Zucchini Pizza Bites

Another day, another ramen. College is hard, and worrying about nutrition can feel like too much sometimes. You know you should be eating your vegetables, but every time you cook, you find yourself overwhelmed with the thought of putting together a meal or a snack that includes some greens. You give in and grab your third ramen package of the week. If this sounds like you, look no further! Here is a quick, easy, and delicious way to dish up some nutrition in a fun snack or side dish!

With only five ingredients and a total cooking time under half an hour, this snack is a great option for those of us who need a quick way to boost our nutrition. Each ingredient is cheap and readily available at the grocery store. They all contribute to a healthy diet as well! The real star of this recipe, though, is the zucchini. Read on to learn more about why zucchini is a great option for these tasty pizza bites by Liz at I Heart Vegetables!

Zucchini is a fantastic vegetable for several reasons. First, it’s good for you! Zucchini contains many vitamins and minerals: in one serving, you can get a healthy dose of potassium, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. All of these nutrients are essential for a healthy body to function. Zucchini is also a food that is low on the glycemic index. Regular pizza bites include a crust that tends to be much higher on the glycemic index. This does not always cause an issue, but if you are on the lookout to regulate your blood sugar, zucchini is a great alternative for some cheesy goodness. If you are not quite convinced, it’s also rich in antioxidants and high in fiber. Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative stress, and fiber will aid in digestion.¹ In summation: zucchini rocks as far as your health goes.

Another reason you should love zucchini is that it is highly abundant in the late summer/early fall. If you happen to be making this recipe sometime between August and October², you’re in luck! It should be even cheaper than normal in your local grocery store. You can also check out a farmers market in your area to see if they have some fresh-picked zucchini for purchase. Shopping seasonally benefits you and your environment. Let’s discuss your personal gain first. With seasonal shopping, you receive different nutritional benefits from trying out a variety of fruits and vegetables. You will also be purchasing the best possible quality of your selected produce, as it will be more ripe and flavorful than ever. To top it off, your budget will thank you when it sees the low prices seasonal produce has to offer! Now, let’s talk about the environment. In a world with dwindling resources, it’s important to be mindful of sustainability. If you shop with the season, you are supporting more sustainable practices in your community. Because you are likely purchasing local produce, less transportation emissions will be put out into the environment. In addition, by eating what is abundantly available, you dim the likelihood of that item ending up in the landfill. It’s really a win-win situation.

Hopefully by now you are convinced that pizza zucchini bites are the snack for you. Follow along to make them for yourself!

Ingredient selection is not a make or break on this recipe, but it can affect how much you love it! Because this recipe is simple, you can customize it to meet your preferences without worrying about how the finished product will mesh together. For example, as a group, we love zucchini, so it was the perfect option for the base of our pizza bites! Others may opt for various squash varieties such as winter or butternut. You could even switch your zucchini out for eggplant.

The base isn’t the only thing up for variation: try your favorite pizza sauce! It could be pesto, alfredo, barbecue sauce, or whatever else your pizza-loving heart desires. We chose Rao’s tomato basil sauce because it has that sweet tomato flavor with a nice punch of basil. 

A third ingredient you might consider options for is the cheese. In our kitchen, we freshly grated a block of mozzarella. This gave us a soft, moist, and mild cheese. To get a stronger flavor, you might opt for a cheese such as sharp cheddar, or maybe even feta!

Be sure to add some favorite toppings to really make it yours. Ours were topped with basil, but the possibilities are endless! Pop some pepperoni, sausage, chicken, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, or olives on there. If you’re feeling controversial, slip a little pineapple into the mix.

To prepare these delicious zucchini pizza bites, start by prepping the zucchini. Wash your zucchini and pat it dry. Next, carefully slice the zucchini into about ¼ to a ½ inch thick slices. The thicker the slice of zucchini the longer it will take to cook. After you make the recipe a few times, you will find what cut size you like best. 

After slicing the zucchini, pat the slices dry with a paper towel to draw out some moisture. Sprinkle the slices with salt to help with this as well. Drying the zucchini slices will help the little pizza bites become more crisp in the oven. Zucchini that is too wet will come out of the oven soggy and mushy.

Once you have dried the zucchini slices, arrange them a few inches apart on a greased baking sheet and spoon about a teaspoon of your favorite marinara sauce onto each slice. You can use more or less sauce to your liking! Add the mozzarella cheese on top of each slice, the amount to your liking. 

Finally, the zucchini bites are ready to bake! Put the zucchini bites in the oven until the cheese is lightly toasted and the zucchini is tender and slightly crispy. The best way to test this is too insert a fork into the thickest zucchini. If it punctures the zucchini easily, the zucchini is thoroughly cooked. Don’t forget to let the bites cool for a few minutes before enjoying the delicious and nutritious snack!