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Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Pizza zucchini boats loaded with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and melted mozzarella in tender, hollowed zucchini shells. Baked at 400°F until the cheese is bubbly and the zucchini is soft for an easy low-carb pizza dinner.
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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
  • 4 zucchini medium; halved lengthwise
  • 0.5 cup pizza sauce plus extra sauce for topping, if desired
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 30 mini pepperoni slices (divided) pepperoni mini slices; divided for layering and topping
  • 0.25 cup black olives sliced
  • 0.25 cup green bell pepper diced
  • 4 mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder
  • red pepper flakes for garnish
  • fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set out a sheet pan for baking the zucchini boats.
  2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the centers, leaving about 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.
  4. Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce inside each zucchini boat.
  5. Layer the mushrooms, bell pepper, olives, and half of the pepperoni over the sauce.
  6. Top with the shredded mozzarella and the remaining pepperoni slices.
  7. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and garlic powder evenly over the top.
Bake and finish
  1. Bake for 20–25 minutes at 400°F, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the zucchini is tender.
  2. Finish by garnishing with red pepper flakes and fresh basil, then serve while hot.

Notes

For best texture, pat the zucchini shells dry so they bake instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because the zucchini can turn watery. Dietary swap: use turkey pepperoni or omit pepperoni for a lighter variation while keeping the same mozzarella-and-sauce structure.