Pizza night is the automatic yes in my house. Vegetables are the hard sell. These pizza zucchini boats are where the two meet: a halved zucchini filled with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni, broiled until the cheese browns the way the top of a real pizza does.
I started making these pizza boats to use up summer zucchini (my zucchini noodles and zucchini bread are two other great options). They’ve stuck around because they’re quick, satisfying, and feel a little more special than another weeknight vegetable side dish.
After adjusting the bake times, I finally landed on a version that keeps the zucchini from turning too soft while still delivering a pizza fix without the crust.
Don’t Miss This Step
Zucchini naturally releases water as it cooks. Seeing moisture in the cavity is normal and doesn’t mean anything went wrong.
After the first bake, wipe dry both the inside of the zucchini as well as the pan under each boat. This will help the sauce stay thick instead of watery.
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini: Look for zucchini that are similar in width from end to end. They are easier to hollow out, cook more evenly, and hold the toppings better after baking.
Mozzarella: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts into a smoother layer than pre-shredded cheese. The anti-caking coating on bagged shredded cheese can leave the top looking drier and less evenly melted.
Italian seasoning: Season the zucchini, not just the sauce. During testing, I found the zucchini needed seasoning of its own. A little Italian seasoning on the cut surface before baking helps the whole boat taste like pizza, not just the toppings.
How To Know This Recipe’s Done
The cheese should be completely melted with golden brown spots across the top. The pepperoni edges will look slightly crisp, and the zucchini boats should give easily when pierced with a fork while still holding their shape when lifted with a spatula.
Take The Flavor From Good To Great
I add grated parmesan on top. If your zucchini pizza boats have ever tasted flat in the past, that is the fix, and it does it without more salt. Add it over the mozzarella before the broiler so it crisps.
Storage
These are best the same day. Leftovers keep in the fridge, but the shell keeps releasing water, so a day-old boat is softer and wetter. Reheat in the oven, not the microwave: the microwave steams them soft again, while the oven re-melts the cheese and firms the shell back up. They do not freeze; the zucchini turns mushy and watery once it thaws.
Recipe Test Notes
I first published this recipe in May 2023 and went back to it in early 2026 for one reason: to get the cheese to char on top. My independent recipe tester, Angela, found the cheese melted properly but never developed the browned, pizza-style finish I wanted. Extending the bake time helped the cheese, but it also left the zucchini too soft.
The fix was less oven time, not more. I cut the prebake to five minutes, shortened the second bake, and added a broiler step to finish. Now the cheese browns while the zucchini boat stays firm.
Pizza Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini squash
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
- ⅔ cup sliced mini pepperoni
- Fresh basil, chopped (optional garnish)
- Parmesan cheese, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise but do not cut off the tops. Use either a spoon or a melon baller to scoop out the insides of the zucchini. (Be careful not to pierce through the zucchini.)
- Place the sliced and scooped zucchini halves, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Blot the inside of the zucchini with a paper towel.
- Use a pastry brush to brush each of the zucchini halves with the extra virgin olive oil.
- Sprinkle each halved zucchini with Italian seasoning, kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the oven.
- Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Spread 1½ tablespoons of pizza sauce down the center of each zucchini.
- Sprinkle each zucchini half with ¼ cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese over the pizza sauce.
- Arrange 14 to 16 slices of mini pepperoni over the mozzarella cheese layer.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Turn on the broiler and broil for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is slightly charred.
- Allow the pizza boats to rest a few minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese (optional).
Notes
- Use a tea spoon or a melon baller to scoop out the zucchini flesh.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically… keep a close eye on your zucchini boats as the suggested baking time approaches.
Nutrition
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