A delicious low-carb, gluten-free alternative to one of America's favorite dishes! Pizza Zucchini Boats are a great for busy weeknights and are jam-packed with bold pizza flavors. Head over to the Keto-Friendly section of the blog to check out all of the other great low-carb recipes!
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Hey, ya'll! I have to admit, we're eating pretty well this week! The vacation/holiday weight is already dropping off too, which is also a huge plus. Between the Honey Sriracha Meatballs, Philadelphia Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers and a delicious garlic chicken dish I am a happy girl!
Another fantastic dish that we've been enjoying this week is Pizza Zucchini Boats. Zucchini boats, in general, are one of my favorite low-carb options but when you pile on delicious pizza toppings it makes them even more enjoyable! I love finding creative ways to still be able to enjoy my favorite dishes without all of the heavy carbs.
Pizza Zucchini Boats can be loaded with the toppings of your choice. Ours were topped with spicy sausage, mini pepperoni and my favorite sauce (which happens to include ground beef). I guess that makes it a Meat Lovers Pizza Zucchini Boat, doesn't it? Of course, the possibilities are endless. You could add onions, olives, peppers, or any other meats, vegetables, or even fruits that you can think of!
This would be a great dish to introduce your little ones to zucchini. In fact... it's a perfect way to introduce adults to it as well. (If you're reading this and you know I'm referring to you... hello! <3 ). The zucchini boat prep is so easy that you could have your youngsters help out. Each zucchini counts as a "serving" that can be easily customized to everyone's liking.
If you want to make this dish even more healthy, you could substitute the Italian sausage for ground turkey, ground chicken or even tofu. You could also use turkey pepperoni rather than pork.
I love making meal-prepping these for lunches at work!
Kitchen Essentials:
What Should I Serve with Meat Lovers Zucchini Boats?
Garden Salad
Servings Size: 4
Ingredients:
4 medium/large zucchini 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 1/2 cup onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 pound Italian sausage (I use mild) 1 cup of your favorite spaghetti sauce 1/2 cup mini pepperoni 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut each zucchini in half and scoop out the insides. Place the zucchini pulp in a bowl.
3. Drizzle about 1 tbsp of olive oil over the insides of the zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet (skin side down) and bake for 8 minutes.
4. Add remaining olive oil to a medium-size saucepan. Sautee onions and garlic over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the Italian sausage and continue to cook the mixture for about 8 minutes or until the sausage is nearly done.
5. Measure out 1 cup of the reserved zucchini pulp. Coarsely chop the pulp and add it to your sausage mixture. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of your favorite sauce. Bring the temperature down to low and cook until the sauce is heated through (about 3 minutes).
6. Fill each zucchini boat with the mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and mini-pepperoni. Broil the zucchini in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes watching carefully that the cheese does not burn.
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