Lauren Sakiyama
Switch out the porcelain plate for a fiber-loaded vegetable vessel. Stuffed with all the good stuff, eating vegetables becomes much easier. From avocado to zucchini, we’ve found 10 veggies you should stuff for dinner.
It’s no secret that adding more vegetables to your diet is a sure-fire way to increase hard-to-get nutrients like fiber and trace minerals. But eating salads gets boring fast, and cooking vegetable sides can be a chore. So instead of struggling through another bowl of spinach salad, or waiting for your bunch of broccoli to roast, why not build your veggies right into your main course?
Avocado
Stuffing an avocado is as decadent as it is delicious. The naturally fat-filled vegetable can make a great vegetarian or vegan entree. Simply stuff it with quinoa or rice.
But for a more carnivorous take, try this shrimp-stuffed avocado. Shrimp, crab, and other shellfish are natural pairs to creamy avocado. Mixed with lime, sour cream, and plenty of cilantro, it’s hard not to love this recipe.
Get the Recipe: Gimme Delicious
Bell Pepper
Given that they stand up on their own, bell peppers are a natural choice for stuffing. Typically filled to the brim with ground beef, rice, and cheese, it’s sort of like eating a taco that’s packed with vitamin C. Of course, if you want to be a little more creative with the filling, you might try these Greek stuffed peppers filled with ground turkey, bulgar wheat and creamy feta cheese.
Get the Recipe: Food Network
Zucchini
When it comes to vegetable versatility, the zucchini can’t be beaten. If you have a few lying around, you could shred them into bread, or you could cut them into noodles. Or, better still, you could stuff them with spicy Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese. It’s like a healthy version of pizza, and just as fun to eat.
Get the Recipe: Dinner At The Zoo
Squash Blossoms
They can be tricky to find in stores, but if you grow your own zucchini or happen to spot them at a farmers market, squash blossoms are a stuffed vegetable delicacy. Filled with cheese, then battered and deep-fried, it’d be hard not to love these. Serve them alongside a hearty salad to complete the meal.
Get the Recipe: Epicurious
Tomato
This recipe calls for soft Fontina cheese to complement sweet ripe tomatoes. While you could absolutely substitute in mozzarella or cheddar, we suggest sticking to the ingredient list if you can. Fontina is very mild, and it melts easily, making it the perfect pick for tomato stuffing.
Get the Recipe: Delish
Eggplant
Technically speaking, eggplant is a fruit. But, we’re going to overlook that given its savory disposition and propensity for stuffing. While many recipes call for salting the eggplant in advance, this recipe streamlines that step, making it that much faster to prepare.
Get the Recipe: Betty Crocker
Mushroom
Stuffing a bunch of Creminis for dinner, while delicious, is also a labor-intensive task. But, use giant portobello mushrooms, and things get much easier. Becausee portobellos are naturally meaty in flavor and texture, it’s also a great time to try a meatless main.
Get the Recipe: Taste Love and Nourish
Acorn Squash
Really, any squash lends itself pretty well to stuffing, but we love acorn squash for its size. It’s easier to cut and portion than its larger butternut cousin. And, it goes great with all sorts of savory fillings, like this sausage and faro based approach.
Get the Recipe: Rachel Cooks
Poblano Peppers
If you’ve ever tried Chile Rellenos, you’ve probably had a stuffed poblano pepper. Of course, filling it entirely with cheese, covering it in batter, then deep-frying it is sure to be a success. But, for a healthier take, try stuffing it with beef, beans, and corn. Then, skip the hot oil bath in favor of the oven.
Get the Recipe: Le Creme de la Crumb
Savoy Cabbage
Filled with a savory beef filling and soaked in tomato sauce, stuffed cabbage rolls always go over well. They can be made in advance and frozen, which is an excellent option because they tend to take a few hours to make. Or, you could try this weeknight-friendly one-pot version.
Get the Recipe: The Kitchn
Stuffing a vegetable is a great way to ensure you get plenty of nutrients with your dinner. And we think the results are way more satisfying than a salad. So next time you ponder about how to add more veggies to your plate, try using them as the plate instead!
