I grew up eating a lot of skillet meals based largely on ground meat – often venison. The benefits to such dishes are that they are inexpensive and can be made to go a long way. Chopped zucchini pairs well with ground venison and tastes best when cooked al dente (or firm to the bite). For most any dish, cooking it for only about five minutes yields great results in terms of flavor and texture.
When gardens are flourishing and reward you with an abundance of zucchini, you’re set up for a vast number of cooking opportunities. Plus, if you’re a hunter with venison to spare, you’ve got the perfect marriage for a comfort food feast. If you’re planning this year’s garden or are already enjoying the harvest, thaw some venison and start chopping. Not a gardener? No problem, zucchini is an abundant and affordable staple in any supermarket produce section.
This low-carb recipe is simple and will please your crowd at your home or hunting camp.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
-Serves 6
-Serve with brown rice, or pasta. For a more low-carb option, substitute cauliflower rice or zucchini pasta.
Ingredients:
- 5 – 2-pounds ground venison
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, quartered
- 2 carrots, diced
- 15-20 mushrooms, quartered
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp oregano
- 1 Tbsp coarsely ground salt
- 2 Tsp onion powder
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 8-ounce pack of grated mozzarella cheese
Mix spices with venison evenly before cooking
Instructions:
- Thaw ground venison
- Thoroughly mix all dried spices together in a bowl.
- Mix spices evenly with the venison – let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Quarter zucchini and mushrooms; dice onions and carrots.
- In a large skillet, fully cook seasoned venison over medium heat.
- Add can tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and onion. Mix in well.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.
- Once served, sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.
