If you are looking for the best zoodle recipes, you’ve come to the right place! With so many options, making them yourself is easy and convenient! You can use a food processor or julienne peeler to make your delicious zoodles! Try some of these recipes to find your favorites! The flavor of zoodles is enhanced by cooking them slowly in a slow cooker. If you’re looking for healthier zoodle recipes, try substituting scallions for the jalapeno.
And if you want to try Asian food, go for kung pao chicken zoodles. The sauce will add extra flavor to the bland zoodles. For dinner party guests, this dish is a great option! The flavors of kung pao chicken are carried over to the zoodles, which stick to the sauce like pasta, and it is just as satisfying to eat as it would be with pasta!
Zucchini Noodles or Zoodle: What are they?
Raw zucchini is used to make zucchini noodles, either spiralized or cut into long, thin strips to mimic spaghetti. With the advent of alternative diets that exclude pasta made of grains, spiralized vegetables have become more and more popular over the past ten years.
The most common vegetable is probably zucchini because it is affordable, simple to spiralize, and flavorless.
Zoodles are zucchini strands that have been cut into shapes like spaghetti, linguine, or soba noodles. The action of a spiralizer makes it feasible for zoodles to have a consistent shape. To shape your zoodles, you may use a basic, low-cost handheld spiralizer or a more pricey, professional spiralizer.
Zoodles may be the most well-known type of vegetable-based noodles, but there are other options. The more expensive, sophisticated spiralizers you see in grocery shops or restaurants have the advantage of being strong enough to spiralize other, harder veggies like beets or butternut squash that can be challenging to slice thinly when raw.
Best Zoodle Recipes
Zucchini Noodles with Garlic & Sesame, Quick & Simple
Because they’re simple, delectable, and satisfying enough to keep me full until breakfast, I frequently treat myself to a late-night bowl of noodles.
These zucchini noodles are a great substitute for folks seeking to reduce their carb intake.
Zoodles have a lot of extra moisture, but using this rich garlic sauce to garnish the meal prevents it from becoming watery.
The Basil-Pumpkin Seed Pesto in Heather’s Zucchini Noodles is Incredibly Flavorful and Garlicky.
Fortunately, a little goes a long way because using pine nuts makes it rather pricey to manufacture.
Fortunately, the use of pumpkin seeds in this recipe will enable you to save a little money.
They have a subtle flavor with a very slight nuttiness.
A good alternative that gives the pesto a creamier finish is walnuts.
Zoodles Caprese
Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil must form the foundation of any “Caprese” dish.
Then, feel free to add whatever else you think will make it more rewarding and intriguing.
The mozzarella in this dish is so light that you’ll need a dash of acidity and salt, and balsamic vinaigrette works so nicely with fresh tomatoes.
You must allow the zoodles to marinate in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
The surplus liquid may need to be drained before serving, depending on how wet they appear.
4-Ingredient Chicken Zoodles with Garlic
Like many of you, I want pasta constantly. In my perspective, there is never a terrible pasta dish with sauce, and it’s so simple to cook.
However, a large bowl of spaghetti may be too much to take in the summer. So why not give this healthier zoodle pasta a shot?
I adore the vivid color of the zucchini, loaded with chicken and garlic. After all, spaghetti can appear a little bland without a sauce.
Zoodle Soup with Chicken
I haven’t put my Crockpot away since the first leaf fell, and these days I live in flannel and cozy, thick socks.
A bowl of hot soup is the ideal way to take advantage of a crisp fall day.
Many people have family recipes for chicken noodle soup that they frequently eat because it is such a well-liked dish.
But I can’t stress this enough if you feel like trying something a little different.
What are Different Types of Zoodle Spiralizers?
When preparing zucchini noodles, there are four essential instruments to pick from:
My favorite spiralizer is the counter-top model. This technique produces zoodles that are uniformly thick and is incredibly quick. The quality of this counter-top spiralizer is the best I’ve seen, and unlike others, the bottom suction remains in place.
Kitchen space can be saved by using a handheld spiralizer. Although it is little, making the zucchini noodles tends to be more difficult and thinner. Try out this handy hand-held spiralizer.
Julienne Peeler: A labor- and time-intensive alternative to purchasing a separate tool. Additionally, the zoodles typically end up being considerably shorter. This julienne peeler swivels and performs excellently.
Knife – The zucchini is just being sliced into thin strips. Unquestionably the simplest method, but time-consuming and difficult to get thin enough noodles.
What are the Five Ways in Which Zucchini Noodles can be Made?
It’s one thing to learn how to make zoodles, but I believe the cooking technique makes the biggest difference.
No matter what recipe you wish to prepare with zucchini noodles, in my tests, the best way to cook zoodles was in the oven, followed by pan-frying. But to be thorough, let me go over all the numerous approaches to making them:
Although it’s the most popular method, pan-frying zoodles isn’t my preference. If this is the technique you prefer, I’ll explain how to cook zucchini noodles on the stove in the section below; there is a method to ensure they aren’t watery.
The best method I’ve discovered for cooking zucchini noodles is in the oven, which is surprising. And I’m quite happy about it because the zoodles still come out very dry despite not requiring draining or pressing.
Eat them raw – You may easily omit cooking and substitute zucchini noodles for spaghetti in your favorite pasta salad! You are not at all required to cook them.
Zucchini noodles tend to turn out watery when they are boiled or blanched. The zucchini doesn’t necessarily seep water straight away, but it does so easily and fast that it becomes overly wet on your plate. Use this technique solely while cooking soup.
Zoodles in the microwave – This is an option in a pinch, but it’s trickier to keep them from becoming soggy. If you still want to do it, the best way is to microwave first, drain and squeeze the food just like you would when pan-frying (above). Afterward, you might still need to drain or pat away more moisture. You can add sauce after the zucchini has heated up, and you wouldn’t be able to remove extra moisture at the end if you added it before putting it in the microwave.
What are the Storage Methods for Zucchini Noodles?
The best approach to preparing zucchini noodles for meal preparation is to spiralize them ahead of time and store them uncooked in the refrigerator. When you’re prepared to cook, first pat them dry.
Zoodles shouldn’t be prepared in advance, but if you must, wait to combine them with sauce until you are ready to serve. After cooking, they will continue to exude water, so pat them dry once more before dipping them in sauce and dishing.
Remainings should be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, away from any sauce.
Stir-frying on the stove is typically the quickest and simplest method of reheating. To get any moisture to evaporate, use a medium-high heat source.
What are the Serving Suggestions for Zucchini Noodles?
Steak: For a special supper, get a fillet mignon or New York Strip; on a weeknight, order sirloin.
Fish dishes pair well with zoodles, including baked fish, pan-seared halibut, and grilled salmon.
Chicken – The simplest dishes for dinner are baked chicken breast, chicken legs, or pan-seared chicken.
Vegetarians can make a nutritious plant-based dinner by adding a sauce and their preferred low-carb vegetables.
What are the Benefits of Eating Zoodle?
Contains Very Few Calories
Zoodles are popular due to their extremely low-calorie content, especially when compared to noodles made from wheat flour, rice, or other grains. You can consume up to five cups of zoodles and still only consume one cup of traditional wheat-based noodles for the same number of calories!
Carbohydrate-Free
The glycemic index is lower for all summer squash varieties, including green zucchini and yellow squash, because they contain fewer calories, natural sugars, and starches than grains or other root vegetables. This is perfect for anyone who requires assistance bringing their blood sugar levels back to normal, notably diabetics and people at risk for developing diabetes.
Helps you Eat More Vegetables
The USDA and most other health organizations advise eating four to five servings of vegetables daily to maintain a healthy weight and meet all nutrient needs; however, most children and adults don’t follow this advice consistently.
There are other vegetables besides zucchini that can be made into no-grain noodles. Try other varieties, including carrots, beets, turnips, butternut squash, yellow summer squash, and beets.
You can reduce the amount of pasta you need to eat to feel content even if you find that substituting zucchini or other veggie noodles for pasta is not a practical solution for you by “bulking up” your pasta recipes with a lot of spiralized vegetables. Doing so can significantly cut calories in your dishes while still “sneaking in” more nutritional fiber and vegetables into your diet.
One of the best methods to feel fuller for longer and prevent devouring empty calories is to include more high-volume, high-fiber, low-calorie meals in your diet. Vegetables that can be spiralized contain fiber, which is advantageous for stomach, heart, and gastrointestinal health.
What is the Nutritional Data of Zoodle?
The Cucurbitaceae plant family includes other squash relatives like spaghetti squash, cucumbers, and even fruits like melon, including zucchini as a summer squash veggie.
One reason why Cucurbitaceae fruits and vegetables tend to be lower in starch and, thus, lower in carbs and calories than other types of veggies that grow below ground is that they all have large, visible seeds and grow above ground on short plants (like carrots or beets, for example).
One medium zucchini served raw yields roughly one heaping cup of zucchini noodles, which contains:
- 30–40 calories, barely.
- 7 grams of carbohydrates (or just 5 grams net carbs, when taking into account fiber)
- 2.2 g of protein
- 2.2 g of fiber
- 3.0 mg of vitamin C (56 percent DV)
- Vitamin B6 4 milligrams (21 percent DV)
- 3.0 mg of manganese (17 percent DV)
- Riboflavin, 3 milligrams (16 percent DV)
- potassium 514 milligrams (15 percent DV)
- FOLATE, 57 milligrams (14 percent DV)
- 0.4 mg of vitamin K (11 percent DV)
- 362 IU of vitamin A (7 percent DV)
Although zucchini come in various hues, the most common and commonly accessible in grocery stores are the dark green, light green, or white-spotted kinds. Zucchini is linked to the hybrid vegetable known as yellow squash (or “summer squash”), which has a vivid golden or deep-orange color, even though the two have their differences.
Yellow squash can also be used to make “zoodles,” but some people find that because it releases more water than zucchini, those noodles tend to be softer and soggier.
Conclusion
Try a Thai zoodle soup if you’re looking for a delicious alternative to traditional noodles. It is a delicious way to get all the flavors of Thai cuisine without the high price tag! Toss them in soups and add bean sprouts, cilantro, saffron or lime juice. It’s the perfect comfort food! Just make sure you have a few recipes that use zoodles as a substitute for traditional noodles!
Cooking zucchini noodles is easy, but they can quickly get soggy. Be sure to cook them briefly, slowing down the enzyme activity and preventing soggy zoodles. After cooking, freeze the noodles in a container, and they’ll keep in the fridge for about a week. A quick tip to save time is to prepare the zoodles. To make zoodles ahead of time, use large zucchinis, yielding more noodles. Also, consider the size of the zucchinis when selecting the zucchinis.
