8 Zesty Zoodle Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook zoodles so they're not soggy? ›

Tip 5: Don't over-cook your noodles

To avoid soggy and limp noodles, I recommend cooking for only 3-5 minutes (5 if you're cooking more than 1-2 spiralized zucchinis) and tossing frequently. You want a slightly al dente noodle.

Zucchini noodles (also known as zoodles) are a great low-carb or gluten free substitute for traditional wheat pasta. Zoodles can be made a few different ways using either a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or mandoline.

Sprinkle salt on the vegetables and let them sit overnight (or at least 6-8 hours), if possible. Remove the salt and the excess water by flushing in running water, then draining well and pressing between layers of paper towels before cooking them or by spinning the vegetables in a salad spinner.

More nutritious: Zucchini has a lot of nutritional value. It is rich in numerous vitamins and minerals. Naturally gluten-free: If you can't eat traditional noodles because of gluten intolerance, zucchini noodles are a delicious and healthy alternative.

Slice and salt zucchini in advance of cooking to draw out some of the vegetable's excess moisture (while also seasoning it more thoroughly). To do this, cut up a pound of zucchini and toss it with ½ teaspoon of table salt. Let it drain in a colander for about 30 minutes before patting it dry and cooking it.

Zucchini is a versatile squash rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. It may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease. Zucchini may aid your bones, thyroid, and prostate. If you're curious, try adding this soft, mild fruit to your diet today.

A look into essential Vitamins & Minerals, shows that Zucchini Pasta outdoes Spaghetti Squash on every one, except for Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium and Selenium. Information found from SELF's Nutrition Data calculator.

They are low-calorie.

Part of any good weight loss or maintenance diet is watching your calorie intake. When a cup of zoodles contains only 19 calories, and one cup of spaghetti contains 200 calories, which would you rather eat?

Add zucchini noodles. Toss with tongs and let the zucchini cook for just a minute or two. Remove from heat and add to sauce or add some salt and eat as is. Note: Don't salt the zucchini before you saute it; the noodles will release more water and they'll end up limp.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

How to sweat zoodles? ›

Place the noodles on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. “Sweat” the noodles in the oven for 30 minutes until the paper towels have absorbed most of the moisture that the zucchini let. Wrap the paper towels over the noodles and give them a good squeeze to extract any remaining liquid.

If you're storing them in the fridge for more than a day or two, you may want to switch out the paper towels as they become damp. My Verdict – This is the best (and really only) way to store zoodles. They'll last about 4-5 days in the fridge.

Cucurbitacin, a chemical found in cucumbers and other gourds like zucchini, is the actual cause of bitterness. This chemical is always present in cucumbers, but its concentration varies depending on how the plants are grown.

Don't! We like our regular pasta with a nice al dente bite, and the same goes for cooking zoodles! If you serve a warm sauce over the noodles, it will gently heat them through, so no actual cooking is necessary.

Salt your zucchini slices: Salt helps to draw water out of the zucchini! Once salted, let them sit for 15 minutes before blotting dry (and removing some of that salt) with a paper towel.

Liberally sprinkle salt over the towel and place your cut vegetables on top, making sure to arrange them in an even, single layer. Sprinkle salt over top of the vegetables. Allow them to sit for at least 20 minutes, but up to 30-40 minutes if your vegetable pieces are thick.

Don't pre-salt your zucchini noodles.

First of all, one of the benefits of spiralizing is that it's SO quick (just spiralize, cook, and enjoy pasta in under 5 minutes!). Salting adds extra prep work.