need to be washed, peeled, cut into cubes, packaged in portioned bags and frozen (quick freezing allows you to preserve all the beneficial substances and vitamins in vegetables and fruits). When you cook mashed potatoes for your child, you simply pour boiling water over one portion. Frozen cubes are cooked in the same way in a steamer.

It is more convenient to take young small vegetables without seeds for baby puree; they should be fresh, not bruised and without scratches. It is not necessary to buy or prepare ordinary zucchini - it can also be zucchini, they do not differ in composition. Before freezing or cooking store-bought vegetables, you need to soak them in salted cold water for two hours to remove pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

When the baby can already be given freshly squeezed juices, the first juice can also be zucchini juice, because it does not cause allergies. To ensure that the beneficial substances are preserved in it, it is given no later than ten minutes after spinning. Over time, it can be mixed with other juices.

Complementary feeding is now causing a lot of discussion among young mothers and the older generation. And all due to the fact that doctors’ recommendations regarding the introduction of this or that product into complementary feeding of a baby have changed very much over the past 20 years. If previously a baby began to be introduced to adult food literally a couple of months after birth due to the fact that a short period of time was provided for child care, today doctors strongly recommend doing this only after 6 months. But one thing has remained unchanged - the first “adult dish” that a baby should try is zucchini.

In order for your baby to grow up healthy and happy, it is important to properly organize his nutrition.

Zucchini is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals; it is well absorbed by the child’s body and does not cause allergies at all. Despite the fact that breastfeeding provides the baby with all the necessary microelements, with age he will still not have enough of the nutrients that enter the body with milk. This primarily concerns iron and zinc. It is these microelements that an infant begins to need at the age of 5–6 months.

Zucchini is incredibly easy to cook, and there are so many useful substances in it! In addition, it will contain:

  • unsaturated fatty acids;
  • B vitamins;
  • vitamin A, C, PP and H;
  • chemical trace elements (iron, zinc, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, potassium and many others);
  • monosaccharides;
  • disaccharides;
  • organic acids;
  • alimentary fiber.

It also contains proteins, carbohydrates and fats necessary for normal functioning. Therefore, its presence in the baby’s diet should be mandatory.

Zucchini is traditionally the first vegetable a baby tries.

  • Zucchini, like any other vegetable, should be introduced into complementary foods gradually and in boiled form. First, you can offer your baby ½ teaspoon of zucchini puree or juice. Then you should observe the body's reaction.

If the color, smell or consistency of baby's stool has changed, you should wait a little before starting complementary feeding. This only means that the immaturity of the baby’s body does not yet allow it to absorb nutrients. After a month, you can try giving your baby zucchini puree again.

If the body accepts the innovation normally, then you can gradually increase the dose. At 7 months, an infant should not eat more than 80–100 g of puree per day, and no more than 100 ml of juice should be prepared. You can “dilute” your baby’s menu a little and give him 50 g of puree or 50 ml of zucchini juice per day.

It is worth noting that such an innovation can cause peeling of the skin. But this is not a reason to exclude such a healthy vegetable from a child’s diet. It just needs to be mixed with breast milk. Peeling of the skin is a kind of reaction of the digestive system (after all, its work with innovation becomes more complicated) and is not an allergy. However, if the skin peeling is severe, you should consult a pediatrician.

It is better to cook zucchini in a double boiler - this way it will retain more vitamins

Everyone knows that heat treatment contributes to the loss of beneficial properties of vegetables and fruits. To prevent this from happening with zucchini, it must be properly cooked. How long should it be cooked? No more than 10 minutes in boiling water.

Zucchini cooks very quickly, and this time is enough for it to become soft, while retaining all its beneficial properties.

Cook baby zucchini in small portions in a small saucepan over medium heat. First you need to rinse it under running water, peel it and rinse it again. Only cold water is used. Then cut it into circles 1 - 1.5 cm thick. Put the peeled zucchini in a saucepan and add a small amount of water. There should not be a lot of it, it should only slightly cover the vegetable. Cook for 10 minutes. This way you will also prepare vegetable broth, which can also be given to your baby or diluted into purees.

You can also cook zucchini using a double boiler. This option, by the way, is much better than the first. Because by steaming, you retain more nutrients. True, you won’t be able to make broth like this, and the puree will have to be diluted with breast milk. Steaming the zucchini also takes about 10 minutes.

You cannot add salt and various spices while cooking vegetables.

It is important that the puree is not too thick, because it is easier for the baby to cope with a more familiar consistency

Preparing zucchini puree is not difficult for a young mother. After you have boiled the vegetable, you need to chop it. For these purposes, either a fine grater or a blender is suitable. Next, to prepare the puree, add the broth that formed during cooking or breast milk to the chopped zucchini to the required consistency.

The puree should not be too thick, but you shouldn’t make it too liquid either. The juice is prepared in the same way, only more liquid is added. How much liquid do you need? For approximately 100 g of product, 0.5 liters of liquid (broth or breast milk).

Before freezing, zucchini should be washed and dried thoroughly.

Unfortunately, fresh zucchini can only be purchased from us in the summer. But children also require healthy food on winter days. In order to provide the baby with vitamins in winter, zucchini must be frozen. However, this must be done correctly.

For these purposes, it is best to use small young zucchini. They must be washed under running water, peeled and cut into small pieces. Wait until they are dry from the water, place them in a plastic bag, and then in the freezer.

This way you can cook vitamin puree for your baby and prepare healthy juices not only in summer, but also in winter!

Zucchini is a healthy and nutritious product. The tender pulp contains a large amount of fiber, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, calcium, potassium salts, iron, and magnesium. And even with long-term storage, all this natural wealth does not disappear from this unique vegetable. Zucchini is excellent for dietary and baby food. You can prepare a variety of light and tasty dishes from it. Young mothers often wonder how long to cook zucchini to make baby puree intended for first feeding. And many would just like to know how to cook a summer dish of zucchini in a slow cooker or double boiler.

How to prepare zucchini for cooking

Ideally, young zucchini should be cooked. The preparatory work will not take much time. Vegetables are washed and cut into cubes or circles.

Ripe fruits are distinguished by a hard skin, hard seeds inside and dense pulp. Before cooking such zucchini, they need to be peeled, freed from seeds, and the pulp cut into pieces.

If you need zucchini halves to prepare a dish, peel them, cut them lengthwise and remove the seeds. Usually only young zucchini are boiled whole. Their skin is tender and the seeds are soft. You just need to wash them before cooking.

Advice! The skin of the zucchini can be removed quickly and easily if you cut it in half and peel it vertically with a knife or vegetable peeler.

Zucchini puree for babies

For children, dishes are prepared especially carefully. In order for your baby to like zucchini as a complementary food, its consistency should resemble mother’s milk. Baby zucchini puree is prepared as follows:

    • A small young zucchini is thoroughly washed and peeled.
  • You need to cook it for about 10 minutes. It should be easy to knead with a fork. Boiled vegetables can be rubbed through a strainer. To prepare small amounts of puree, using a blender is simply inconvenient.
  • Very little water is needed. It should only cover the vegetable pieces. Zucchini cooked in too much water will make the puree too watery.

Important! A small child should be fed only freshly prepared zucchini puree. When reheated, the dish loses its beneficial properties and becomes tasteless.

Preparing soup puree from young zucchini

This light and healthy dish is perfect for a summer lunch. It doesn't take much time to prepare the puree soup. 3 - 4 young zucchini are boiled whole in a small amount of lightly salted water for 20 minutes. Using a blender they are turned into puree.

Fry a couple of tablespoons of flour until light golden brown in a frying pan in which a piece of butter has been preheated. The fried flour must be mixed with the squash broth so that no lumps form. You also need to pour a couple of glasses of milk there. Add zucchini puree to the resulting mixture. Cook the soup for another 8-10 minutes.

Serve puree soup with chopped herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro) and toasted pieces of white bread.

Cooking zucchini correctly

Today, in every kitchen you can see a variety of household appliances. I would like all this to help housewives prepare delicious and healthy dishes. Zucchini can be cooked in different ways:

In a steamerWhen the water boils in the container, the chopped vegetables are laid out in one layer and cooked for 20 minutes.
In a slow cookerVegetables are cooked for 10 minutes in the "Bake" mode
In a saucepanBoil a small amount of water and add salt. Place vegetables in there and cook for 10 minutes
In a saucepan (for a child)The zucchini is boiled for 10 - 15 minutes and mashed with a fork or smashed with a blender. If the puree turns out to be too thick, it is diluted with vegetable broth remaining after cooking.
In a saucepan (for stew)To prepare the stew, it is enough to boil the zucchini for only 10 minutes so that it has a pleasant consistency and does not fall apart.

Any housewife, having once cooked zucchini, will be able to determine by the appearance of the product how much it needs to be cooked for a particular dish. You don't even have to time it. This vegetable is very easy to prepare. And for it to be as useful as possible, it is better to choose it during the season, when there are more opportunities to purchase a quality product without nitrates. Bon appetit!

You should be very careful about children's first complementary foods. It is important not only to choose high-quality and hypoallergenic products, but also to prepare them correctly so that all nutrients are preserved and benefit the child’s body. Zucchini complementary foods take first place among products offered to children under one year of age. It contains many vitamins and minerals; mom just needs to properly prepare a dish with this vegetable.

Contains a lot of potassium, iron, zinc, copper, vitamin C. The lack of these vitamins in breast milk begins when the child is 5-6 months old. It is at this time that it is recommended to introduce the product.

The vegetable is low-calorie, it contains only 27 kcal.

Zucchini helps cope with anemia in infants, removes toxins from the body, has a diuretic effect, activates the body's immune forces, improves intestinal function, and cleanses the blood. The potassium content improves cardiac activity, improves the muscular and nervous system. It is well absorbed by the body, so zucchini is an ideal product for first feeding.

How to introduce the product into the diet

For the first time, you can prepare puree, then you can try the juice. It should be introduced gradually and only in boiled form. How much to give puree for the first time? Give half a teaspoon and observe the body for 24 hours. If the baby does not have any reaction, the dosage can be increased. By 7 months, the daily intake of the product should be about 100 g. For example, you can give your child 50 g of puree and 50 ml of juice.

Rules for first acquaintance with zucchini.

  1. Zucchini goes well with other vegetables. But for the first complementary foods you need to prepare dishes consisting of only one zucchini.
  2. The dish should be given in the first half of the day.
  3. A small amount of puree should be given before the main feeding with breast milk or formula.
  4. In the case when the baby refuses to eat new food, it is worth waiting for some time (a week or two) and then offering it again.
  5. You should not introduce new complementary foods, including zucchini, when the child is not feeling well (sick or teething, or during vaccinations).

This vegetable belongs to baby food products, which in rare cases cause allergies. Therefore, zucchini dishes are among the first in a baby’s diet. Despite this, after the first dose you should carefully monitor the child’s condition.

If the baby shows allergy symptoms (rash, cough, upset stool), the product must be discontinued. Repeated administration is possible only after a month.

The product should not be administered to children who have kidney disease. Especially those associated with impaired excretion of potassium from the body (hyperkalemia).

Rules for preparing the product

In order for the entire vitamin complex to remain in full composition even after heat treatment, the zucchini must be cooked correctly. How many minutes should the product be cooked? The time required for the product to be completely ready is about 10 minutes (only the time from the moment of boiling is taken into account).

If the vegetable is not from your own garden, but purchased at the market or in a store, then you first need to soak it in cool, slightly salted water. As a result, harmful chemical fertilizers with which the vegetables were quite possibly processed will evaporate.

  • Before cooking the dish, the zucchini must be washed thoroughly. Peel and rinse again. The water should be cool.
  • Cut the zucchini into small cubes or rings.
  • Place in a saucepan and add a small amount of water.
  • Cook for 10 minutes after boiling.
  • After this, the resulting mass is crushed using a sieve or blender.
  • The liquid in which the zucchini was cooked is added to the resulting mush.

The zucchini puree should have a medium consistency. The dish must be prepared without adding spices and salt.

Using the same principle, you can prepare juice for a child. The difference lies in the amount of liquid added. For 100 g of vegetables you need half a liter of liquid.

As the child grows up, you can include squash caviar and other dishes in the diet. You can make them quickly and easily at home.

You can buy zucchini puree in jars. You should carefully study the composition. There should be nothing except water and the vegetables themselves.

You can cook using a slow cooker or a double boiler. In the case where there are no such devices in the house, you can prepare it as follows.

  1. You need to prepare the puree from well-washed zucchini, peeled and seeds removed.
  2. Place a pan of water on the fire.
  3. You need to prepare a sieve into which the vegetable is transferred and placed on top of the pan.
  4. During boiling, steam rises from the surface of the water, which makes the dish ready.
  5. Cook the dish by covering the pan with a lid.

How long does a cooked dish last? It is better to cook fresh puree before each feeding. In other cases, the finished puree should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. During feeding, the required amount is taken and heated.

Is frozen product ok?

It is not always possible to find zucchini in winter. Therefore, you can successfully freeze it. To preserve all the beneficial substances, you need to do it correctly.

Young zucchini of medium softness and small size are suitable for freezing. They should be thoroughly washed in water, peeled, and washed again. Cut into small slices. After this, you need to leave it for a while so that all the pieces dry. Place into bags and place in the freezer. Before preparing the dish, the product is defrosted at room temperature.

Dishes made from zucchini will allow you to diversify your baby’s menu and enrich his body with useful substances. Do not be upset if your child refuses to eat cooked food. By the time he is one year old, he will finally get used to the new diet and will definitely enjoy eating zucchini puree. To avoid mistakes, you need to take into account the advice given by your pediatrician.

A holiday table is rarely complete without vegetables. If you don’t want to spend a lot of time on cooking, you need a quick and effective option, then you should know how to deliciously bake zucchini in the oven. The main advantage of this treat is that it can be stuffed with a variety of fillings and there are a lot of cooking options.

Preparation

This vegetable dish is prepared in different ways; the final result largely depends on the filling. To make the treat tasty, you should know how to cook zucchini in the oven, how to choose the right vegetable, stuff it, etc. The filling can be cheese, meat, mushrooms or tomatoes. There are many options, so you will have a wide choice. Dishes made from inexpensive products will turn out very tasty if you follow the selection rules described below.

How to choose

Fresh specimens have a thin skin and tender flesh, so they are ideal if you want to bake this dish. If you don’t find any in the store, you can take “old” fruits, but then you need to cut off the rough skin and clean the seeds from the core. This is easily done with a tablespoon. Next, cut them according to the description of the selected recipe. This step is mandatory, then you choose how to cook the zucchini in the oven.

How long to bake

Many people are interested in how to deliciously bake zucchini in the oven? Novice cooks should take into account that they should not keep the future lunch or dinner in the oven for too long: it may lose all its juice and become bland and dry. As a rule, baking lasts no more than 20 minutes, the optimal temperature is 200 degrees. Some housewives use a microwave for these purposes. In it, the process takes a little less time - 15 minutes at a power of 400 Watts.

Recipes

You can choose for yourself how and how to bake zucchini in the oven. They are used to make muffins, potato pancakes, stews, casseroles, rolls or ratatouille. This will help to please any guest, even those who are on a diet. Below are the most famous, delicious options for how to cook simply and quickly. All you have to do is choose the one that suits you best.

With minced meat

This is a tasty version of a low-fat dish that has both meat and vegetable components. Barrels of minced meat baked in the oven perfectly complement each other and highlight the merits of each ingredient. It is better to serve them with herbs, garnished with fresh lettuce leaves. Below is a step-by-step cooking recipe with a detailed description and photo.

Ingredients:

  • onions – 5 pcs.;
  • carrots – 1 pc.;
  • yellow/green bell pepper – 1 pc.;
  • young zucchini - 2 pcs.;
  • water – 1 cup;
  • rice – 150 g;
  • minced meat – 500 g;
  • Russian/Dutch cheese – 50 g;
  • spices;
  • vegetable oil;
  • garlic cloves – 3 pcs.

Cooking method:

  1. You should start by preparing the filling. Rinse, boil the rice until fully cooked, let cool. Finely chop the garlic, peeling it off. Cut the onions into small cubes; you can fry them for minced meat. The greens should also be washed and chopped finely. Mix boiled rice with minced meat, onions, herbs and garlic. Add spices to taste.
  2. Next is the frying line. Take the remaining 2 onions and cut into half rings. Grate the peeled carrots onto a coarse grain. Remove the seeds and core from the bell pepper and cut into medium cubes. Fry carrots, peppers, and onions in a frying pan heated with oil. If desired, you can add sour cream, tomato, and salt to taste.
  3. Wash the zucchini well, cut off the tails, cut into circles, each 4 cm thick. You can also cut them lengthwise, making boats for baking. This option is optimal if the vegetable is thin so that there are no high edges.
  4. Use a teaspoon to remove the core from each circle, leaving a bottom of about ½ centimeter.
  5. Stuffed barrels should be cooked in a high-sided baking sheet or frying pan. Add the roast to the pan, place each circle separately on top and fill with a glass of water.
  6. Add sour cream as the next layer.
  7. Place in the oven. Keep at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove, sprinkle with grated cheese and return for another 10 minutes.

Casserole

According to these instructions, zucchini casserole in the oven can be prepared not only with cheese, but also with vegetables, boiled chicken breast, turkey, rice or mushrooms. The recipe is very flexible, it can be changed to suit your taste and needs. This is especially useful during times when there is a wide choice of products from the garden. Below is a classic example of preparing a casserole with a photo.

Ingredients:

  • eggs – 5 pcs.;
  • processed cheese – 3 pcs.;
  • zucchini – 3 pcs.;
  • spices;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • oil for frying.

Cooking method:

  1. Wash, dry, cut into circles. If the vegetable is old, then the rough skin should be removed, otherwise the casserole will not turn out tender.
  2. Chop the onions and fry them in oil in a frying pan with high sides for a couple of minutes.
  3. When the onion becomes translucent, add the mugs. Stir gently so that they do not fall apart and turn into puree. They should become softer, this takes 5 minutes.
  4. Cut the cheese into small cubes, you can grate it. Place in the pan.
  5. Chop the peeled garlic.
  6. Add salt and spices to your taste.
  7. Remove everything from the stove and let cool. Take a bowl (deep), beat in the eggs, add a little salt and stir with a whisk.
  8. Pour the eggs into the mixture, mix well.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, grease the pan with oil, place the prepared dish on it and set to bake.
  10. In 40 minutes the casserole will be ready.

With tomatoes and cheese

When in the summer there is a large selection of different fresh vegetables, there is an excellent opportunity to prepare an inexpensive product in the oven with tomatoes and cheese. This recipe is called a classic; it is often served on the holiday table as a delicious snack. This dish is prepared quickly and does not cause any difficulties even for novice cooks. You will spend no more than 1 hour for the entire preparation and baking process. Photos and step-by-step instructions are presented below.

Ingredients:

  • large zucchini - one;
  • Dutch/Russian cheese – 150 g;
  • fleshy tomatoes – 3 pcs.;
  • mayonnaise – 70 g;
  • parsley/dill - to taste;
  • spices;
  • garlic – 4 cloves.

Cooking method:

  1. Wash and dry the greens.
  2. Cut the vegetables into rings, each about 1 cm thick.
  3. Cut the tomatoes into circles too.
  4. Finely chop the greens. Place it in a bowl and squeeze the garlic through a press.
  5. You need to grate the cheese using coarse grains.
  6. Mix cheese and mayonnaise with herbs.
  7. Add spices to taste, mix the contents of the bowl thoroughly.
  8. Pepper everything and add a little salt.
  9. Place a circle on a baking sheet, top it with a tomato, then the cheese and mayonnaise mixture.
  10. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the sheet in it. Only bottom heat can be turned on during cooking. You can switch to grill 5 minutes before the end of cooking to get an appetizing crust.

Pancakes

Some people follow a weight loss diet and are always looking for healthy, low-calorie meals. They rarely turn out to be truly tasty, but oven-baked zucchini pancakes are a pleasant exception. This dish perfectly combines limited calories and excellent taste. Below is a recipe with photos on how to prepare vegetable pancakes.

Ingredients:

  • grated cheese - half a glass;
  • salt – 0.5 tsp;
  • green onions – 4 pcs.;
  • egg;
  • zucchini - two medium ones;
  • spices;
  • Bulgarian pepper;
  • breading – 1 cup.

Cooking method:

  1. Set the oven to 200 degrees. Line baking trays with baking paper and spray with oil.
  2. Wash the food and dry it. Grate on a coarse grater. Next, you need to put them in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess juice.
  3. Place the diced pepper and grated mixture in a bowl with high edges. Beat the egg here, add grated cheese, spices, and crackers. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
  4. Form 10-12 pancakes from the resulting mass and place on a heated baking sheet.
  5. These pancakes will be ready in a preheated oven in 10 minutes. Next, turn over to the other side and hold for another 8 minutes.
  6. It is recommended to serve the dish with sour cream.

boats

There are two options for cutting vegetables for baking in the oven. In the first case, “stumps” are made, in which the core is cut out, but the bottom remains. In the second case, you can make stuffed boats with minced meat in the oven. This form is well suited if the vegetable is thin and cutting into circles is inconvenient. This type of cut makes it very easy to stuff. Below is a recipe on how to make filled boats.

Ingredients:

  • spices, sugar salt - to taste;
  • tomato juice – 1 glass;
  • onion – 2 heads;
  • zucchini – 2 medium;
  • sunflower oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
  • hard cheese – 100 g;
  • minced beef – 300 g.

Cooking method:

  1. Cut each vegetable in half.
  2. Using a spoon, carefully (so as not to tear) remove the contents of the vegetable, only the walls should remain, the thickness is 1 cm.
  3. It is better to cut the onion into cubes and fry in oil.
  4. Add minced meat to the pan, mix the ingredients well, simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. After this, pour in the tomato juice and keep covered for another 10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce.
  6. Add sugar and spices.
  7. Place the minced meat into the cut boats.
  8. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater and sprinkle on top of the minced meat.
  9. Place the dish in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.

With cheese and garlic

This dish is quick and easy to make. You can serve it with pork or chicken; this option is not suitable if you are preparing fish. Zucchini in the oven with cheese and garlic will be ready 20 minutes after being placed in the oven. The fried version of this vegetable turns out to be very fatty, so bake it if you want to reduce calorie content. Food is prepared in the oven as follows.

Ingredients:

  • sour cream – 180 g;
  • medium zucchini – 4 pcs.;
  • salt;
  • garlic – 1 clove;
  • cheese – 120 g.

Cooking method:

  1. Cut the washed vegetables into nickels.
  2. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater.
  3. Make a mixture of salt, garlic, sour cream and cheese in a separate bowl.
  4. It is better to place food paper on the baking sheet.
  5. Brush each patch with sour cream mixture.
  6. Place in the oven and wait until the dish is covered with a crust.

With potato

As a rule, stuffed zucchini is served as an appetizer or an alternative to a meat dish, and the side dish is prepared separately. If you want to make an all-in-one dish, then you should try the option described below. Zucchini potatoes cook quickly in the oven, so you can serve them every day if you have fresh vegetables. Following these instructions you will get about 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  • onion – 1 head;
  • bell pepper – 1 pc.;
  • zucchini – 2 small;
  • new potatoes – 500 g;
  • spices, salt;
  • bacon – 200 g;
  • olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

  1. Cut everything into circles. The baking sheet or form in which you will bake must be coated with oil.
  2. The first layer is potatoes, pepper, salt, then lay out the zucchini.
  3. Cut the onion into half rings, the pepper into bars, mix them and place them on top.
  4. Sprinkle everything with oregano, ground pepper, and marjoram. Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
  5. Place thinly sliced ​​bacon in the next layer. This component is not necessary, but it makes the dish tastier and more satisfying.
  6. The last layer is potatoes again. Add spices again and drizzle with oil.
  7. Cover the baking tray/shape with foil and place in the oven at 200 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil, place the baking sheet as high as possible and bake for another 2 minutes.

Baked with mushrooms

The beauty of this vegetable lies in its excellent combination with almost any component. Zucchini stuffed with mushrooms, baked in the oven - a very simple, tasty dish. You can simply prepare it for dinner or for a holiday table. They go well with cutlets, stewed pork or fried chicken fillet. After cooking, the dish will not be greasy, and the golden-brown batter will have a pleasant crunch.

Ingredients:

  • eggs – 1 pc.;
  • flour - 4 tbsp. l.;
  • sour cream – 3 tbsp. l.;
  • mushrooms – 500 g;
  • salt, black pepper;
  • sunflower oil;
  • onion, zucchini - one at a time;
  • hard cheese – 150 g;
  • greens (onion/dill) – 70 g.

Cooking method:

  1. If your zucchini is stale, remove the peel and seeds. It should be cut into rings.
  2. Roll the circles in flour and place in a preheated frying pan with oil for 2 minutes.
  3. Cut the onion into cubes and fry it a little too.
  4. Add mushrooms, fry them with onions until half cooked. Remove from heat and let cool.
  5. Transfer mushrooms and onions to a bowl. Add to them 2 tablespoons of sour cream, an egg, a spoonful of flour, chopped herbs. Add spices to taste.
  6. Lightly grease the pan with vegetable oil and place the fried mugs.
  7. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater and mix with 1 spoon of sour cream.
  8. Place vegetables on each ring and cheese sauce on top.
  9. Place the mold in the oven for 20 minutes, temperature – 200 degrees. After cooking, sprinkle herbs on top.

Caviar

This dish is known in every family. You either cook it yourself or buy it in a store. Zucchini caviar in the oven is a dietary type of food. During cooking you will not need to fry anything; all components are cooked in the oven. This will ensure the absence of toxic substances, carcinogens and other harmful components that may appear when frying in a frying pan. This is very important for people with diseases of the stomach, gall bladder or liver. Zucchini caviar is prepared in the oven like this.

Ingredients:

  • garlic – 2 pcs.;
  • salt, black pepper, basil (dried);
  • carrots – 1 pc.;
  • zucchini – 2 pcs.;
  • olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
  • tomatoes – 3 pcs.;
  • onions – 2 pcs.;
  • bell pepper – 1 pc.

Cooking method:

  1. Prepare the vegetables: remove the husks, peel, and seeds from the zucchini. Cut the onion and garlic into cubes.
  2. Place the prepared ingredients in a mold, add pepper, salt, dried basil and oil. If desired, you can sprinkle with a little herbs.
  3. Turn the oven on 180 degrees.
  4. Bake the vegetables for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent them from burning.
  5. The ingredients should become soft, remove them.
  6. Pass the softened vegetables through a meat grinder, or you can use a blender.
  7. If you wish, you can sterilize the jars, add a drop of vinegar (1 teaspoon per half liter), immediately place the hot caviar in the container and roll it up.

Pie

Owners of their gardens manage to harvest a lot of zucchini during the season. At some point it becomes unclear where to put them all. Zucchini pie in the oven is one of the non-standard solutions to this problem. To prepare, you will need thick gauze, oven mitts, a whisk, plates and a towel. In summer, this vegetable pie goes well with soup; it is low in calories.

Ingredients:

  • eggs – 3 pcs.;
  • fresh zucchini – 700 g;
  • salt, black pepper, herbs and seasonings;
  • wheat flour – 100 g;
  • hard cheese – 200 g;
  • baking powder - ½ tsp;
  • sour cream – 200 ml.

Cooking method:

  1. Grate fresh zucchini on a coarse grater; you can chop it in a food processor. If you don’t have any, then the older vegetable should be peeled and seeds removed. Place the zucchini pulp on thick gauze, which must be folded twice. Squeeze out excess juice over the sink, otherwise the cake will be runny.
  2. Cut off the hard rinds from the cheese and grate on fine grains. Immediately set aside 50 g to decorate the finished dish.
  3. Mix black pepper, eggs, herbs in a deep bowl. Then add sour cream and bring until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix baking powder and flour. Combine all prepared ingredients and make a lump-free dough. The last ingredient is to add chopped and squeezed zucchini, add 150 g of cheese, mix.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, line the bottom of the mold with food paper, pour in the dough and bake for about an hour. You can check readiness with a toothpick. At the very end of cooking, sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.

Delicious baked goods - cooking secrets

Above are all the most famous, delicious recipes for this dish. Zucchini in the oven is a simple option for preparing an appetizer for the holiday table. All ingredients are low cost. Some chefs have come up with their own secrets on how to cook zucchini deliciously in the oven. Here are some of them:

  1. Always use spices to taste. There is no need to rely on exact numbers from the recipe.
  2. During cooking, salt the filling more than the vegetable, because too much juice will be released and the dish will turn out watery.
  3. When purchasing, always give preference to young zucchini. Do not take fruits that are rotten or with obvious damage.
  4. If you have some filling left and you've run out of zucchini, you can fill the peppers or eggplants.

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