On Friday night, I felt a little bit lazy. Sometimes, after 4-5 days of preparing complicated meals I just want something simple. So, on Friday evening I trudged into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I surveyed the contents and decided that I should utilize the package of zucchini I had purchased earlier in the week. But: what to make? Here’s what I came up with:

I was craving the flavor of pizza, but I didn’t have any pizza dough (or the ingredients to make pizza dough). So, I improvised, and I loved the results! I’m quite sure these will show up on the menu again in the future.

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Ingredients

3 medium-large zucchini

1/2 cup pasta sauce

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, oregano)

Pepperoni (I use turkey pepperoni)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a walled baking sheet with tin foil (to make for easy cleanup).

2. Slice zucchini lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop the flesh out of the zucchini, leaving a small amount lining the skin. Give the scooped flesh a coarse chop, and set aside in a bowl.

3. Add onion, green pepper, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, and 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese to the zucchini flesh and mix.

4. Place zucchini “boats” into the lined baking pan and scoop the mixture evenly into each of the wells. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the boats, and place pepperoni on top.

5. Bake for 30 minutes (or until zucchini boats are tender: the thicker the flesh, the longer the baking time).

These were definitely a really easy treat to make, are definitely much lower in carbs than a slice of pizza, and they tasted delicious! And, they are definitely customizable depending on the pizza toppings you prefer/have on hand!

What are your favorite pizza toppings?