Low Allergen Cheese, Tomato and Basil Courgette Pizza Boats
CATEGORY: DINNER/LUNCH | SERVES: 2-4 | TIME: 30 MINS
Pizza Is Not Off the Table
Pizza is one of the most common foods that comes up in clinic. For anyone navigating bloating, IBS, gluten intolerance or dairy sensitivity, it can feel like something that simply has to go. But at FIT, we do not remove the foods you love. We redesign them.
If gluten, wheat or yeast are the issue, a courgette or corn tortilla base solves it. If cow's milk is the trigger, buffalo mozzarella, feta, pecorino or a clean plant-based cheese works beautifully. If tomato is problematic, vegan pesto or olive tapenade with extra vegetable toppings is an excellent swap. These courgette pizza boats deliver all the comfort and flavour of pizza without the heaviness, and they are endlessly adaptable to whatever your body needs right now.
Ingredients
2 large courgettes
120 to 150g buffalo mozzarella
6 to 8 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato passata, or pesto for a tomato-free version
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
Fresh basil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Sun-blush tomatoes (optional, for extra depth)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan.
Halve the courgettes lengthways and scoop out the centre to create a hollow boat shape.
Brush with olive oil, season well and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly softened.
Spread with passata or pesto, add the cheese and scatter over the cherry tomatoes.
Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Finish with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper. Serve with rocket for additional bitter greens digestive support.
Why It Works
Courgette as a pizza base significantly lowers the glycaemic load of the meal compared to traditional dough, reducing the blood sugar spike that often follows a conventional pizza and contributing to better energy and digestion afterwards. Buffalo mozzarella is made from buffalo milk rather than cow's milk and is often considerably better tolerated by those with dairy sensitivity, delivering protein and calcium without the same inflammatory response that cow's milk can trigger in sensitive individuals. Fresh basil and olive oil provide polyphenols and digestive support, while serving alongside rocket adds bitter compounds that stimulate digestive enzyme production and support liver function.
If pizza regularly leaves you bloated, fatigued or uncomfortable, that pattern is worth investigating properly rather than managing through permanent self-restriction.
Easy Variations
For a tomato-free version, swap the passata for vegan pesto or olive tapenade and load up on roasted vegetable toppings. For a fully dairy-free version, use a clean plant-based cheese such as Violife. For extra protein, add grilled chicken or anchovies before the second bake. For additional plant points, layer in spinach, roasted peppers or courgette ribbons under the cheese.
FIT Tip
Scooping out the centre of the courgette and patting it dry before the first bake prevents the boats from becoming watery. This step makes a significant difference to the final texture and ensures the toppings stay in place rather than sliding off. Do not skip the initial bake before adding toppings.
This recipe is gluten-free and can be made cow's milk-free and soya-free with simple cheese swaps. For clients following a personalised elimination plan, always cross-reference your specific intolerance results.
Want More Recipes Like This?
The Gut Glow-Up Guide is Becki's free resource packed with gut health science, smart food swaps, a plate-building framework and more recipes designed to help you feel genuinely better, with proper science behind it.
If you want to understand how food is really affecting your energy, digestion and skin, the best place to start is with proper testing, not guesswork.
Take the quiz or book your free health review with Becki.
About Becki Hawkins
Becki Hawkins, BSc (Hons), mBANT, CNHC, is the founder of FIT Nutrition & Testing Clinic and a Registered Nutritional Therapist with over 20 years of experience. She specialises in evidence-based personalised nutrition and functional testing, helping clients uncover the root causes of digestive issues, hormonal imbalances and unexplained symptoms. Every FIT recipe is designed around the same principle: real food that works with your body, not against it.