Stuffed cucuzza squash is filled with a savory, meatball-style mixture and roasted in a fragrant tomato-basil sauce until tender and full of flavor. Serve it as a main course with a simple salad for a delightful Sicilian-inspired summer meal.
I enjoy making stuffed vegetables year-round using seasonal produce — it’s an easy way to vary weeknight dinners and explore different flavors.
For this recipe I use long Sicilian squash called cucuzza, stuffed with a mixture of Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella and pecorino cheeses, onions, garlic, spinach, fresh basil and shredded potatoes. The stuffed squash is roasted in a tomato-basil sauce, resulting in a hearty, satisfying dish that highlights this unique Italian summer vegetable.
What is Cucuzza?
Cucuzza (pronounced ku-koo-za) — sometimes called “gagootz” or “googootz” — is a long, cylindrical Italian squash with a smooth pale green skin. Harvested in mid to late summer, it originates from Sicily and southern Italy and can grow very long, sometimes exceeding several feet.
This squash is not commonly sold in large supermarkets because it’s mostly grown by home gardeners and small growers. You’ll often find it at farm stands and farmers’ markets or in backyard gardens, where sharing seeds has long been tradition. Cucuzza has a mild, slightly sweet and nutty flavor similar to zucchini, though it typically needs longer cooking and, unless young, should be peeled and deseeded.
If you can’t find cucuzza, you can substitute zucchini or yellow squash in this recipe with excellent results. The main differences are peeling and seed removal for mature cucuzza, and slightly longer cooking times.
This squash is versatile: grill, fry, roast, stuff, stew (for ghiotta di cucuzza) or turn it into a soup.
I hope you find some ga-gootz this summer to try this easy recipe. It’s essentially a complete meal — vegetables, protein and a built-in tomato sauce — rich in flavor and texture. Mangia bene!
Ingredients for Stuffed Cucuzza Squash
To prepare these stuffed squash, you’ll need:
- Cucuzza squash: the main ingredient; see notes above about peeling and deseeding.
- Ground beef and Italian sausage: a flavorful combination — use hot or sweet sausage to taste.
- Potato: shredded potato acts as a binder and filler instead of bread or rice. For a lower-carb option, substitute riced cauliflower.
- Onion, garlic, fresh basil: key flavor components.
- Cheese: mild mozzarella and sharp Pecorino Romano balance the filling. If pecorino is too strong, use Parmesan. Freshly shredding mozzarella is recommended to avoid anti-caking agents.
- Spinach: fresh baby spinach is ideal; if using frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Eggs: help bind the filling so it holds together during cooking.
- Tomato-basil sauce (marinara): lines the bottom of the baking dish and keeps the squash moist while roasting, also serving as the sauce for the finished dish.
How to Make Stuffed Cucuzza Squash, Step-by-Step
Follow these steps to assemble and roast the stuffed cucuzza:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center. Make the filling by combining Italian sausage, ground beef, shredded mozzarella, grated pecorino, diced onion, chopped spinach, chopped basil, beaten eggs, garlic, shredded potatoes and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. (Pro tip: you can substitute your favorite meatball mixture if preferred.)
- Prep the cucuzza: trim the ends, peel the skin, halve each lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a small spoon. Cut into 2–3″ long pieces to create individual boats. Older squash may require two passes with the peeler if the texture is gritty.
- Season the hollowed surfaces lightly with salt and pepper. Spread 4–5 cups of tomato-basil sauce across the bottom of one or more baking dishes and drizzle a little olive oil into the sauce.
- Fill each squash piece generously with the meat mixture and arrange them stuffing-side up on top of the sauce. Drizzle a touch of olive oil over the stuffed pieces. If you have leftover filling, form small meatballs and pan-fry them for a snack.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 400°F and continue roasting until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife — this may take another 30 minutes depending on the squash. The filling should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Optional: for a lightly charred finish, sprinkle grated pecorino on top and broil for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Allow the finished squash to rest for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter and spoon some sauce over them or serve the sauce alongside. Finish with a light sprinkle of pecorino and serve. Buon appetito!
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Can’t find cucuzza? Use zucchini or yellow summer squash — they’ll cook faster but work just as well. The filling can also be used to stuff bell peppers, tomatoes or eggplant.
- Rice or bread: Cooked rice or day-old diced bread can replace shredded potato if you prefer.
- Change the meat: Substitute ground turkey, chicken or lamb for a different flavor profile. You can also use a favorite meatball recipe as the filling.
- Add heat: Use hot Italian sausage, an arrabbiata-style sauce, or a drizzle of chili oil on the finished dish.
- Crispier finish: Sprinkle breadcrumbs and pecorino on top before a quick broil for extra crunch.
- Stovetop option: Place the tomato sauce in a large Dutch oven or rondeau, nestle the stuffed squash into the sauce, cover and cook over medium heat until tender, following the same doneness guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions for Stuffed Cucuzza Squash
Cucuzza is uncommon in mainstream supermarkets and is typically sold by home gardeners, specialty growers and at farmers’ markets. Contact local farmers to ask if they grow it, or consider growing it yourself from seed; it’s a vining plant that benefits from a trellis.
Cucuzza is similar in flavor and texture to zucchini — mild, slightly sweet and subtly nutty — but usually requires peeling, deseeding and longer cooking times. Zucchini or yellow squash are suitable 1:1 substitutes in this and other cucuzza recipes.
Yes. Mature cucuzza develop thick skin and large seeds that should be removed. Young, small cucuzza have softer seeds and thinner skin and can be cooked whole. Older cucuzza may require two passes with a peeler if the flesh is gritty.
Store whole cucuzza in the refrigerator for up to a week; you may need to halve it to fit and wrap the cut end. You can freeze peeled, deseeded, blanched and cut cucuzza for several months, but the texture changes. An alternative is to cook it first (for example, in a soup) and freeze the prepared dish.
Top Tips for Stuffed Cucuzza Squash
- Cucuzza: This recipe works well with other summer squash varieties if cucuzza aren’t available. Remember that zucchini cooks faster and that mature cucuzza must be peeled and deseeded.
- Make in advance: The filling can be prepared and refrigerated for one day. You can also stuff the squash and refrigerate it raw for up to 24 hours prior to baking, though freezing raw stuffed squash is not recommended.
- Serving suggestions: Serve as a main course with sides like simple pasta aglio e olio, sautéed greens, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes or a mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette.
- Storage: Cool leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from partially thawed if frozen.
If you try Stuffed Cucuzza Squash, share your experience in the comments — I love hearing from readers. Mangia!