These zucchini flower cups with savory meat filling are as pretty as they are satisfying. Thin ribbons of zucchini are shaped into petal-like cups in a muffin tin, then filled with seasoned ground meat, halved cherry tomatoes and a blanket of grated cheese. Bake until golden for a low-carb dinner that looks like it came from a restaurant — and if you like light, high-protein meals, try our Light Tuna Corn Salad too.
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini
- 400 g (14 oz) ground meat
- 2-3 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 g (2.8 oz) hard cheese, grated
- Salt and spices to taste
Instructions
- Shave the zucchini into long thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Line each cup of a muffin tin with 4 ribbons, petal-style.
- Season the ground meat with salt and spices, then mound a portion into the center of each zucchini cup.
- Top each cup with a tomato half and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
- Bake at 180 C (350 F) for about 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is golden.
Tips
- Use a Y-peeler for long, even zucchini ribbons — they line the muffin cups more neatly and hold their petal shape.
- Season the meat generously, since zucchini itself is mild. For another fresh, satisfying idea, try our Avocado Tuna Toast.
- Check the USDA food data resources for nutrition facts on zucchini and ground meat.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 125 kcal, protein 4.9 g, fat 1.8 g, carbs 9.3 g.