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This Italian Zucchini Stew is loaded with fresh garden-grown zucchini, tomatoes, ground beef, potatoes and green bell pepper. Don’t forget the Parmesan cheese on top!
All of the credit for today’s wonderful Italian Zucchini Stew recipe needs to go to Marguerite DiMino Buonopane, the author of one of our all-time favorite cookbooks called, “The North End Italian Cookbook.” It’s there that we found this easy and delicious ground beef and vegetable stew recipe.
That cookbook – now in its sixth edition – captures the true essence of Boston’s Italian North End neighborhood with so many great, authentically-delicious Italian family recipes. It is often one of the first cookbooks we reach for any time we are looking for a new recipe to try.
In the case of today’s Italian Zucchini Stew, we were simply looking to make a recipe where we could use up some of our garden zucchini – which are growing like crazy this summer!
We hadn’t set out planning to share this recipe here on A Family Feast – thinking it was too similar to the Zucchini Tomato Italian Sausage Soup we shared a few weeks ago. But this Italian Zucchini Stew has a completely different flavor profile – and it was so good, we had to share!
How do you make Italian Zucchini Stew?
In this simple stew, bite-sized pieces of zucchini are cooked together with diced tomatoes, ground beef, slices of potato, and diced green bell pepper plus seasonings. Most of the prep is chopping the vegetables – then it all cooks up quickly in a big pot. Once cooked through, stir in grated Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve this Italian Zucchini Stew with crusty bread on the side and even more grated Parmesan cheese on top! This soup recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, and any leftovers can be heated up the next day for lunch.
You may enjoy these other summer soup recipes:
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Italian Zucchini Stew
This Italian Zucchini Stew is loaded with fresh garden-grown zucchini, tomatoes, ground beef, potatoes and green bell pepper. Don’t forget the Parmesan cheese on top!
Ingredients
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef 15% fat (85/15)
1 cup onion diced
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 small green bell pepper diced, about one cup
2 stalks celery minced fine, about one cup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds zucchini cut into bite sized pieces, see tip in notes below
1 pound potatoes such as all purpose or new red, see tip in notes below
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Parmesan grated plus more for serving
Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat and add the ground beef, onion, garlic, pepper flakes, green pepper, celery, salt and pepper and sauté until meat has browned and the vegetables almost tender.
Add zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes and water. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover and reduce heat to low to medium low and cook for ten minutes.
Remove cover and add in tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes or just until the zucchini is cooked. Do not overcook the zucchini.
Remove from heat and add the cup of Parmesan and taste for additional salt and pepper.
Serve with additional Parmesan and crusty bread.
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Notes
Cut zucchini lengthwise in half then each half in half lengthwise again to get four long quarters. Then slice the opposite way into bite sized pieces.
Peel the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. If they are small, cut into thin slices. If they are large, cut the half in half again and then into thin slices. You want the potatoes to be thin so they take a similar time to cook as the bigger zucchini pieces.
Susan says
Has anyone ever done this in the crockpot?
Martha says
We haven’t had any readers comment about using a slow cooker. Since this doesn’t take a super long time to cook, I’m not sure it’s a soup that is well-suited for the slow cooker….I think the zucchini will get mushy.
Bonnie Dietrich says
Can I use frozen zucchini
Martha says
Hi Bonnie – the zucchini might be soft and mushy after freezing but if that doesn’t bother you, you can use it.
Bonnie Dietrich says
Can you use frozen zucchini for this
Martha says
Hi Bonnie – Zucchini after it’s frozen will be very soft and maybe mushy. If that doesn’t bother you, yes you can use it.
Michael Lagana says
Very good
Martha says
Thank you!
Linda says
The recipe is a good start/base. I am giving my version 5 stars. Follow recipe as is. I added a better than bullion (veggie cause that’s what I had but any bullion would work) or use stock instead of water. I also added oregano and Italian seasoning. omit the parmesan in the soup and just serve with parmesan on top. I have seen Italian soups that will put the rind to the parmesan in the soup while it cooks then remove it, to give a parmesan flavor but I would not add it into the soup.
Martha says
Thanks Linda!
Connie Landwehr says
I want to use our garden tomatoes….how much should I put into the stew ?
We have zucchini, tomatoes and potatoes …….plenty this year so want to try this.
Since there are only two of us wondering if I can freeze the stew so latter? Not sure the zucchini freezes well.
Martha says
Hi Connie – A 14.5 ounce can is a little less than two cups of tomatoes, plus juices. You might need to add some additional liquid to the stew and/or tomato paste to enhance the flavor that the canned juices would have added. You are right that cooked and thawed zucchini will be mushy once thawed…if that doesn’t bother you, you can try freezing it.
Charli says
I made this! Very easy and tasty. I did swap out jarred spaghetti sauce for diced tomatoes and paste. I’m sure it’ll be even better the next day.
Martha says
Glad you enjoyed the stew Charli!
Sandy says
Loved it! I did add Herbs de Provence…so good!
Martha says
Thanks Sandy!
Debra Gramlich says
I have made this stew many times and it is a family favorite! Thank you for all the wonderful recipes! Your marinara sauce is also a winner! I get nostalgic when I read your blog- my husband and I honeymooned in Boston almost 25 years ago and loved our Italian dinner at a lovely restaurant we found in the North End!
Martha says
Thanks so much Debra! We’re so flattered and glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Sarah says
Made with extra firm tofu instead of hamburger and carrots instead of potatoes because that is what I had. I also added some Italian seasoning. It was delicious!
Martha says
Great idea Sarah!