Do you love noodles-like food, but you want a carb-free and healthier option? Well, then the answer is zucchini noodles or zoodles. Zucchinis are nice veggies that are also known as summer squash. So, it’s great to know that you can make lots of food combinations with zucchini noodles. You can mix them easily with various kinds of pasta, salads, and stir-fries. Zoodles are one of those interesting things to add to your daily meals and make them fun and diverse. Not only do they look nice, but these noodles also taste really good and are easy to prepare. So in today’s topic, you are going to learn how to cook zucchini noodles and find some other useful info about these veggies.
Are zucchini noodles healthy?
Zucchini noodles are a great gluten-free and low-carb food option. It’s great that you can find a nice amount of fiber and vitamins A, B, and C in them. But, even though these noodles are considered light, you shouldn’t stuff them with as many toppings as possible.
Nutrition facts
Here is the shortlist for zucchini noodles’ nutritional values.
One cup of sliced zucchini contains:
- Calories: 19
- Protein: 1.5 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 3.5 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Sugar: 3 grams
You can also find some calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals in zucchini.
Do zucchini noodles taste like pasta?
Zoodles have a very mild taste, so they kind of resemble pasta, because they mainly absorb flavors from other food they are mixed with. They actually taste like zucchini, so the taste can be a bit bitter when raw, but this goes away after the noodles are cooked.
Can you eat them raw?
If you don’t mind a slightly bitter taste, you can eat zucchini noodles raw. They will have an al dente pasta-like texture. The raw zoodles can give some nice texture to your cold salads, but you can also add them to some warm sauces, and eat them like traditional spaghetti.
What is the best way to prepare zoodles?
It’s best to prepare zucchini noodles very quickly, to avoid sogginess. You don’t have to boil them first. So, simply add them to a pan with other food, combine with some sauce and cook them for just a few minutes.
How to prepare zucchini noodles for cooking
One handy gadget you will need to make zoodles is a spiralizer. You can find various options and buy them on Amazon. So, after you got your new spiralizer you should:
- Use 1/8 inch spaced blade on the spiralizer.
- Pick a nice zucchini, wash, dry, and trim its ends (try slicing them evenly).
- If you deal with some larger zucchinis, cut them in half.
- Place one zucchini end in the middle of the spiky paddle on your spiralizer, and the other end in the middle of the coring circle.
- Begin rotating the handle, and apply gentle pressure to create zucchini noodles.
Good-to-know tips
- If you are making “half-moons” rather than long zucchini strands, you might need to reposition your zucchini on the spiralizer.
- You can chop up the zoodles pile 1-2 times after spiralizing. Otherwise, you may end up with too long noodles that can be difficult to eat.
How to cook zucchini noodles
Cooking zoodles is very simple and can be done in just a few steps. So, take a look at them, and try to make it yet today.
- Heat some olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.
- Add zucchini noodles and cook them. Stir and toss with tongs, for about 2-3 minutes, so they can soften a bit.
- Do not overcook them!
Note: As mentioned before, you can easily add zoodles into a pasta sauce, and heat them for 2-3 minutes.
How to store zucchini noodles
If you want to prepare zoodles in advance, you can easily do that, but there are some things you should have in mind.
- You can make fresh spiralized zucchini noodles, and store them on a paper towel in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- You can place them in meal prep bowls but store them separately from the sauce. If you re-warm the meal in the microwave, zoodles will cook also.
- Do not freeze zucchini noodles, as they will be mushy and not tasty.
How to use zucchini noodles
There are so many ways to incorporate zucchini noodles with other meals, you can actually adjust recipes you already have, and renew them with some zoodles. Check out a few recipes that can be easily combined with these spaghetti veggies.
- Make some umami zoodles.
- Try some zucchini noodle lasagna.
- Add them as a side dish to homemade meatballs.
- Stuff some egg muffins with zoodles for a healthy breakfast.
- Freshen up the tuna salad recipe with raw zucchini noodles.
- Combine them with some tofu for a nice vegan meal.
- Add zoodles to your favorite burrito recipe.
- Make some tahini zoodles.
- Try them with some green curry.
As you can see zucchini noodles are so easy to make and cook, and there are various food combinations to try out. Considering they are light, fat-free, and healthy you can try adding them to your daily meals. Have you ever tried zoodles? If so, share your impressions and recipes in the comments! 🙂
