These pizza boats are the perfect quick and easy dinner idea you need to make your whole family happy on a busy week night. They come together with just a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes!
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Why you’ll love ’em
These boat-shaped pizzas are fast, simple, and super fun. When you’re in the mood for a homemade pizza but you don’t have the time to deal with pizza dough, these are a great alternative.
First things first, everyone will love these! They’re super customizable and you can just change up the toppings on each piece depending on whatever everyone’s favorite pizza flavors and favorite toppings are.
These are the perfect meal for a fun cooking night with your family or when you just need a quick dinner idea on a busy night and you don’t feel like dealing with anything beyond basic ingredients. They’re also a perfect way to get your family involved in the kitchen!
I love pairing these with an easy protein like rotisserie chicken and a simple green salad for a balanced, healthy meal.
With just a little bit of effort, these fun pizza boats come together in 15 minutes
Let’s get into what you need to make them!
Ingredients
French bread or sub rolls: I prefer French bread for these pizza boats, but you can use any bread that’s similarly shaped, like sub rolls too.
Pizza sauce: Grab your favorite pizza sauce or marinara sauce for these! I
Mozzarella cheese: You can use shredded mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, or any other type of cheese that you enjoy for these.
Additional toppings: These pizzas are the perfect base for whatever your favorite pizza toppings are! Some ideas include regular pepperoni, mini pepperoni, turkey pepperoni, red or green bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, banana peppers, or ground turkey sausage.
You can also sprinkle your pizzas with Italian seasoning and garlic powder before baking.
How to Make Them
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Slice your rolls in half length-wise and scoop out most of the innards of the bread. If you prefer a thinner “crust”, take out a lot! If you like a more traditional French bread pizza, leave the bread as is! Use leftover bread for homemade croutons or bread crumbs.
- Place your bread slices on a cookie sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Fill each slice of bread with a layer of about 1/4 cup pizza sauce and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (of course, adjust to your preference!). Next, top your pizzas with whichever toppings you choose.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until bread edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.
Pizza Boat Variation Ideas
- Buffalo chicken pizza boats: Top your pizza with cubed or shredded chicken and buffalo sauce! This one from Primal Kitchen is my favorite.
- BBQ chicken pizza boats: Top your pizza with cubed or shredded chicken, replace your tomato sauce with barbecue sauce, and top with cheddar cheese.
- Veggie pizza boats: Add red and green peppers, sweet onion, mushrooms, and chopped broccoli.
- Pepperoni pizza boats: My personal favorite is a classic pepperoni. I like to add Boar’s head turkey pepperoni.
- English muffin pizzas: Replace the bread with English muffins! Top your English muffins with your favorite pizza toppings and bake at 450 until English muffin is golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Zucchini boats: Slice 2 medium zucchini the long way, brush with olive oil and bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes until the texture of the zucchini is softened and browned on the top. Top with pizza sauce, cheese and any other toppings you enjoy before baking for 5-7 additional minutes.
- Whole grain pizza boats: Choose a whole grain bread option for more dietary fiber.
More easy, delicious recipes:
Easy Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
Inside Out Egg Roll (Easy 20 Minute Recipe!)
Quick and Easy Pizza Boats
Ingredients
- 2 9 oz loaves French bread
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- additional pizza toppings: pepperoni, bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, olives etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Slice your rolls in half length-wise and scoop out most of the innards of the bread. If you prefer a thinner "crust", take out a lot! If you like a more traditional French bread pizza, leave the bread as is! Use leftover bread for homemade croutons or bread crumbs.
- Place your bread slices on a cookie sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Fill each slice of bread with a layer of about 1/4 cup pizza sauce and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (of course, adjust to your preference!).
- Next, top your pizzas with whichever toppings you choose. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until bread edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.
