Have you ever stopped and thought about how many summer vegetables are fantastic for hollowing out and stuffing? Sweet bell peppers are really just the start of the list.

Any vegetable with a fairly sturdy shape an seeds in the middle can become an edible vessel for dinner: both sweet and hot peppers, 8-ball zucchini, eggplant, winter squash, onions, and even tomatoes. All we need to do is scoop out the seeds in the middle and fill the insides with a stuffing of our choice. A little time in the oven until everything is heated through, and dinner is ready.

Here are a few stuffed summer vegetable recipes for inspiration:

• Turkish Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers, Zucchini, and Tomatoes from Gourmet
• Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes from Stitch and Boots
• Stuffed Jalapenos from Martha Stewart
• Stuffed Zuchinni with Mortadella and Parmesan from Bon Appétit
• Roasted Stuffed Onions from Epicurious
• Cous Cous and Feta Stuffed Peppers from Smitten Kitchen
• Papoutsakia Stuffed Eggplant from the Bitten Word
• Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with White Beans, Greens, and Sage from Eggs on Sunday

Do you have a favorite recipe for stuffed summer vegetables?

Related: Peppers and a Glass of Milk? Peanut-Butter Stuffed Jalapenos

(Image: Stephanie Foley/Gourmet)