Name: Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini ((8 oz. each, 16 oz. total) ); 1 (14 oz.) jar pizza or pasta sauce ((divided, about 2 cups), see shopping tips); ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes; Black pepper, (to taste); 2 ounces ham, (chopped (½ cup)); 2 pineapple slices, (from an 8 ounce can, drained and chopped (refrigerate the remaining for another use)); ½ cup onions, (finely diced. cooked in the microwave for 1 minute to soften); ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ((for Paleo, no cheese or vegan cheese)); 4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese ((for Paleo, no cheese or vegan cheese))

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What makes this pizza Hawaiian? A classic combo of tomato sauce, cheese, ham, and pineapple. What makes it different is all being stuffed into zucchini boats. In addition to being ridiculously easy to make, they’re a tasty and healthy way to satisfy a pizza craving! Each serving has 156 calories and 5 grams of fat.

Why You’ll Love Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini

A Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini is a delightful and healthy twist on classic comfort food. This dish appeals to those seeking a lighter, more nutritious alternative without sacrificing flavor. The combination of sweet pineapple, savory ham, and melty cheese, all baked within a zucchini boat, offers a satisfying and unique dining experience. It's a perfect choice for health-conscious individuals who enjoy creative and flavorful meals.

Ingredients for Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini

This recipe offers a lighter take on classic Hawaiian pizza, using zucchini as a low-carb base. Here's a breakdown of the ingredients:

Main Ingredient:

2 medium zucchini (8 oz. each, 16 oz. total): The zucchini serves as the base for the "pizza." It's halved lengthwise and hollowed out to create "boats" for the toppings.

Sauce and Seasoning:

1 (14 oz.) jar pizza or pasta sauce (divided, about 2 cups): The pizza sauce provides the base flavor for the stuffed zucchini.
½ teaspoon Italian seasonings: This blend of herbs adds classic Italian flavor to the dish.
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes: Offers a subtle kick of heat.
Black pepper, to taste: Balances the flavors and adds depth.

Protein and Toppings:

2 ounces ham, chopped: The ham provides protein and a classic Hawaiian pizza flavor.
2 pineapple slices, from an 8 ounce can, drained and chopped: The pineapple adds sweetness and tropical flavor, completing the Hawaiian pizza theme.
½ cup onions, finely diced, cooked in the microwave for 1 minute to soften: The cooked onions add sweetness and depth to the filling.

Cheese:

½ cup mozzarella cheese: This provides the classic melty pizza cheese texture.
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese: Parmesan adds a salty and nutty flavor, enhancing the overall taste.

Note: The recipe offers optional substitutions for those following a Paleo or vegan diet, suggesting the omission of cheese or the use of vegan cheese alternatives.

How to Make Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini

Preparing the Zucchini Boats

Preheat oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Prepare zucchini: Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and microwave for about 2 minutes to soften slightly. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the flesh, leaving a ¼ inch thick zucchini shell.
Create the base: Place 1 cup of pizza sauce in a 9x9 inch baking dish and place the zucchini boats, cut side down, on the sauce.

Preparing the Filling

Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of pizza sauce with Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Combine ingredients: Stir in the chopped ham, pineapple, and softened onions into the seasoned sauce mixture.

Filling and Baking the Zucchini Boats

Fill the zucchini: Add a rounded ¼ cup of the filling to each zucchini boat, pressing down lightly.
Top with sauce and cheese: Top each filled zucchini boat with 1-2 tablespoons of pizza sauce, 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese, and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

Serving

Serve: Carefully remove the zucchini boats from the baking dish using a spatula and place them on serving plates. Add additional sauce from the bottom of the pan if desired.

By following these steps, you'll create delicious and healthy Skinny Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips About this Recipe

Makes 4 servings. Each serving, 1 Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boat.

Food Facts
The Hawaiian pizza doesn’t come from anywhere near Hawaii. It comes from Ontario and was concocted in 1962 in a restaurant serving typical midcentury food without any particular focus.

Did you know Hawaiian pizza is the most popular pizza in Australia?

Shopping Tips
There are several brands of jarred pizza sauce. I use Trader Joe’s, Classico, Prego’s or Ragu pizza sauce. If you can’t find it, use your favorite jar of pasta sauce.

Serving Tips
To make it a complete, satisfying meal, I love serving these pizza boats with my recipe for SUPER LOW CALORIE CAESAR SALAD ON A STICK or LOW CARB SALAD ON A STICK, ITALIAN-STYLE

WW Freestyle SmartPoints 4-Blue
WW SmartPoints 4-Green
WW POINTS PLUS 4

SKINNY FACTS: for 1 Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boat
156 calories, 5g fat, 2g sat. fat, 18mg chol, 11g prot, 20g carbs, 4g fiber, 640mg sod, 11g sugar

FACTS: for SmartPoints
120 calories, 2g sat. fat, 6g sugar, 10g protein