Pile your favorite pizza toppings onto these oven-baked squash boats for a dinner rich in antioxidants and fiber!

Pizza night takes on a whole new meaning with this Paleo-friendly recipe. These veggie-based boats allow you to enjoy pizza flavor without the harsh effects of dairy or gluten. Instead, fiber-rich squash serves as a vessel for toppings without sacrificing health or flavor!

Butternut squash makes a great choice for creating a perfectly portioned pizza boat. The flesh roasts up tender, while the hearty marinara sauce offers plenty of antioxidants and cancer-fighting lycopene. (1) You can make your own marinara ahead of time with this simple recipe or use a zesty Paleo pesto instead.

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Incorporating a winter squash variety adds a slightly sweet flavor with high concentrations of vitamin C and potassium. Together, they help boost the immune system and protect the heart. The ample amounts of fiber also help create fullness and keep blood sugars balanced.

The toppings are the real stars of this recipe. You can add your own spin or use the classic sausage, pepper, and cashew cheese combination we recommend. Pasture-raised Italian sausage adds a rich aromatic flavor while boosting the amount of protein. Many health-conscious grocers carry pastured-pork sausages in the meat aisle, or you can also purchase it online for shipment right to your door.

Cashew cheese is a simple combination of seasonings, soaked cashews, and grass-fed gelatin. This mixture is refrigerated to create a texture and flavor similar to mozzarella – minus the inflammatory effects of dairy. You can buy some at your local grocery store or make your own cashew cheese using this 3-step recipe (it’s easy!).

Other great Paleo pizza toppings include:

• Ground beef or turkey
• Olives
• Sliced tomatoes
• Crumbled bacon

To get started, drizzle the halved butternut squashes with olive oil and roast for 55 minutes, or until fork-tender. Allow the squash to cool for 5-10 minutes, then use a spoon to scoop out the center of the orange flesh. Make sure to leave a half-inch perimeter within each squash. Transfer the flesh and marinara in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Divide the mixture among the four squash halves and add on the toppings. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Serve hot and enjoy!

Jennafer Ashley

Stuffed Squash Pizza Boats with Cashew Cheese

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Total time:1 hr
15 mins

Cook Time:1 hr 5 mins 1 hour 5 minutes

Prep Time: 10 mins 10 minutes

Serves:4

Stuffed Squash Pizza Boats with Cashew Cheese

Recipe by: Jennafer Ashley

Pile your favorite pizza toppings onto these oven-baked squash boats for a dinner rich in antioxidants and fiber.

Tools

• Large baking sheet
• Medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

• 2 medium butternut squash, sliced lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 cup marinara
• 1 cup cashew cheese, shredded
• 2 cooked pasture-raised Italian sausage links, sliced
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1/2 t chili flakes

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF and place sliced butternut squash onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 55 minutes, or until fork-tender. Allow squash to cool for 5 minutes.
• Scoop out the flesh of the squash, leaving half an inch of space around the perimeter. Add the flesh to a medium mixing bowl with marinara and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture evenly back into each squash.
• Top with cashew cheese, sausage, and bell pepper, then sprinkle oregano on top. Place back into the oven for 10 minutes. Finish with chili flakes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Looking for Paleo ingredients? Here’s what we recommend:
Olive oil (Sky Organics)

For more veggie-based boats, try one of these recipes…

• Taco-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
• Sweet Potato Sloppy Joe Bowls
• Mediterranean Style Stuffed Spaghetti Squash