Low Carb Greek Herby Beef Stuffed zucchinis with a Creamy Lemon Sauce

Beef up summer vegetables with a hearty mix of lemon zest and herbs. This rustic Greek dish is perfect for summer nights or equally enjoyed as a winter comfort. Lemon adds acidity to give this low carb dish a lift, and all the herbs make it deliciously light and fragrant. Simple ingredients with maximum taste. This dish is a little hands-on but certainly not difficult and can be prepared the day before serving.

Can I make any substitutions?

Ground beef can be switched to another ground meat for this dish; ground pork, turkey, or a combination are great alternatives.

Can I adapt the recipe for different diets?

For a veggie version, try replacing the beef with 200g cauliflower rice and 30g ground almonds mixed with all the herbs and increase to 2 eggs to help bind the mixture.

You can also make this dish dairy-free by swapping out the cream cheese for a plant-based alternative, unsweetened almond milk.

What is guar gum and is it Keto-friendly?

Guar gum, also known as guar flour or guaran, is a food additive in powder form that typically acts as a thickener, binding agent, and has gelling properties. Guar gum actually comes from legumes called guar beans, but the carbohydrate content is mostly soluble fiber, meaning it doesn’t interfere with ketosis and offers valuable dietary fiber to the low-fiber diet. So in short, yes, guar gum is Keto! It’s a great alternative to corn starch. Guar gum has very strong binding properties so use it sparingly (½ teaspoon at a time) to thicken sauces and always dilute in cold water first to avoid clumps in your sauce.

Hints and tips for your these low carb herby beef stuffed zucchinis:

For best results, use a dutch oven or covered casserole dish to retain the steam and moisture. If you don’t have one available, simply cover the oven dish with aluminum foil. Leaving the zucchinis exposed creates tougher skin.

If you’re short on time, you can make the sauce while the zucchinis are cooking and use hot water in place of the juice from the zucchinis. If you have a bit more time, wait until the zucchinis have cooked to take about 1.5 cups of the meat and zucchini juice that has been released. The added flavors will be worth the wait!

If the sauce is too thick, simply add in more of the juice one tablespoon at a time.

If the sauce is too watery, give it more time to thicken before adding in another 1/2 tsp guar gum.

Net Carbs

6.5 g
Fiber

3.3 g
Total Carbs

10.8 g
Protein

24 g
Fats

31.5 g

413 cals

Quantity

Serving Size

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Zucchini, raw

6 medium
Hamburger or ground beef, 90% lean

14 oz
Garlic

1 clove
Extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp
Lemon Peel Or Zest Raw

1.5 tbsp
Raw egg

1 large
Dill weed, fresh

3 tbsp
Spearmint, fresh

3 tbsp
Parsley Fresh Or Raw Herb

3 tbsp
Salt, sea salt

0.5 tsp
Black pepper

0.13 tsp
Boiling water

3 cup
Unsalted butter

3 tbsp
Organic Soft Cream Cheese (Full-Fat)

7 oz
Lemon, fresh

2 small - 1 7/8" diameter
Raw egg, yolk

2 large
Dietary Fiber Guar Gum

1 tsp

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Cut the ends off the zucchinis and carefully core them with a vegetable/apple corer or sharp paring knife. Set the flesh aside in a large bowl as this will be used later in the stuffing.
Step 2

Mince the garlic and grate the zest from 1 unwaxed lemon. Finely chop the dill, mint and parsley. In a large bowl, add the ground beef, olive oil, egg, dill, mint, parsley, sea salt and a good grind black pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly combine.
Step 3

Roughly chop the zucchini flesh. Add this to the ground beef mixture. Again use your hands to gather all the ingredients together.
Step 4

Stuff each zucchini fully with the mince mixture. You can cut each zucchini in half before stuffing or after stuffing, whichever way is easiest for you. Place in an oven tray or ovenproof casserole. Any leftover mince can be used to stuff more zucchinis or other vegetables like bell peppers. You could also form any leftover mixture into patties and pan fry them, or roll into meatball size and cook with the zucchinis around the side of the tray.
Step 5

Drizzle olive oil over the top and pour the hot water at the base of the oven dish. Cover with the lid or aluminum foil and cook in the oven (or over the stove if using a Dutch oven) for 35 minutes until the zucchinis are tender. It is important the zucchinis have enough water to ‘poach’, if there isn’t enough water, the skins may dry and become tough. Covering the dish will also help create steam which will keep the zucchinis moist.
Step 6

To make the sauce, juice 2 lemons and set them aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream cheese and lemon juice to the saucepan, and use a whisk to thoroughly combine into a smooth cream.
Step 7

Once the zucchinis have been poached, carefully remove 1.5 cups of this juice and add to the cream cheese mixture. Separate the eggs (and set the egg whites aside for another dish). Drop in the egg yolks to the cream mixture and whisk the sauce vigorously so they do not curdle. Add the guar gum to a small bowl and dilute with 3 tablespoons cold water to form a smooth paste. If it’s too thick add more water. Add the guar gum paste to the cream sauce and keep whisking until the sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes. Plate up and serve!