Easy Zucchini Noodles recipe and guide for how to make zoodles with a simple sauce. The perfect healthy alternative to pasta.
From Spaghetti and Meatballs to Shrimp Scampi, swapping regular noodles with fresh zucchini spirals is an easy, delicious, nutrient packed alternative for your favorite Pasta Recipes.
Sabrina’s Zucchini Noodle Recipe
Turning zucchini into noodles is a lighter alternative for pasta, and an easy way to add more veggies to your weeknight dinner menu. I made the ultimate guide for perfectly cooked “zoodles” that are flavorful and tender. You’ll love how this simple dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients. Swap out the creamy Parmesan sauce for any of your favorite sauces if you’d prefer. Try Marinara Sauce or even Pad Thai to switch up your meal. Make sure you don’t end up with soggy pasta by reading my chef’s note below the recipe card.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion , minced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 zucchini , stem trimmed and spiralized
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese , shaved
- 1 lemon , juiced and zested
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and onion to a large pot and saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until translucent.
- Add in garlic, stir and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the zucchini, toss to coat and cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing gently until it softens.
- Mix together the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Add the heavy cream mixture to the zucchini noodles, stir together and warm through, then serve immediately (preferably with additional lemon zest on top).
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
Since these noodles are made of veggies, the texture and firmness can go south real quick if overcooked. So I like to heat them evenly and quickly. Secondly, depending on the zucchini you get, it might have a lot of water content. If you notice this after spiralizing, pat them dry with a paper towel, or clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture before cooking. You can also add a pinch of salt to the zoodles to draw out more water, then pat them dry.
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
I recommend serving this recipe right after cooking, as cooked zucchini noodles will not last long. However, if you want a head start on this recipe, you can spiralize the veggies in advance and keep the zoodles in the fridge. Add the strands to a ziplock bag or an airtight container with paper towels to absorb extra moisture. They’ll stay fresh for a few days in the fridge.
How to Store
- Store: These noodles are best when you freshly make them, but you can store them sealed up for about 3 days in the fridge. Cool completely before storing.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat these is in a skillet, stirring frequently so they don’t overcook while they heat up. Cook them long enough to heat all they way through then serve.
- Freeze: Due to the zucchini’s water content, this recipe will not freeze well. You’re better off making it fresh than trying to store it long-term.
Frequent Questions
No, actual zucchini noodles (not wheat pasta fortified with zucchini and other veggies) are not going to taste like pasta. While fresh veggie noodles are an amazing and delicious substitute for pasta, only flour-based noodles are going to taste like real pasta.
You can salt the raw zoodles to remove the excess moisture to keep them from being soggy or mushy. You also want to be careful not to overcook them because the longer zucchini cooks, the more it breaks down and the mushier it will be.
No, you can serve these raw and let the residual heat from your hot pasta sauce soften them. They will be crisper this way, although they don’t take on the flavors of the sauce unless you let them marinate overnight like in a cold pasta salad recipe.
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