Healthy Zucchini Pizza Skillet

This 30 minute Zucchini Pizza Skillet with ground turkey and melty cheese is a crustless, to-die-for skillet meal that packs 30 grams of protein!

You will also love my wildly popular Tex Mex chicken and zucchini!

Every summer during zucchini season I look for easy ways to use up this wonderful vegetable. We have a lot of zucchini recipes in our rotation, but this healthy zucchini pizza skillet is one of my latest favorites!

I wanted a 30 minute dinner or even quicker one so my kitchen doesn’t heat up and I don’t spend a lot of time in it because I truly love to do other things in summer.

I’m not a fan of pepperoni slices, so I made it healthier with ground turkey. And it turned out amazing!!!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• So easy: Just 7 ingredients and no spices needed.
• Uses up a lot of zucchini: Tons of chopped zucchini make it a hearty, bulky main dish.
• High in protein and low carb: Get an easy 30 grams of protein with no crust and no extra carbs.
• A crowd pleaser: Serve low carb or over carbs for extra hungry people. Everyone will be happy!

Ingredients for Zucchini Pizza Skillet

You’ll need just 7 simple ingredients with salt and pepper as the only spices.

• Zucchini: Cubed green or yellow zucchini. You’ll need 6-8 cups depending on how chunky you want it.
• Ground turkey: I used ground turkey to make it healthier and boost the protein. You can use other ground meats and even add pepperoni if you like, see variations below.
• Marinara sauce: I love Rao’s marinara sauce or my homemade marinara, but any red sauce you like the taste of will work.
• Shredded cheese: Use a flavorful cheese such as Havarti, provolone or white cheddar. I don’t like mozzarella here because it’s not as flavorful and it’s stringy, but you can use it if you want.
• Spices: Salt and pepper to season the zucchini.
• Fresh basil: Fresh herbs are the best for adding the most flavor. If you don’t like basil, you can add oregano, parsley, or green onion instead.
• Oil for frying: Avocado oil, olive oil, or butter will work.

How to Make Healthy Zucchini Pizza Skillet

Here’s a quick overview of how to cook this recipe quickly and easily in one pan.

• Saute zucchini: Heat a large non-stick skillet on high heat, add oil and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, and cook just until browned, not disturbing too often. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
• Cook ground turkey: Return skillet to the stove and cook ground turkey for 5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces and stirring constantly.
• Add sauce and simmer: Pour in the marinara sauce, stir, and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer on low heat for 3 minutes.
• Add zucchini and cheese: Add the cooked zucchini back in and give it a good stir. Sprinkle cheese on top, then put it under the broiler for 3 minutes if your skillet can handle it. If not, just cover it with a lid and let the cheese melt.
• Serve: Garnish with basil and serve it on its own or pile it on top of spaghetti.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips to master this zucchini pizza skillet recipe from the get-go.

• Cut zucchini in even pieces: To get even cooking. I like to use diced or half-moon pieces.
• Do not overcook zucchini: Sauté for just a few minutes to brown. Don’t wait until the zucchini is soft, or you’ll get watery results.
• Use any sauce you love: You know I’m a big Rao’s fan, but if you’ve got a favorite marinara, pizza, tomato, vodka or roasted red pepper sauce, go ahead and use it.
• Cook garden zucchini for less time: Extra large homegrown or farmer’s market zucchini are spongy and need shorter cooking times.
• About melting cheese part: Don’t use a skillet with a plastic handle as it might melt in the oven under the broiler. Use a large cast iron skillet if you have one. Or skip broiling and just cover with a lid to let cheese melt. Whatever works best for you.

Add-In’s and Variations

• Use any ground meat: Swap ground turkey for beef, chicken, pork, or sausage. Each adds its own flavor while keeping a similar texture.
• Other vegetables to add: Mix-in some bell peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, onion or spinach. Just be sure to saute them separately after the zucchini.
• For a heat kick: Sprinkle with red pepper flakes or add a splash of hot sauce.
• Make it vegetarian: Just omit the turkey and replace it with meatless crumbles or diced tofu. Feel free to add extra veggies if you like, but no other changes are needed.
• Add beans: Canned white beans, like cannellini, add plant-based protein, a creamy texture, and make it more filling.
• Add pine nuts: Toast first, set them aside, then add them in at the end.
• Leftover cooked chicken: Omit ground turkey and mix it in with the sauce and sauteed zucchini. You can use shredded or diced chicken.
• Add cooked pasta: Stir it in before adding the cheese and broiling. You’ll end up with a delicious zucchini pizza pasta bake.

What to Serve It With?

I enjoyed it low-carb as is, but since my boys are eating so much these days, they had theirs over spaghetti.

You can always add a few fresh pizza toppings like tomatoes, arugula, shaved Parmesan, sliced avocado, black olives or red onion. Then serve alongside Caesar salad and garlic bread to soak up any extra sauce.

How to Store

Store: Keep any leftovers covered and in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freeze: I don’t freeze this one because zucchini is mostly water and tends to get mushy when thawed.

Reheat: Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes with the skillet covered. If you’re using a non-stick skillet, you won’t need extra water or oil to reheat since the zucchini will release its own moisture.

FAQs

More Easy Zucchini Dinner Recipes

• Ground turkey and zucchini skillet
• Caprese chicken zucchini skillet
• Chicken, zucchini and corn
• Pasta with zucchini and tomatoes