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Make Zucchini Pizza Boats and thank me later, they are the best way to eat zucchini!

In the summer I always end up with a glut of zucchini, which is why I make pizza boats, zucchini slice, zucchini banana bread, zucchini tots and add them to my healthy mac and cheese.

Table of Contents

Hand holding a dinner plate with two zucchini boats. Cooked Zucchini Pizza boats laid on baking paper on wooden chopping board garnished with chopped basil, Tomatoes, basil and a green checkered tea towel on benchtop in background.

Ingredients you will need

Ingredients for Zucchini Pizza Boats on benchtop with text overlay.

Ingredient Notes, Substitutes, & Alternatives

Zucchini: If you don't have zucchini or courgette this recipe will also work with eggplant/aubergine
Garlic powder, paprika: I like to season my zucchini before adding the pizza toppings. I use a combination of paprika and garlic powder but you could use other spices, including onion powder or celery salt.

Pizza Toppings

Pizza sauce/marinara sauce: This can be homemade pizza sauce or store-bought.
Salami/Red Onion: I like to use salami sticks to make cute little salami rounds and red onion to top my zucchini pizzas, but you can of course use other pizza toppings including; pepperoni, bacon, ham, olives, mushrooms, capsicum, pineapple, onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Mozzarella cheese: Any shredded or grated cheese that melts well will work, including; colby and cheddar cheese.
Basil leaves: after cooking I like to add fresh basil leaves, this can be skipped, another herb used (parsley, thyme) or a pesto can be used as an alternative.

Step-by-step instructions

Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Zucchini Pizza Boat recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.

Step one: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (400 F).

Slice your zucchini in half lengthwise. Then remove a small slice from the bottom of each half so that the zucchini boats will sit stably on a baking tray.

Zucchini cut in half lengthwise sitting on wooden chopping board, a small slice removed from the bottom of the half. Knife resting on chopping board, three zucchini, red onion and basil leaves on bench top.

Step two: Use a spoon to remove approximately half a centimetre of flesh from each zucchini boat. Sit the zucchini boats in a lined baking dish

Zucchini cut in half lengthwise sitting on wooden chopping board, hand holding a spoon removing the flesh from the inside of zucchini. Three zucchini, red onion and basil leaves on bench top.

Eight hallowed out zucchini inside of a lined baking tray.

Step three: In a small bowl combine the olive oil, paprika and garlic powder. Brush this oil mixture over the zucchini boats, then season with salt and pepper.

Hand holding a fork stirring together olive oil, paprika and garlic powder in a small ramekin on benchtop.

Eight hallowed out zucchini inside of a lined baking tray, hand brushing on Olive oil, paprika and garlic powder mixture.

Step four: Bake the zucchini in the hot oven for 5-10 minutes.

Cooked zucchini pizza boats inside a baking tray on bench top.

Step five: Remove the zucchini boats from the oven, top each boat with pizza sauce, red onion, salami and mozzarella.

Cooked zucchini pizza boats in baking tray topped with Pizza Sauce, red onion, salami and mozzarella.

Step six: Bake in your hot oven for 10 minutes until the zucchini are tender and the cheese is golden brown.

Cooked zucchini pizza boats in baking tray topped with Pizza Sauce, red onion, salami and mozzarella melted over the top.

Garnish with basil leaves

Cooked Zucchini Pizza boats laid on baking paper on wooden chopping board garnished with chopped basil.

Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Here is how you can make these Zucchini Pizza Boats perfectly every time!

I use a twice-baked method when I make my zucchini pizzas. I find this gets you the best final result. I season and oil the zucchini and bake them, before adding the topping and baking them again.
If your zucchini are large and more like marrows they may have quite large seeds. Be sure to scoop as many of them out before baking them.
Top your pizza boats with your favorite pizza toppings! I have lots of ideas on my Tortilla Pizza recipe.
Serve as a light meal or as a side to steak, grilled fish, or grilled chicken.
Store leftovers in the fridge, I enjoy the leftovers cold over the next 2-3 days.

Hand holding a fork with a piece of zucchini pizza boat, Cooked Zucchini Pizza boats laid on baking paper on wooden chopping board garnished with chopped basil, Tomatoes, basil and a green checkered tea towel on benchtop in background.

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How To Make This Recipe Suitable For Baby-Led-Weaning

The texture of the zucchini boats are soft and perfect for baby-led weaning, it is just the toppings you need to be mindful of.

Skip the salt when seasoning the zucchini.
Leave off the salami as it can be high in salt and depending on how it has been sliced it may become a choking hazard.

Cooked Zucchini Pizza boats laid on baking paper on wooden chopping board garnished with chopped basil, two zucchini boats on a dinner plate with knife and fork. Tomatoes, basil and a green checkered tea towel on benchtop.