Zucchini Pizza Boats
These Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats are a perfect way to use up your zucchini! I know I have so much in my garden that I am continually looking for different and delicious ways to use it up!
This recipe is enjoyed by adults and children alike! Never any leftovers. No complaints! After all, who doesn’t love cheese and pepperoni?
These Easy Zucchini Boats are absolutely delicious and so much healthier than traditional pizza made with a flour crust. Whenever I make them (which is quite often) they get gobbled up right out of the oven and there are never any leftovers!
Easy Zucchini Boats
These Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats are great as a snack, an appetizer or even a dinner. When my son Patrick was small we used to let him and his friends make their own Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats.
In fact, they even had pizza boat parties and sleepovers. We would put out a bunch of toppings and let them create their own favorite boat (it’s amazing some of the things they would come up with!).
They would even pick their own zucchini fresh from the garden, whenever possible!
Easy to clean up and very few dishes, especially when eaten outside. All you need is a paper towel or a napkin. Nothing could be simpler or tastier. The boys were happy and so was I!
Other Fabulous Zucchini Recipes To Try
If you love zucchini as we do then I’m sure you’ll be interested in these many other zucchini recipes. I am always searching for more too and would be grateful for any suggestions if you have any, Together we can help make each other better in the kitchen!
Granny’s Easy Zucchini Casserole
Baked Italian Zucchini Casserole
Our Favorite Zucchini Casserole
Low Carb, Gluten Free and Keto Zucchini Pizza Boats
I’m sure you will love this healthy pizza recipe as much as we all do here. Less mess and easier than regular pizza, it’s also a great idea for those of you who follow certain diet regimens or have dietary restrictions, for whatever reason.
You have total control over which toppings you choose to include so make sure that everything you buy or use is perfect for you!
I have included the nutrition label below based on the recipe as it is written, for each piece or half, and a label without the pepperoni that includes mushrooms, sweet peppers and onions.
As you can see, there is a difference in saturated fat and calories between the two, as you would expect.
Depending on the kind of cheese you decide to use, the brand or kind of pepperoni, if any, the amount of oil you use, the numbers can and possibly will increase.
For example, if you decide to only use vegetables on your baked zucchini pizza boat you will save yourself a bunch of calories.
That being said if you use cooked turkey bacon, instead of regular pepperoni or bacon, the amount of calories and saturated fat won’t go up as much.
There are so many options and so little time.
Gluten Free
Now that we are getting older we have been trying to eat less bread, this recipe satisfies all of our pizza cravings. We don’t even miss the pizza crust!
As unbelievable as that statement sounds it is true.
My niece has celiac disease which means her body can’t tolerate gluten at all. She gets so sick. This baked zucchini pizza boat recipe always satisfies her pizza cravings too and the bonus is she doesn’t get sick!
I have to mention that you do have to watch the kind of pepperoni you buy because some definitely contain gluten so be sure to check your label at time of purchase. Better safe than sorry.
Low Carb
Being able to enjoy pizza without the crust definitely makes this the perfect low carb option.
Keto
My close friend has been Keto for a few years now and eats these baked zucchini pizza boats regularly, especially during the summer months when zucchinis are in abundance everywhere, including my home.
Zucchinis are generally inexpensive to buy and I am usually giving them away because we end up with so many. She is over at our home regularly and happily takes home lots of our zucchinis and tomatoes too!
Not only does she like stuffed zucchinis. She loves stuffed tomatoes too like our Tomato Tuna or Crab Melts or The Best Baked Eggs in a Tomato. Both are so tasty and might be worth a look!
She used so many of our tomatoes last year to bake her eggs in she actually suggested we get a chicken coop so she could stop going to the store altogether!
She is hilarious.
Now, back to the stuffed zucchini pizza boats!
WITH PEPPERONI
WITHOUT PEPPERONI AND WITH MUSHROOMS, ONIONS AND SWEET PEPPERS
Stuffed Zucchini Pizza Boats
The ingredients list below is just an approximation, something to give you an idea. You need to use your favorite pizza toppings. I’ve used everything from ham and pineapple to feta and sun dried tomatoes.
Sometimes we use more cheese (some would say too much but I love my cheese) or toppings than other times. It also depends on the size of the zucchinis.
I prefer using larger zucchinis so I can pile on more toppings but you can use smaller ones too. It all comes down to what is available to you or what you want!
Ingredients For Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats
- zucchini
- olive oil
- cooking spray or vegetable oil
- minced garlic
- marinara sauce
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
- pepperoni
- salt
- pepper
- dried Italian spices, if desired
- oregano, fresh or dried, if desired
How to make Baked Zucchini Pizza Boats
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Take a large rimmed baking sheet and line it with either parchment paper or tin foil with baking spray on it and then set aside.
Cut each zucchini into halves lengthwise (so each half will lay flat on baking sheet).
With a small spoon create a valley for the toppings to sit in. You can do this by scraping out the middle of the zucchini from one end to the other, focusing on removing the seeds and pulp. Place these cored zucchinis on the prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic and the olive oil and then brush lightly over the tops of of the zucchini halves.
Next, you want to sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste.
Now spread the marinara sauce evenly over each zucchini half.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and then some Parmesan over the tops.
Finally, top with the pepperoni slices (or your favorite toppings), making sure to place them close to the center so the cheese can melt and spread.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 – 18 minutes (the bake time varies depending on how thick the zucchini are cut and how crisp/tender you want them).
Remove from oven and sprinkle with dried Italian spices or some fresh chopped oregano. Serve warm.
Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats Video
Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 5 small zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- cooking spray or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup marinara sauce, your favorite brand
- 1-1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
- pepperoni, sliced, mini or regular - enough to cover zucchini
- Options
- 1 Tblsp dried Italian spices optional
- fresh oregano chopped to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil with baking spray. Set aside.
- Cut each zucchini into halves through the length so each half will sit flat on the baking sheet. Take a small spoon and scrape out the middle of the zucchini from one end to the other. Create a valley for the toppings to sit in. Focus on removing the seeds and pulp. Place on prepared baking sheet. In a bowl, stir together olive oil and garlic then brush lightly over tops of zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Next, spread marinara sauce over each zucchini. Sprinkle tops with mozzarella cheese and then parmesan. Top with pepperoni slices (placing them near the center as the cheese can melt and spread). Bake in preheated oven 12 - 18 minutes (bake time will vary depending on how thick your zucchini are and how crisp/tender you want them).
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh oregano or italian spices if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
Phyllis
This easy zucchini pizza boats recipe is a must try. Easy, healthy and delicious. Thanks for sharing this one.
Karin and Ken
As always you are most welcome! Hopefully you find some other zucchini recipes that you enjoy just as much! Take care. Karin