These zucchini pizza bites are a better-for-you way to enjoy the flavors of pizza. Ready in 30 minutes, they make a wonderful snack, a tasty side dish, or even a main course when accompanied by a salad.
I love using zucchini in recipes like zucchini lasagna, grilled zucchini, and zucchini noodles. These zucchini pizza bites are especially good. How wonderful it is to be able to enjoy the best parts of pizza - the sauce, cheese, and toppings - while using a vegetable as the base. Even my kids like these delicious bites!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Fresh zucchini: Look for firm zucchini with smooth, dark green skins. Large zucchinis work better in this recipe.
- Pizza sauce: It's best to use a sugar-free pizza sauce like Rao's.
- Shredded mozzarella: You can also use one of the bagged pre-shredded cheeses labeled as "Italian blend."
- Toppings: I like to use thinly sliced chorizo or pepperoni. If you want this dish to be meatless, you can use olives instead.
Variation
Sometimes, I use shredded provolone instead of mozzarella. Even cheddar can work if that's all you have on hand. The photo below shows a version of this recipe I made several years ago. I sliced the zucchini rounds fairly thick and topped them with cheddar and chorizo slices. They were delicious!
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Slice the zucchini, season the slices, and broil them. Some zucchini slices will brown faster than the others under the broiler. Simply remove them to a plate and keep broiling the rest.
Top each zucchini slice with sauce, cheese, and - if using - pepperoni (I like to leave some of them plain).
Place the zucchini bites in the oven briefly, just until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
It's often a good idea to salt zucchini before using it in recipes. Salting helps draw moisture out and prevents sogginess. I do it when I make zucchini chips and roasted zucchini. But in this case, high-heat broiling works well to dry out the slices, so there's no need for the extra step of salting.
Yes. You will need to bake them in a very hot oven (450°F) for 5-10 minutes per side, depending on how hot your oven runs. Then top them with pizza toppings and return them to the hot oven just to melt the cheese - a matter of seconds.
No. You should leave it unpeeled. Zucchini skin is edible and tasty, so there's no good reason to remove it.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Place them on paper towels to absorb extra moisture, and reheat them in the microwave at 50% power or in a 350°F oven.
Serving Suggestions
These tasty bites make a great appetizer or a delicious side dish. When I make them as a side dish, since they occupy the oven, I serve them with a main dish I can cook on the stovetop, such as:
- Stovetop London Broil
- Gluten-free chicken tenders
- Pan-fried salmon
- Spicy shrimp
- Ham steak
- Keto sloppy joes
If you'd like to serve them as a meatless main course, they pair well with simple salads such as arugula salad, cherry tomato salad, and creamy cucumber salad.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Zucchini Pizza Bites
Video
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini - extra-large, total weight about 1 pound
- Olive oil spray - extra-virgin; or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup marinara sauce
- 2 ounces mozzarella - shredded
- 1 ounce pepperoni slices - optional
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch-thick slices. You can leave them unpeeled.
- Preheat your broiler on high and position an oven rack 4 inches below the heating element (in most ovens, this is the top rack). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray it with olive oil.
- Arrange the zucchini slices on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Broil the zucchini slices until tender and lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Keep a close eye on them! Some might brown faster than others – remove them to a plate and keep broiling the rest.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Spoon a little marinara sauce on top of each zucchini slice. Top with cheese and (if desired) pepperoni.
- Return the pan to the broiler just until the cheese is melted, for 30-60 more seconds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Look for firm zucchini with smooth, dark green skins. Large zucchinis work better in this recipe.
- The nutrition info includes pepperoni.
- If you prefer baking to broiling, you will need to bake the zucchini in a very hot oven (450°F) for 5-10 minutes per side, depending on how hot your oven runs. Then top them with pizza toppings and return them to the hot oven just to melt the cheese - a matter of seconds.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Place them on paper towels to absorb extra moisture, and reheat them in the microwave at 50% power or in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
