Zucchini Involtini with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Summer cooking can be interesting. The quick thought that pops into my brain is “so many recipes, so little time.” And at our house, if our Summer dinners aren’t centered around our quite plentiful garden, it’s just not happening. I mean - the amount of kale salads we’ve made this year. Insane. But I wanted to shake things up for date-night. Make something fun + different that would make for the perfect al fresco date night in the yard. In comes my newest Summer fixation meal - Zucchini Involtini with a Fresh Tomato Sauce. The perfect use for our homegrown zucchini + tomatoes, and we even served it with a little kale side salad for a full garden trifecta moment.
Where to even begin wiht how good this is - it’s just all things cheesy + saucey + (my favorite) pesto-y. It’s a Summer Italian meal that kind of has it all. The base is the easiest tomato sauce you can imagine, and one that is so good + pure. The sweet tomato flavor is what you’ll taste first. Then you thinly slice your zucchini + layer in cheese + pesto. Nestle each zucchini bundle right into a bed of the sauce, top it with more cheese, and bake it until it’s bubbly + melty. It’s fresh + light while being just a little decadent. The perfect meal to enjoy outside with a little glass of rosé for the full Summer experience.
Start with the sauce
Okay this sauce - let me tell you what it’s so simple + so satisfying. The only thing you need - tomato, butter, onion, and garlic. And of course salt + pepper. Break out the Dutch oven + cook all of these things low + slow - until the tomatoes are bursting + onions are tender. Then put it in the blender and boom - that’s it.
Our tomatoes are so good this year. We say this every year + this year they’re really bringing their a-game. They’re sweet + juicy + tangy, and just have the most perfect fresh flavor. My favorite are the bright orange ones that are growing in our garden. I am not sure which particular variety they are, but they are just the shining star in our tomato garden. With that said, we have a few varieties of tomatoes going this year, and they are all going gangbusters this year. To be honest, I made this sauce one evening when I was home alone to keep myself busy (and get the huge bowl of tomatoes off of my kitchen counter). The point I’m trying to make - you can use any tomatoes here. I mixed and matched based on our current supply, and because we have so many of these little orange guys, my sauce had this slightly orange color that I kind of love. No cream or cheese added in - just tomatoes with a couple other veggies, and blended until smooth + perfect.
Little Zucchini bundles
This dinner is what I’ll put in the category of very easy kitchen project. When you want to feel like you’re really doing something in the kitchen but actually don’t want to work that hard at it, zucchini involtini is what you should make. And it’s such a good recipe to reach for to make together.
The first step is to slice the the zucchini super thin. You, your mandolin, and the 3mm (or less) setting. For me, slicing the zucchini to exactly 3mm made it so I could easily roll up my zucchini + they would hold the rolled up shape. However, if your having trouble handling the zucchini + finding it difficult for them to be rolled, just pop the zucchini slices in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. They will soften just enough to be a bit more pliable + easy to roll up.
The second thing to note is 2 is the magic number. Using two slices of zucchini for each roll-up was easy to handle + provided a pretty ideal cheese-to-veggie ratio. I tried it with 3 slices to pack in a little more veggies, and it was kind of a mess. Two is totally the way to go.
Go heavy on the pesto
The final learning lesson I’m applying to the next time I make this dish - go heavy on the pesto. You will not regret it! A good, full teaspoon in each roll up with a heaping tablespoon of cheese is perfect. The first time I made this I had enough pesto leftover to dollop an extra little bit on top of each roll-up, and that was pretty perfect.
When I decided to try this meal out, I was craving something warm + comforting. Something pasta-esque that would lean heavily into my current garden supply of zucchini. This dinner was so lasagna adjacent that it was quite literally veggie pasta sans a noodle. Sauce-y enough to serve with a little piece of toasted bread on the side, and just satisfied all my cravings for a big warm bowl of pasta.
For the sauce (make a day ahead)
4 tbsp butter
2.5 lb fresh tomatoes, any variety
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
salt + pepper
For the pesto (my favorite pistachio pesto)
2 c. fresh basil
1/2 c. pistachios
juice of half a lemon
1/4 c. EVOO
4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt + pepper
For the cheese mixture
12 oz. ricotta
1 c. shredded mozzarella
For the involtini
2 large zucchinis (or 3-4 smaller zucchinis), sliced with a mandolin at 2 or 2/5 mm
1/2 c. shredded mozz
Fresh basil + red pepper flakes for garnish
For the sauce - Start by washing + prepping the tomatoes. Place a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat + add the butter. Chop the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and seasoning to the pot + simmer for about 10 minutes. Cover the pot + turn the heat to low. Continue to cook on low for 60-75 minutes. Tomatoes should be blistered + the onions tender when the cook time is up. Uncover the pot + let the sauce cool for 30 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender + puree until totally smooth. Place in an airtight container + store in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
For the pesto - Add all of the pesto ingredients to a blender + pulse until a paste forms. Transfer to an airtight container + store in the fridge.
For the cheese mixture - Add the ricotta + mozz to a bowl. Add in a pinch of salt + pepper. Mix together so the two cheeses are well mixed. Store the cheese in the fridge.
For the involtini - Preheat the oven to 425. Start by laying the zucchini slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle the zucchini with a pinch of salt + let it sit for about 10 minutes (to soften up). Next, take two zucchini pieces + layer them on top of each other. Place a dollop of pesto + a dollop of the cheese mixture on one end of the zucchini stack. Think 2-to-1 cheese to pesto ratio. Starting at the side that has the cheese, tightly roll up the zucchini. Repeat this process until all of the zucchini pieces have been used.
Grab a large baking dish + pour all of the sauce into the base of the dish. Nestle the zucchini roll-ups into the pan. Dollop any leftover pesto on top of the zucchini + sprinkle the remaining mozz over the top. Bake the dish in the oven for 20 minutes - the cheese on top should be golden brown and the sauce should be bubbling. Remove the pan + let it cool on the counter for 10 minutes. Finish by sprinkling the basil + red pepper flakes over the top. Dig in, scoop up lots of extra sauce, and serve it with a piece of crusty bread if you’ve got it.
