Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Pilón-Style Beef and Creamy Pigeon Pea Rice with Cheese
An original recipe inspired by Puerto Rican flavors: roasted zucchini boats filled with ground beef seasoned with sofrito, olives, and spices, served over creamy pigeon pea rice with melted white cheese. Comforting, flavorful, and ideal for a family meal.
Ingredients
- 4 approx. 800 g medium zucchini (partidos a lo largo and ahuecados; reservar the pulpa chopped)
- 450 g ground beef (preferiblemente 85-90% magra)
- 120 ml Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or comprado)
- 100 g chopped white onion (divided)
- 12 g minced garlic (divided)
- 45 ml olive oil (divided)
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 1 g ground annatto
- 1 g black pepper (divided)
- 8 g salt (divided or to taste)
- 60 g green olives stuffed with pimento (slices)
- 180 ml tomato sauce
- 15 g fresh culantro, chopped (divided)
- 190 g medium or long grain white rice (enjuagado)
- 240 g cooked pigeon peas (escurridos)
- 480 ml chicken broth (for the arroz)
- 240 ml evaporated milk
- 150 g semi-firm white cheese (grated or desmenuzado, divided)
- 15 g butter
- 2 g sweet paprika (for terminar)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the halved zucchini on a baking tray, brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper, and roast for 15 minutes until just starting to soften.
- 2
While the zucchini roasts, chop the scooped-out flesh. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onion, half of the garlic, and the chopped zucchini flesh. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
- 3
Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the sofrito, oregano, cumin, ground annatto, 1 teaspoon salt, and the remaining black pepper.
- 4
Add the green olives, tomato sauce, and half of the chopped culantro. Cook 5 minutes more until the filling is juicy but thick. Remove from the heat.
- 5
Take the zucchini out of the oven and fill each half with the beef mixture. Top with 75 g (about 2.5 oz) of the white cheese. Return the tray to the oven and bake at 220 °C / 425 °F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese melts and the edges are golden.
- 6
For the rice, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Sauté the remaining onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the grains.
- 7
Add the cooked pigeon peas, chicken broth, evaporated milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- 8
Turn off the heat and stir the remaining white cheese and the rest of the chopped culantro into the hot rice. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes so it becomes creamy.
- 9
Serve a portion of creamy pigeon pea rice on each plate. Set two stuffed zucchini halves on top and sprinkle with sweet paprika before serving.
Chef tips
For deeper flavor, let the beef brown well before adding the sofrito. Do not overcook the zucchini in the first roast so it keeps its shape when filled.
Substitutions
You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey. The semi-firm white cheese can be replaced with low-moisture mozzarella, and culantro can be swapped for cilantro if unavailable.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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