Name: Delicious Homemade Zucchini Pizza Recipe
Ingredients: For the Pizza Dough (Homemade or Store-Bought): 1 pound Pizza Dough (Homemade or Store-Bought): You have options here! For the ultimate homemade experience, use your favorite pizza dough recipe. There are countless recipes online for classic Neapolitan dough, thin crust dough, or even whole wheat dough. Making your own dough allows you to control the ingredients and texture. However, if you’re short on time or prefer convenience, high-quality store-bought pizza dough works wonderfully. Look for fresh dough in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, or even pre-made pizza crusts if you want to simplify things further. Just make sure to choose a dough that you enjoy the taste and texture of.; For the Zucchini Topping: 2 medium Zucchini (about 1 pound), thinly sliced: Choose firm, fresh zucchini for the best texture. Smaller to medium-sized zucchini tend to have fewer seeds and a more delicate flavor. Thinly slicing the zucchini is crucial – aim for slices about 1/8-inch thick. This ensures they cook through evenly on the pizza and become tender without making the pizza soggy. A mandoline slicer makes quick work of this, but a sharp knife and a steady hand will also do the trick. If your zucchini is very large and seedy, you might want to remove the seeds before slicing.; 1 tablespoon Olive Oil: Olive oil is essential for tossing with the zucchini before roasting. It helps the zucchini to soften and caramelize slightly in the oven, enhancing its flavor and preventing it from becoming watery on the pizza. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.; ½ teaspoon Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the zucchini and helps to draw out excess moisture. Use fine sea salt or kosher salt.; ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper adds a touch of warmth and spice that complements the zucchini and other pizza toppings.; 1 clove Garlic, minced (optional, but recommended): Minced garlic adds a lovely aromatic depth to the zucchini. If you’re a garlic lover, don’t skip this! You can also use roasted garlic for a milder, sweeter garlic flavor.; For the Pizza Sauce: ½ cup Pizza Sauce (Homemade or Store-Bought): Again, you have options! Homemade pizza sauce is incredibly flavorful and allows you to customize the taste to your liking. There are many simple and delicious pizza sauce recipes online using canned tomatoes, herbs, and spices. However, if you’re short on time, a good quality store-bought pizza sauce will also work perfectly. Choose a sauce that you enjoy the flavor of and that isn’t too watery.; For the Cheese Topping: 1 ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is the classic pizza cheese for a reason. It melts beautifully and has a mild, milky flavor that complements a wide range of toppings. Use part-skim mozzarella for a slightly lighter option, or whole milk mozzarella for extra richness and flavor. Fresh mozzarella, sliced and scattered over the pizza, is also a delicious option.; ½ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional, but highly recommended): Parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty, and savory depth of flavor to the pizza. It also browns beautifully in the oven, creating crispy, cheesy edges. Freshly grated Parmesan is always best, but pre-shredded Parmesan will also work.; For Flavor and Garnish (Optional but Delicious): ¼ cup Fresh Basil Leaves, roughly chopped: Fresh basil adds a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor and a beautiful pop of color to the finished pizza. Add it after the pizza is baked to preserve its freshness and aroma.; Red Pepper Flakes (optional): If you like a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a subtle kick to the pizza. Sprinkle them over the pizza before baking or offer them as a topping at the table.; Drizzle of Olive Oil (optional): A drizzle of good quality olive oil over the finished pizza enhances the flavors and adds a touch of richness.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pizza Dough (Homemade or Store-Bought):
- 1 pound Pizza Dough (Homemade or Store-Bought): You have options here! For the ultimate homemade experience, use your favorite pizza dough recipe. There are countless recipes online for classic Neapolitan dough, thin crust dough, or even whole wheat dough. Making your own dough allows you to control the ingredients and texture. However, if you’re short on time or prefer convenience, high-quality store-bought pizza dough works wonderfully. Look for fresh dough in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, or even pre-made pizza crusts if you want to simplify things further. Just make sure to choose a dough that you enjoy the taste and texture of.

For the Zucchini Topping:
- 2 medium Zucchini (about 1 pound), thinly sliced: Choose firm, fresh zucchini for the best texture. Smaller to medium-sized zucchini tend to have fewer seeds and a more delicate flavor. Thinly slicing the zucchini is crucial – aim for slices about 1/8-inch thick. This ensures they cook through evenly on the pizza and become tender without making the pizza soggy. A mandoline slicer makes quick work of this, but a sharp knife and a steady hand will also do the trick. If your zucchini is very large and seedy, you might want to remove the seeds before slicing.
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil: Olive oil is essential for tossing with the zucchini before roasting. It helps the zucchini to soften and caramelize slightly in the oven, enhancing its flavor and preventing it from becoming watery on the pizza. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- ½ teaspoon Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the zucchini and helps to draw out excess moisture. Use fine sea salt or kosher salt.
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper adds a touch of warmth and spice that complements the zucchini and other pizza toppings.
- 1 clove Garlic, minced (optional, but recommended): Minced garlic adds a lovely aromatic depth to the zucchini. If you’re a garlic lover, don’t skip this! You can also use roasted garlic for a milder, sweeter garlic flavor.

For the Pizza Sauce:
- ½ cup Pizza Sauce (Homemade or Store-Bought): Again, you have options! Homemade pizza sauce is incredibly flavorful and allows you to customize the taste to your liking. There are many simple and delicious pizza sauce recipes online using canned tomatoes, herbs, and spices. However, if you’re short on time, a good quality store-bought pizza sauce will also work perfectly. Choose a sauce that you enjoy the flavor of and that isn’t too watery.

For the Cheese Topping:
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella is the classic pizza cheese for a reason. It melts beautifully and has a mild, milky flavor that complements a wide range of toppings. Use part-skim mozzarella for a slightly lighter option, or whole milk mozzarella for extra richness and flavor. Fresh mozzarella, sliced and scattered over the pizza, is also a delicious option.
- ½ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese (optional, but highly recommended): Parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty, and savory depth of flavor to the pizza. It also browns beautifully in the oven, creating crispy, cheesy edges. Freshly grated Parmesan is always best, but pre-shredded Parmesan will also work.

For Flavor and Garnish (Optional but Delicious):
- ¼ cup Fresh Basil Leaves, roughly chopped: Fresh basil adds a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor and a beautiful pop of color to the finished pizza. Add it after the pizza is baked to preserve its freshness and aroma.
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional): If you like a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes adds a subtle kick to the pizza. Sprinkle them over the pizza before baking or offer them as a topping at the table.
- Drizzle of Olive Oil (optional): A drizzle of good quality olive oil over the finished pizza enhances the flavors and adds a touch of richness.

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Instructions

Prepare the Zucchini: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a medium bowl, toss the thinly sliced zucchini with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic (if using). Spread the zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly softened and lightly golden around the edges. Roasting the zucchini beforehand is a crucial step. It removes excess moisture, concentrates the flavor, and ensures that the zucchini cooks perfectly on the pizza without making it soggy. Don’t skip this step!

Prepare the Pizza Dough: If using homemade pizza dough, prepare it according to your recipe. If using store-bought dough, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to make it easier to handle. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll out the pizza dough to your desired shape and thickness. You can make a classic round pizza, a rectangular sheet pan pizza, or even individual pizzas. The thickness of the crust is a matter of personal preference – thin crust for crispiness or thicker crust for chewiness.

Assemble the Pizza: Place the pizza dough on a pizza stone, baking sheet, or in a cast iron skillet. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a small border for the crust. Don’t over-sauce the pizza, as this can make it soggy. A thin layer of sauce is usually sufficient.

Add Cheese and Roasted Zucchini: Sprinkle about half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the pizza sauce. Then, arrange the roasted zucchini slices evenly over the cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the shredded Parmesan cheese (if using). Layering the cheese like this helps to hold the zucchini in place and ensures even melting.

Bake the Pizza: Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. The baking time may vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your crust. Keep an eye on the pizza and adjust the baking time as needed. You want the crust to be nicely browned and crisp, and the cheese to be melted and slightly golden in spots.

Garnish and Serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool slightly for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, red pepper flakes (if using), and a drizzle of olive oil (if desired). Slice and serve immediately. The aroma of freshly baked zucchini pizza is irresistible! Enjoy every delicious bite.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 280-350
Sodium: 400-500mg
Fat: 2-18g
Saturated Fat: 6-9g
Carbohydrates: 30-40g
Fiber: 2-3g
Protein: 12-15g
Cholesterol: 30-40mg