Stuffed Shells with Summer Squash and Caramelized Onions
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Serves
4-6
Ingredients
- 6 large tomatoes
- 10 ounces large shell pasta
- 3 medium sized zucchini, cubed in 1 inch pieces
- 3 medium size yellow squash, cubed in 1 inch pieces
- 2 large vidalia onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons salted European style butter
- 1 tsp olive oil for coating the dish plus more for drizzling to finish
- Crunchy sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano
Steps
1
Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat and add in onions. Stir to fully coat the onions in butter and continue cooking on medium low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally until onions are golden.
2
After the onions have cooked for 15 mins start cooking the zucchini and squash. Boil water in a large Dutch oven and season with salt. Add in the cubed squash and zucchini and boil for 10- 12 min or until they start getting soft and the seeds loosen in the water.
3
Strain and add straight to the pan with the caramelized onions. Stir to combine and increase the temperature to high. Season with 1/4 tsp salt. Allow the liquid to evaporate and turn off the heat. Leave uncovered to allow the mixture to cool.
4
Add in fresh water to the same Dutch oven and boil. Season with salt and boil the shells for 9 mins or until al dente. Drain.
5
Once the squash mixture and pasta are cooled enough to handle, preheat oven to 350. Brush 1 tsp olive oil in to a 9×13 dish. Start stuffing the shells with approximately 1- 1.5 tablespoons of the squash mixture. Arrange tightly in a single layer.
6
Grate tomatoes on a box grater and strain some of the liquid off. Spoon in dollops of grated tomato flesh over the stuffed shells. Top with shaved parmigiano and bake at 20-25 mins until the cheese is melted.
7
Plate each portion and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of crunchy sea salt.
Summer, I will miss you.
This is my farewell to summer! A similar dish went viral this summer and for a good reason! I saw a version from Andrew Zimmern, and knew I would absolutely love it! Pure garden smell and taste. My rendition is heavier on the grated tomato and (as always) using my favorite French salted cultured butter results in more depth of flavor. I love that this is just about showcasing how delicious humble vegetables can be. If you grow zucchini and squash, you are certainly looking for a way to use them all up, and this has to be the best way possible. These little packages of pasta wrapped, sweet vegetables with reduced tomatoes all drizzled with the best olive oil and crunchy sea salt, almost brings a tear to my eye. If you know me, you know I’m being completely serious lol.
I do get a little sad when it’s time to shift from all of the bountiful summer produce to fall flavors (which there’s a lot to be excited about to come for fall too, of course!). Here’s to the end of one fun and delicious summer!
You will be dreaming about this for days to come, wondering how in the world is it this good?! Make a double batch!