Abobrinha recheada

Brazilian stuffed zucchini with spiced beef, tomato and herbs

Origin: São Paulo & Southern Brazil

From the journey of Zucchini.

The Italian diaspora that settled São Paulo state from the 1880s onwards brought with them Lombard seed stock, including the modern zucchini cultivar, and the instinct to stuff and bake vegetables. Brazilians named it 'abobrinha italiana' (little Italian gourd) to distinguish it from native squash already long established in the country. Over generations the preparation absorbed Brazilian flavours: sofrito-style refogado, tomatoes, spring onions, and the bright heat of fresh chilli, producing a stuffed zucchini that is recognisably Mediterranean in structure but unmistakably Brazilian in character.

Ingredients

Main

  • 4 medium zucchini, halved lengthways
  • 400 g ground beef
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and black pepper
  • 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Topping

  • 80 g grated Parmesan or Queijo Parmesão
  • 60 g breadcrumbs

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Scoop out the flesh from each zucchini half with a spoon, leaving a 5mm shell. Roughly chop the scooped flesh and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chilli, cook 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned.
  3. Add the chopped zucchini flesh and diced tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in parsley.
  4. Arrange the zucchini shells in a baking dish. Fill each generously with the beef mixture, mounding it slightly.
  5. Mix Parmesan and breadcrumbs together and scatter over the top of each filled shell. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
  6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the topping is golden and the shells are tender. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

Mapping Culinary History

To explore — select an ingredient below.

Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
© 2026 The Gastrographer. All original research, narratives, and illustrations. All rights reserved.