Zucchini Casserole with Rice and Meat Patties

Zucchini casserole with rice and meatballs with cheese filling is a complete dish that can be prepared quite quickly and easily. As a result, we get a vegetable side dish with rice and a meat dish – two in one. Among other things, the taste of this dish is simply amazing – it is worth trying once and you will cook it quite often.

Summary

Ingredients

For casseroles:

• Zucchini – 400 g
• Hard cheese – 100 g
• Eggs – 2 pcs.
• Rice (dry) – 80 g
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper – to taste
• Ground paprika – 1 teaspoon
• Dried Provencal herbs (mixture) – 1 teaspoon
• Water – 160 ml
• Vegetable oil – for lubricating the mold

For cutlets:

• Minced meat – 300 g
• Onions – 80 g
• Hard cheese – 50 g
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper – 0.3333 teaspoon

Instructions

1. Prepare the required foods. Rinse and dry the courgettes. Peel and rinse the onion. Grate the zucchini on a medium grater and squeeze out the liquid well.
2. Rinse the rice thoroughly, transfer to a saucepan, pour in 160 ml of water (the ratio of rice to water is 1: 2). Cook rice until tender – 12-15 minutes. Grate cheese (100 g) on ​​the finest grater.
3. Combine boiled rice, grated cheese, and zucchini in a bowl. Add 2 eggs.
4. Add paprika, salt, and ground pepper to taste. Peel the garlic, pass through a press and add to a bowl.

   

5. Stir the squash mixture thoroughly – it should not be liquid. Turn on the oven to heat up to 180 degrees. Finely chop the onion or puree with a blender.
6. Combine minced meat and onion in a suitable container, add salt and ground pepper.

   

7. Knead the minced meat well with your hands, beat it off several times so that the minced meat becomes denser.
8. Cut the cheese into small cubes. (Adjust the size and number of cheese cubes for even distribution over the whole minced meat – according to the number of cutlets.) Take a little minced meat, form a flat cake, place a piece of cheese in the center.
9. Form a ball (cutlet) with cheese inside. Do the same with the remaining minced meat and cheese.
10. Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil, evenly spread the zucchini mass, and put the meatballs in it, slightly drowning. Send to an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

    

11. Zucchini casserole with rice and meat patties is ready. Cut the casserole into portions and serve alone or with sour cream, fresh vegetables, herbs.