Venison Stuffed Zucchini

I grew up eating stuffed zucchini made with ground beef a few times a month, and it was always one of those dinners that disappeared fast. Once I started cooking wild game, ground venison became the obvious swap — and it’s actually better. Venison is leaner than beef, so mixing it with Italian sausage keeps the filling moist and adds just enough fat to carry the seasoning.

The key is using the zucchini pulp in the stuffing instead of throwing it away. It adds texture, stretches the filling, and keeps everything from drying out in the oven. Top it with mozzarella, bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling, and you’ve got a complete meal in one boat.

This works with any ground antlered game — deer, elk, antelope — or swap in ground venison sausage if that’s what you have. If your zucchini are on the larger side, you’ll have extra filling. That’s not a problem. It’s good straight out of the pan while the zucchini finish in the oven.

Print Recipe

Venison Stuffed Zucchini

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini split lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground venison
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or ground Italian venison sausage
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a spoon, scoop out the seed section of the zucchini. Save 3/4 of the pulp, roughly chop and place in a medium bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add venison and sausage. Cook until evenly browned. Add onion, pepper and garlic, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to bowl with zucchini pulp, and add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and half of the cheese. Mix well.
• Place the zucchini, scooped side up, in a lightly greased baking dish. Spoon stuffing mixture into zucchini. Top with remaining cheese, and place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.