Go Back

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Pizza zucchini boats with baked zucchini pizza filling—tender zucchini shells loaded with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and melted mozzarella. This easy pizza dinner bakes until the cheese is bubbly and the boats are fork-tender, giving you low carb pizza flavor in a hand-sized portion.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

zucchini boats filling
  • 4 zucchini Medium, halved lengthwise.
  • 0.5 cup pizza sauce Use enough to coat each boat.
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese Shredded; reserve some for even topping.
  • 30 mini pepperoni slices pepperoni Divide into layers and topping.
  • 0.25 cup black olives Sliced.
  • 0.25 cup green bell pepper Diced small.
  • 4 mushrooms Thinly sliced.
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning For savory top layer.
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder Adds punch to the cheese topping.
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes For garnish; use to taste.
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the zucchini boats
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F while you prep the zucchini, so it’s ready when the boats are filled.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers, leaving a 1/4-inch shell; discard the flesh or save it for another use.
  3. Pat the inside of each zucchini shell dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, so the filling bakes instead of steaming.
Stuff and bake
  1. Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce inside each zucchini boat as the base for the filling.
  2. Layer mushrooms, bell pepper, olives, and half the pepperoni over the sauce in each boat.
  3. Top with shredded mozzarella and the remaining pepperoni so the surface gets melted and bubbly.
  4. Sprinkle Italian seasoning and garlic powder over the top for even flavor.
  5. Bake 20–25 minutes at 400°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the zucchini is tender, then garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh basil.

Notes

For the best texture, dry the zucchini shells well—excess moisture can prevent browning and bubbling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a 400°F oven or air fryer until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the zucchini gets watery after thawing. Dietary swap: use low-sodium pizza sauce and reduce or omit added pepperoni if you’re aiming for lower sodium.