Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini with Crispy Chickpeas

Hello everyone, welcome! Today’s recipe is a perfect spring and summer dish; zucchini canoes stuffed with hummus, and an olive, tomato, onion, and pepperoncini salad dressed with lemon juice; topped with crumbled feta; and baked until the zucchini is tender. But that’s not all – the baked stuffed zucchini is topped with crispy, herby baked chickpeas. The feta cheese is definitely optional, as the creamy hummus and the Crispy Chickpeas add richness and tons of flavor. The little salad is bright and retains its textures and bright flavor. Let’s do it! Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini with Crispy Chickpeas.

Crispy Chickpeas

Let’s start with the crispy chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain a can of chickpeas and pat them dry with paper towels. I am stuffing two zucchinis, to get four zucchini boats, but this is easy to scale up. So if you want to prepare these for a group, use two cans of chickpeas, and double the seasonings.

Toss the chickpeas with a few glugs of olive oil and a good pinch of Kosher salt. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a rimmed sheet tray and bake for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Chickpeas will darken and their outsides will get crispy, while the insides are soft and creamy. While the chickpeas are baking, measure out 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, dried oregano and dried thyme. Chop up about a tablespoon’s worth of fresh parsley.

When the chickpeas come out of the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 and transfer the chickpeas back to the bowl we first used to toss them in olive oil. Sprinkle on the seasonings and the fresh parsley; add another glug of olive oil and stir to coat the Crispy Chickpeas in the seasoning and olive oil. Set this bowl aside.

Salad Filling

To make the salad filling, quarter 1-2 Roma tomatoes and remove the seeds, then dice the tomato flesh. Dice several pepperoncini peppers, half of a small red onion and a small handful of Kalamata olives. Overall we are looking for about 1/4-1/3 cup of each ingredient. More or less of one thing or another is OK, adjust the ratios to what you like. I have the juice of half a lemon, just under a 1/4 cup.

Toss all of this together with half a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside while we prep the zucchini.

Build the Zucchini Canoes

Slice the ends off of the zucchinis and slice them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and create a canoe shape out of each zucchini half. I am using store bought hummus, but you can make your own, if you like. Once the zucchini halves are resembling canoes, smear some hummus in the canoe center. Don’t fill the whole canoe with hummus, we still want enough of a hollowed center to hold the salad filling.

Set the hummus zucchini canoes in a rimmed sheet tray. Use a slotted spoon to spoon some of the salad filling into the canoes on top of the hummus. Then top the salad with crumbled feta.

Carefully place the sheet tray in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the zucchinis are tender. My zucchinis are pretty large, so I went the full 20 minutes. When they come out of the oven, top with the Crispy Chickpeas.

Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini with Crispy Chickpeas

The zucchini is tender and not at all soggy. In fact, Alex really doesn’t care for zucchini and he loved this dish. I think I may have found a zucchini preparation he can get behind! The salad is bright and refreshing; the hummus adds a creamy rich texture. The feta is tangy and salty and the Crispy Chickpeas add a ton of herby flavor and an addictive crunch!

We enjoyed these Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini with Crispy Chickpeas when they were hot and cold, and they are delicious both ways. Fresh Mediterranean flavors in a perfect little zucchini canoe! Even if you aren’t making more than 4 zucchini canoes, you may want to go ahead and make extra Crispy Chickpeas, they are a great little snack to reach for when you’re craving something salty, herby and crispy.

I have other Mediterranean dishes on the blog, like Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Pasta, or Mediterranean Quesadillas. Check out those recipes too, and let me know what you think of this super easy, healthy, Mediterranean-inspired recipe – reach out on Instagram or facebook! Take care and be well. xo Kelly

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Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini with Crispy Chickpeas

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Dinner, Light Main Course, Appetizer, Side Dish – Mediterranean

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 35 Minutes (includes 20 minute chickpea baking time) – Cooking Time: 20 Minutes – Total Time: ~1 Hour

The salad is bright and refreshing; the hummus add a creamy rich texture. The feta is tangy and salty and the Crispy Chickpeas add a ton of herby flavor and an addictive crunch!

Ingredients

• Crispy Chickpeas
• 1 14-oz. can Chickpeas, drained and patted dry
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil, divided
• Pinch of Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
• Zucchini Canoes
• 1-2 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 8-10 Pepperoncini Peppers, stemmed and diced
• 1/2 Small Red Onion, diced
• 1/4 cup Diced Kalamata Olives
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• 1/2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2-4 Zucchinis
• 4-6 tbsp. Hummus
• Crumbled Feta

Instructions

Crispy Chickpeas

1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2

Toss the chickpeas with a few glugs of olive oil and a good pinch of Kosher salt. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a rimmed sheet tray and bake for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.

3

When the chickpeas come out of the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 and transfer the chickpeas back to the bowl we first used to toss them in olive oil.

4

Sprinkle on the seasonings and the fresh parsley; add another glug of olive oil and stir to coat the Crispy Chickpeas in the seasoning and olive oil. Set this bowl aside.

Zucchini Canoes

5

Toss the tomatoes, onion, pepperoncinis, olives and lemon juice together with olive oil and set aside.

6

Slice the ends off of the zucchinis and slice them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and create a canoe shape out of each zucchini half.

7

Spread hummus in the center of each zucchini canoe. Transfer zucchinis to a rimmed sheet tray.

8

Use a slotted spoon to scoop tomato salad filling into each zucchini canoe, on top of the hummus.

9

Sprinkle crumbled feta on top of the salad filling and bake for 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

10

When zucchini is out of the oven, sprinkle the crispy chickpeas on top of each zucchini canoe.

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