Rose Mary’s Zucchini and Beef over Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

This meal deserves a much better name, but I haven’t come up with one.  Back in the mid-90s I made a vegetable dish with zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers, and onions, topped with Parmesan cheese.  I think this entrée evolved from that dish.  Prior to this, I lived in Turkey, which influenced the dish as well.  When I first started making zucchini and beef, I carefully measured my meat and rice, to track what I ate according to Weight Watchers (pre-points).  This is the kind of dish that you want to make a big batch, to ensure you have leftovers. 

 

Zucchini and Beef Ingredients

3-4 medium zucchini, sliced very thin

2 lbs ground beef

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or minced)

Lawry’s seasoned salt

 

 

Directions

1.  Place ground beef in a large skillet.  Break meat apart.  Sprinkle with about 1 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt. 

  



 

2.  Add chopped onions to meat.  Brown ground beef in skillet.  When meat is cooked, drain if desired.  I usually use good quality, relatively low fat hamburger, and don’t drain the meat because the fat imparts a lot of flavor. 

3.  Transfer meat and onions to a large pot, like a Dutch oven.  Add tomatoes, garlic, and about 2 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt.  You could use a variety of tomato products.  Sometimes I use a can of diced tomatoes and a can of spaghetti sauce. 

4.  Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 45 minutes, until meat texture is tender. 

5.  While hamburger-tomato mixture is cooking, wash zucchini, then slice very thinly.  I use the long slot on my grater.  You could use a mandoline. 

6.  After meat and tomatoes have simmered, add zucchini.  Stir zucchini into mixture to coat.  Cover and return to simmer.  Cook until zucchini is tender, about 20 minutes. 

7.  Serve over rice.  I serve over Turkish-style rice pilaf.  Skip the rice for a low carb meal. 

 

 



 

If a lot of fat cooks off the hamburger, tip the pan so the oil drains away from where you’re serving from.  If you have leftovers, you can easily scoop the hardened fat off and discard.