Zucchini Pizza Boats
Have you made zucchini pizza boats before? These are versatile because you can choose many of your favorite pizza toppings to place on top. They may be healthier than a bread crust pizza, and they taste great!
Of course, there are many variations available when you make these. You can eat different meats like chicken, ham, Italian sausage and pepperoni. You can also enjoy fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, olives, and pineapple. Most kids love pizza, and it is trendy with my grandkids. Yes, KIDS LOVE pizza, right?
If you think about it, we are all trying to add more vegetables to our diet. These make a great dinner that is not filled with heavy carbohydrates and the flavor is great.
I love meals that I can prep in 15 minutes, bake for 15 minutes, and have dinner ready in about an hour. If your zucchini is more oversized, it may take longer to bake. Don’t overbake it, or it may become mushy.
We’ve grown zucchini in our garden for years. They grow so fast that you have to keep an eye on them. We’ve had some zucchini that are about two feet long and four inches thick. They certainly wouldn’t work for this recipe, but zucchini can be enjoyed in many ways.
Zucchini Pizza Boats
Kitchen Items You May Need:
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Good Knife
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Melon Baller
What is a Zucchini Pizza Boat?
These are made from a small whole zucchini sliced in half lengthwise, spread with pizza sauce, cut vegetables, cooked sausage, and Mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. Then, they are baked to perfection with the cheese melting on top.
Zucchini Pizza Boats
Step One
Gather your ingredients, so you’re ready to start the recipe. These are so fun to make!
Step Two
Preheat your oven to (400°F) = (204°C). Wash the zucchini and slice them in half lengthwise. Today, I could only get small zucchini instead of medium-sized ones. Scoop out the seeds and some of the plant “meat,” so there’s room to add the toppings as you make the pizzas. Pat dry. I used a Melon Baller as my scoop to make space for the toppings, which worked great. You can use a spoon as well.
Place them evenly on a cookie baking sheet with parchment paper. Set them aside.
Step Three
Grab a frying pan and fry the sausage until cooked through and crumbly. Chop the vegetables and set them aside. Spread the pizza sauce evenly on the zucchini halves. Sprinkle them with sausage, onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
Step Four
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted. Enjoy.
Final Product
Zucchini Pizza Boats Recipe
- 4 medium-size zucchini, washed and sliced in half lengthwise (or 8 small zucchini)
- 1 jar pizza sauce (or homemade)
- 1 16- ounce package sausage (cooked)
- 1 small purple onion, chopped
- 1 small green pepper, chopped
- 1 8- ounce package sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- freshly chopped basil for garnish (optional)
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Preheat your oven to (400°F) = (204°C) degrees.
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Wash the zucchini and slice each in half lengthwise.
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Scoop out some of the seeds and plant "meat" to make room for the pizza toppings.
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A spoon or melon baller removes the space you need for the toppings. Pat the zucchini dry.
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Place them evenly on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set them aside.
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Spread the pizza sauce evenly on the zucchini halves.
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Grab a frying pan and fry the sausage until cooked through and crumbly. Drain the grease and set it aside.
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Chop the vegetables and set them aside.
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Sprinkle them with sausage, onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
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Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at (400°F) = (204°C) degrees for 15-17 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted. Enjoy.
How do I store the leftovers?
Place the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days so you can pull them out to resolve your pizza cravings.
What other toppings can I use?
Please note that if the vegetables you want to use have a lot of moisture, you may want to sauté them and drain the liquid before adding them to your zucchini boats. Here are some other toppings options you may want to try:
- Sliced Roma Tomatoes (they are meatier)
- Mini Sliced Pepperoni
- Freshly Chopped Basil
- Canadian Bacon
- Finely Chopped Ham
- Sliced Black Olives
- Spinach
- Parmesan cheese
- marinara sauce
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
Can I freeze these after baking?
I would not recommend it because the zucchini will become mushy.
Do you leave the skin on the zucchini?
Yes, you leave the skin on it. It will hold the “boats” together.
What can I serve with these zucchini pizza boats?
- French Bread
- Garlic Bread
- Dinner Rolls
- Tossed Salad
- Sliced Tomatoes
Can I make these vegetarian?
Yes, you can, skip the meat and add more vegetables.
Final Word
Please let me know if you make these zucchini pizza boats, I love hearing how you make yours. It’s all about teaching our kids and grandkids how to cook from scratch. This recipe will be perfect when our gardens are producing a lot of fresh zucchini. May God Bless this world, Linda
These are so good! I made some with meat and some without and they were both a hit!
Hi Heidi, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend. These are so fun to make as a family. Linda
NOW I know what to do with the generous over supply of zucchini my neighbors leave on my doorstep from their gardens.
Hi Chris, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! I think everyone has excess zucchini!!! LOL! Linda
Looks good, but I wonder why you didn’t put your recipe for Corned Beef since it is St.Patrick’s Day tomorrow?
Hi Cheryl, oh my goodness, I should have. I’m making green jello, green bread, and corned beef tomorrow!!! Oh my gosh, my corned beef is so good. https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/how-to-make-corned-beef/ Thanks for the reminder!! Linda
I think my family would like this. Not me so much. It would be a much healthier version of Pizza that is for sure. I will have to try it with my children. I am not crazy for squash of any type but the rest of the family likes it.
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend. Mark doesn’t care for squash either unless it’s in zucchini bread! LOL! My family loved it and we always have so many zucchini in the summer. Linda
Made these back in the ’80’s forgot about them. Thank you for the reminder.
Hi Barb, you did? I love it! I saw them on Pinterest and I thought wow, these look great! I want to make these! Love it, Linda
Hi Barb, I forgot to thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Linda
YUM!! Those look great. My mouth is watering just looking at the picture. And, who doesn’t like pizza. Also, great for those who are wanting to cut carbs. Definitely going to print this recipe and try it out.
Hi Harry, Thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! Mark could eat pizza every night! We picked up some zucchini at a Farmers Market and it reminded me of this recipe! Of course we picked up some GOOD tomatoes so we are eating BLT’s every day as long as I can get those tomatoes! Linda
For an appetizer use small zucchini and mix the other ingredients and cook as normal. People will praise you for this. It’s different than the usual ones on the table.
HI Barb, thank your for the 5 stars, my sweet friend. This is a great idea to make them into appetizers! Why didn’t I think of that!!! Love it, Linda