Pizza Zucchini Boats with Pepperoni and Sausage

A healthy, low-carb, recipe for pizza zucchini boats that is full of Italian sausage, Mozzarella and pepperonis. Makes a wonderful quick and easy gluten-free dinner recipe for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients (Servings : 4)

4-5 medium-large zucchinis
1-2 T. olive oil + more for zucchini
½ c. onions finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
1 lb. Italian sausage mild
1 c. spaghetti sauce
½ c. pepperonis small
1 c. Mozzarella cheese
Parsley fresh (optional)
Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut zucchini in half and scoop out insides. Place zucchini pulp in a bowl to reserve for later.
Drizzle about 1 T. olive oil over the insides of the zucchini and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper over each.
Place zucchini on a baking sheet, inside-up, and bake in preheated oven for 7-8 minutes.
In a medium-large sauce pan, place olive oil, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
Add Italian sausage and cook over medium heat for an additional 8 minutes, or until sausage is almost done.
Measure out 1 c. of the reserved zucchini pulp. Coarsely chop and then place in the pan with the sausage. Cook over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes, or until zucchini becomes soft.
Reduce heat to a simmer and add spaghetti sauce. Once mixture is heated through, fill each zucchini boat with equal amounts of the sausage mixture. (Each boat will get about ¼ c. of the mixture.)
Top each zucchini boat with Mozzarella and 6-8 small pepperonis.
Return zucchini to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes, watching closely so the cheese does not burn.
Top with fresh parsley and Parmesan and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from evolvingtable.com/pizza-zucchini-boats-pepperoni-sausage/.