Stuffed zucchini are a popular dish in the Mediterranean region. I’ve wanted to make some for a while but this post on Green Light Bites really motivated me.
Stuffed zucchini are usually filled with some sort of seasoned meat, starch and vegetables. What caught my eye about the Green Light Bites version is that they are pizza themed which makes them very family friendly! They look like pizzas, they taste like pizzas but you’re getting a whole lot of vegetables!
So, inspired by Green Light Bites I made my own zucchini pizzas. I added some bread crumbs to beef up the filling, used parmesan instead of feta because that’s what I had on hand, and I threw a couple black olives on top. I wanted to put some turkey pepperoni on top but the store I was at was sold out… Boo! Anyway, this recipe is completely customizable so go wild with it!
You can even make it low carb by replacing the bread crumbs with more parmesan. Either way, these were so good and easy that I’ll definitely be whipping some up the next time I get a pizza craving!
Zucchini Pizza Boats
Zucchini Pizza Boats
Servings 6Ingredients
- 6 med. zucchini ($4.22)
- 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce ($0.50)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs ($0.08)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese ($0.24)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend ($0.05)
- 1 2 oz. can sliced black olives ($1.00)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella ($1.83)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the zucchini well to remove any grit. Slice the zucchini lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the center. Leave about one centimeter of zucchini around the edges. Save the scooped out zucchini flesh in a bowl.
- Place the scooped out zucchini halves on a baking sheet. Dump the reserved zucchini flesh out onto a cutting board and chop it into smaller pieces. Return the chopped pieces to the bowl and stir in the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
- Refill the zucchini halves with the prepared mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and black olives. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is slightly browned. The longer the zucchini are in the oven, the softer they’ll be so if you like firmer zucchini, bake for a shorter amount of time.
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Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
I only made a half batch so keep this in mind while viewing the photos.
Wash the zucchini well to make sure there is no grit left on them. Try to choose zucchini that are at least an inch and a half wide or else it will be difficult to scoop them out.
Slice the zucchini open lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the zucchini. Leave about one centimeter of flesh around the edges to hold in the filings. Do not discard the scooped out flesh.
Roughly chop the pieces of zucchini that were scooped out of the center.
Place the chopped up zucchini in a bowl and add 8 oz. of tomato sauce.
Also stir in the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Place the scooped out zucchini halves on a baking sheet and then spoon the filling into them.
Top the zucchini with cheese.
Place black olives on top and then bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes (less time for a more firm zucchini).
The zucchini pizzas are done when the cheese is melted and slightly brown on top.
The pizzas are packed with flavor and nutrients! You’ll want to eat them with a fork and knife as they are not as firm as traditional pizza.
Instant favorite. These are delicious
I plan to make these after I’ve made pasta and have left over sauce anyway.
Also a really fun meal if you have omnivores and vegetarians in the same house. I roast a whole chicken each week and chop up some of the left over chicken and mix it right in with the filling.
I make half just the way they are here, then mix chicken in the rest of the filling and make the other half a chicken parm style.
So great.
When you say 6 med zucchini are you talking about 6 whole zucchini or 6 halves(3 whole zucchini)
I’m pretty sure I used six whole, it’s just that all six wouldn’t fit in the photos so I showed three at a time. :)
I’ve made these several times and they’re just wonderful. Instead of rough chopping I usually put the filling in a food processor and give it a few pulses. The recipe is so versatile, really easy to throw in pepperoni, mozzarella, etc in to the stuffing to come up with some different combos. The only thing I’d recommend doing is putting it in the oven on a broiler pan because sometimes a lot of water can accumulate while coooking which may make the boats more prone to falling apart.
This was such a wonderful and light dinner. My friends and family were very impressed!
sorry meant to tell you that I am a vegan.
can I freeze your zucchini pizza boats. right now i’m living in a nursing home so I can’t have foods in their fridge for prolonged time so I am hoping that they are freezable. if they are not can you send me some suggestions? thanks you.
I’ve made this recipe twice, and it’s fantastic when I need a filling, low calorie meal. The second time I made it, I subbed a store bought pesto for the tomato sauce because my nephew isn’t allowed to have acidic foods. (I also cut a half cup of mozzarella from the recipe to keep the calorie count from going completely crazy.) The pesto lent it a savory touch that was just stupendous.
I made this tonight for a potluck party. Had some leftover Ragu (I know, I know… I really should try making some marinara for cheaper..) so I used that instead. Threw in some sausage for the carnivore in me :D
Was a hit!
Made it today and we loved it. Used 3 large Zucchinis though.
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was delicious! As some of your other readers have done, I adapted it to be “Paleo” friendly by leaving out the bread crumbs and adding in meat. I can tell it’s going to be a regular on our menu!
I just made these with the kids! Left out the bread crumbs and added some ground beef along with some salami. I gave each kid a boat, bowl of sauce, cheese, meat and salami so they could build their own pizza and it was a total hit!! These tasted phenomenal!! I love your recipes!! Thanks!!!