Send your taste buds on a flavorful cruise with this delightful dish. Hollowed-out zucchini “boats” are filled with savory couscous that’s studded with bites of Tuscan-spiced chicken sausage. They’re then blanketed in a layer of Monterey Jack and baked to turn things nice and melty. Once they emerge from the oven, the boats are topped with a spoonful of marinated tomatoes and freshly torn Thai basil. Don’t forget to share all that deliciousness with your first mate!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1 unit
Zucchini
9 ounce
Italian Chicken Sausage
1 tablespoon
Tuscan Heat Spice
¾ cup
Israeli Couscous
(Contains Wheat)
1.5 ounce
Tomato Paste
1 unit
Roma Tomato
½ ounce
Thai Basil
¼ cup
Monterey Jack Cheese
(Contains Milk)
4 teaspoon
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Rub all over with a drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably oven-safe, pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and Tuscan Heat Spice. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned all over, 4-5 minutes (the sausage will finish cooking in the next step).
Stir couscous, tomato paste, and 1½ cups water (2½ cups for 4 servings) into pan until combined. Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture has thickened, couscous is tender, and sausage is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. (TIP: If pan seems dry, add a splash of water.) Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, dice tomato. Pick basil leaves from stems; discard stems and roughly chop leaves. In a small bowl, combine tomato, half the basil, and a large drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir remaining basil into couscous mixture.
Remove zucchini from oven. Flip cut-sides-up, then stuff with as much couscous mixture as will fit. Nestle on top of remaining couscous mixture in pan. (TIP: If pan is not ovenproof, transfer everything to a baking dish at this point.) Sprinkle stuffed zucchini with cheese. Return to top rack until cheese has melted, 1-2 minutes.
Top stuffed zucchini with tomatobasil mixture. Serve straight from the skillet or divide between plates.