Zucchini Pizza Boats

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This recipe is the fastest, healthiest way to enjoy zucchini pizza! And I say that after combining zucchini and pizza flavors in several different ways. Yes, you could toss zucchini slices on a regular crust, make zucchini pizza bites for appetizers, or even get fancy with my zucchini pizza crust. But when I want a quick, easy, and summery dinner, these zucchini pizza boats win. Make them with me!

Why You Need My Zucchini Pizza Recipe

• Lighter way to get classic pizza flavor – Forget the pizza dough, I’m using zucchini boats as the “crust”! You get all the saucy, cheesy pizza taste with a solid dose of veggies. It’s one of my favorite ways to satisfy those cravings.
• Just 5 ingredients – I don’t want to make extra grocery trips just to enjoy pizza, so I kept this recipe minimal — only 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper.
• Super fast – My zucchini pizza boats only take 10 minutes to prep, and there are no extra bowls to wash. Yes to a healthy dinner in about 30 minutes.
• Perfect for family meals – Everyone can customize their own with their favorite toppings! See my suggestions below.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my zucchini pizza recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Zucchini – This is the “crust”. Yellow summer squash works great, too!
• Olive Oil – I just use my favorite regular olive oil, but extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil make great substitutes.
• Marinara Sauce – You can use my sugar-free marinara sauce, my sugar-free pizza sauce, or simply your favorite store-bought brand. I always check labels to avoid added sugar.
• Mini Pepperoni Slices – If you can find minis, you can use large slices and cut them into quarters.
• Mozzarella Cheese – I usually go for pre-shredded mozzarella for convenience, but you can shred it yourself. Fresh mozzarella can work, but you’ll have to dry it well so that it doesn’t water everything down. Feel free to mix it up with other cheeses, like cheddar or parmesan cheese.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can also add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning for extra flavor.

How To Make Zucchini Pizza Boats

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Prep the zucchini. Slice the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out some of the center with a melon baller, cookie scoop, or spoon to form a well.
2. Roast the zucchini. Drizzle with the olive oil, and season with the sea salt and black pepper. Roast on a baking sheet until soft. (I line it with parchment paper for easier cleanup.) Pat the insides dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.

3. Add your toppings. Spread the sauce inside the zucchini halves. Top with mozzarella and pepperoni.

4. Pop in the oven. Bake the zucchini pizza, then broil to brown the cheese.

My Recipe Tips

• Yes, you need to pre-roast the zucchini and pat dry. These steps prevent your filling and toppings from ending up too watery, and your zucchini from being soggy.
• This is the perfect way to use up larger zucchini. I’m not a big fan of larger ones for many recipes because they are so seedy and watery, but since we’re scooping out the center here, they’re perfect for zucchini pizza boats. Small ones will work too, but you’ll have less room for toppings.
• Eat with a fork and knife. Unlike a regular pizza, it will be difficult to pick these up. A fork and knife are your best bet!
• What to do with the zucchini centers? You’ll need to scoop them out to hold the toppings, but they don’t have to go to waste. I usually toss them into my zucchini soup.

Topping Variations

Just like a regular pizza, you can easily customize zucchini pizza with different sauces and toppings. Here are some ideas to try:

• Veggie – Load them up with bell peppers, oven-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives. Note that the veggies won’t soften much because the baking time is so brief, so you can pre-cook them first if you want them more tender.
• Meat Lover’s – Add some cooked Italian sausage, ham, and bacon along with the pepperoni.
• Hawaiian – One of my faves! Top your zucchini pizza boats with Canadian bacon and pineapple tidbits.
• Buffalo Chicken – Spread some buffalo sauce, add shredded chicken (Instant Pot chicken breast is my go-to quick method for it), and top with a sprinkle of blue cheese or ranch dressing. Or make my buffalo chicken zucchini boats instead.
• Sauce Swap – One of my kids isn’t a fan of tomato-based sauces, so I make hers with Alfredo sauce. You can also use my basil pesto sauce.

Storage & Meal Prep

• Store: Just pop any leftovers in the fridge. They’ll stay good for 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: You can prep the zucchini pizzas ahead of time, then just bake the day-of. Super easy!
• Reheat: Pop them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
• Freeze: I like to freeze zucchini pizza boats on a parchment paper lined baking sheet first, so they don’t stick together. Then transfer to a zip lock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. The zucchini is more mushy after thawing, but I think they’re still delicious.

Serving Ideas

Wondering what to serve with zucchini pizza? It can easily make a one-pan meal all on its own, but it’s pretty light, so here are some good pairings with it:

• Chicken Wings – A classic option with pizza! Try my classic buffalo wings for some heat, or my lemon pepper wings or garlic parmesan wings for savory flavors.
• Salad – I serve these zucchini pizza boats with my daughter’s favorite kale salad most often, but my Greek salad and Caprese salad are perfect for summer. You can also make my artichoke salad for an Italian-inspired meal.
• Breadsticks – A good way to make your meal more filling? I often make cauliflower breadsticks for a healthier option.

More Healthy Pizza Recipes

If you like my zucchini pizza, don’t miss my other healthy pizza recipes:

Pizza Casserole

Eggplant Pizza

Crustless Pizza

Pizza Chaffle

My Tools For This Recipe

• Melon Baller – You can just use a spoon or cookie scoop, but I find that this melon baller is the easiest way to scoop out the zucchini seeds.
• Baking Sheet – The best baking sheet I’ve ever had. It heats evenly and cleanup is a total breeze.

Recipe Card

4.87 from 29 votes

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Make my zucchini pizza boats when those pizza cravings hit! This healthy, cheesy, and easy zucchini pizza recipe is ready in just 30 minutes.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 23 minutes

Total: 33 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

[ See substitutions ]

U.S. – Metric

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 medium Zucchini ▢
• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 16 tbsp Marinara sauce ▢
• 1/3 cup Mini pepperoni slices ▢
• 1 1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese ▢

Instructions

[ See step photos • See my tips ]

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Slice the zucchini lengthwise. Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out some of the centers of the zucchini to make wells.

3. Place the zucchini onto the baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.

4. Roast the zucchini in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until soft.

5. When the zucchini are done roasting, use paper towels to pat any moisture from the wells.

6. Spread 2 tablespoons (29.5 milliliters) of marinara inside each zucchini boat. Then top with mozzarella cheese and mini pepperoni slices.

7. Bake for 5 minutes. Then, broil for about 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 zucchini boats

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 269

Fat 18.8g

Protein 14.4g

Total Carbs 12.2g

Net Carbs 9g

Fiber 3.2g

Sugar 7.5g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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Try More Of My Recipes

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  Stuffed Zucchini Boats
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  Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
• 
  Zucchini Pizza Bites Recipe
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  Zucchini Salad

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Gratitude Moment

No, this isn’t my cat, lol! This was another feel-good moment from our recent trip.

We visited a farm, and they had kittens you could hold or play with. I’m much more of a dog person than cat person, but still enjoyed this so much — and it reminded me that we’ve been promising the kids to get a dog soon. We keep waiting for life to slow down.

Do you have any pets? I love hearing about furry friends. Tell me about them in the comments below!