Anna Louise A stuffed marrow is one of those recipes that I think of as genuinely British in character — it exists in the allotment tradition, the grow-your-own culture, the slightly glorious problem of having a courgette that got away from you and is now a marrow the size of a small torpedo sitting on the kitchen counter.
The marrow, hollowed out, stuffed with a rich, well-seasoned mince filling, and baked until the flesh is tender and the top is golden and bubbling, is one of the most satisfying things to do with a vegetable that often stumps people.
The filling makes the dish. A poorly seasoned, underseasoned filling gives a stuffed marrow that tastes of very little — the marrow itself has a mild, watery character that does not compensate for a flat filling.
A properly made filling — beef mince browned until deeply golden, with onions, garlic, tomatoes, a generous hand with the spices, and a little Worcestershire sauce — gives a dish that is deeply satisfying and genuinely delicious regardless of the vegetable that contains it.
I make this every summer when marrows appear — either from the garden or from enthusiastic neighbours who have more than they know what to do with. It converts even dedicated marrow sceptics.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Stuffed Marrow
For the Stuffed Marrow
- 1 large marrow (about 1.5–2kg) — or 2 medium marrows
- 2 tbsp olive oil — for brushing the marrow before baking
For the Beef and Tomato Filling
- 500g beef mince (15–20% fat)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped — added at the end
For the Topping
- 100g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
- 25g Parmesan, finely grated
- A generous scattering of dried breadcrumbs (optional — gives a pleasant crunch)
How to Make Mary Berry Stuffed Marrow
Step 1 — Prepare the Marrow
Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Line a large roasting tin with baking parchment or foil.
Halve the marrow lengthways. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard all the seeds and the soft, watery flesh at the centre — leaving a shell of firm marrow flesh approximately 2cm thick all around. The hollow you create will hold the filling.
Brush the cut surfaces and the inside of each marrow half generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side up in the prepared roasting tin.
Step 2 — Make the Beef Filling
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef mince — breaking it up with a wooden spoon — for eight to ten minutes until deeply browned all over. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion over a medium heat for eight minutes until soft. Add the garlic, red pepper, dried oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes if using. Cook for three more minutes.
Return the browned mince. Add the tomato purée — stir for one minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Season generously. Bring to a simmer and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes until the filling is thick, rich, and deeply flavoured. There should be very little liquid remaining — a wet filling makes a watery stuffed marrow.
Add the fresh parsley. Taste and season very assertively — this filling will be distributed inside the mild marrow flesh, and assertive seasoning is essential for the finished dish to have proper flavour.
Step 3 — Fill the Marrow
Spoon the filling generously into each marrow half — packing it firmly and mounding it slightly above the rim of each half. Every bit of filling should be used — pile it high.
Step 4 — Top and Bake
Scatter the grated Cheddar and Parmesan generously over the filling. Scatter the dried breadcrumbs if using.
Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil. Bake for 35 minutes until the marrow flesh is just tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
Remove the foil. Bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese topping is deeply golden and the marrow flesh is completely tender.
Rest for five minutes before slicing and serving.
My Top Tips For Best Mary Berry Stuffed Marrow
Brown the beef mince properly before building the sauce. The same instruction that appears in every mince recipe — and it is equally important here. Deeply browned mince gives a rich, complex filling. Pale mince gives something flat and disappointing. Take every minute the browning needs.
Make the filling very thick before it goes into the marrow. Marrow releases a significant amount of water during baking. A filling that is already slightly wet will be extremely watery by the time the marrow is cooked through. Cook the filling until it is thick and holding its shape — very little liquid visible — before it goes into the marrow.
Season the filling more assertively than seems necessary. The marrow flesh is mild and watery in character. It absorbs some of the filling’s seasoning as they cook together. Season the filling until it tastes clearly, confidently seasoned — almost slightly over-seasoned — and it will be perfectly balanced in the finished dish.
Cover with foil for the first 35 minutes. The foil traps steam and ensures the marrow flesh cooks through completely and evenly. Uncovering for the final 15 to 20 minutes gives the cheese topping its golden, crispy surface without the marrow drying out.
The marrow must be fresh and firm. A very large, very old marrow with particularly hard, woody flesh takes significantly longer to become tender. Choose a marrow that feels heavy and firm — the flesh should give slightly when pressed at the skin.
Serving Suggestions
With crusty bread for mopping the juices in the roasting tin — they are intensely flavoured and should not be wasted. With a simple green salad alongside. On its own — a generous portion of stuffed marrow is a complete meal.
How to Store Mary Berry Stuffed Marrow
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions covered with foil at 180°C for fifteen to twenty minutes.
In the freezer: The filling can be made and frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight, stuff fresh marrow, and bake as directed.
Mary Berry Stuffed Marrow Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Line a large roasting tin. Halve marrow lengthways — scoop out seeds and watery centre flesh. Brush cut surfaces and inside with oil — season. Place cut-side up in tin.
- Brown beef mince in hot oil 8–10 minutes — deeply golden. Remove. Cook onion 8 minutes. Add garlic, pepper, and spices — 3 minutes. Return mince. Add purée — 1 minute. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Season assertively. Simmer 15–20 minutes until thick with very little liquid. Add parsley. Taste — season very assertively.
- Fill marrow halves generously — mound above the rim. Scatter Cheddar, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs if using.
- Cover tin tightly with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Remove foil — bake 15–20 minutes more until cheese is golden and marrow flesh is completely tender when pierced. Rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use lamb mince instead of beef?
Yes — lamb mince gives a slightly richer, slightly more aromatic result. The spices suit lamb very well. Use the same quantity and method.
Can I make a vegetarian version?
Yes — replace the beef mince with cooked green lentils (400g) and finely diced mushrooms (200g) cooked until dry. The spiced vegetable and lentil filling is genuinely excellent in a marrow.
Can I use courgettes instead of marrow?
Yes — halved large courgettes prepared and filled in the same way give individual portions. Reduce the baking time to 20 to 25 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.
How do I know when the marrow is cooked through?
Pierce the flesh with a sharp knife — it should slide through without resistance. The flesh should look slightly translucent rather than the opaque white of raw marrow.
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