Zoodles took over our house last summer when zucchinis were abundant at the farmers’ markets, and a beloved house guest gifted us our first spiralizer. The spiralizer was surprisingly easy to use, and once we got the hang of it, we were making zoodles in about 15 minutes.
Zoodles, or zucchini spiralized into noodles, are amazingly versatile. They will take on whatever flavors you decide to impart on them; we’ve done several variations of an italian-inspired tomato sauce, a zoodle pad thai, and even just a simple veggie, onion, and herb recipe with a fried egg. Once you get the basics down, you can experiment and find your favorites.
I start with 2-3 zucchinis per person, more or less depending on the specific people I’m cooking for.
Using my spiralizer, I magically turn my zucchini into long, noodle-like strands. They are so long I use my chef’s knife to cut them into still long but more manageable pieces. Creating the zoodles leaves behind the inner core of the zucchini, what we call zucchini bolts in my house. The kids love these bolts and their novelty makes them a handy and healthy snack for hungry kids while dinner is being made.
Then it’s time to saute the zoodles. I heat my large saute pan with olive or coconut oil, and usually add onions or shallots to start. Then I add my zoodles, in batches if needed, being sure to toss the zoodles with the oil and onions. Season with salt to taste. Zoodles cook really quickly, and I find less is more when cooking zoodles. I find 3-5 minutes is all I need to get them warm and flavorful; any longer and they start getting soggy. When they are done the zoodles will have turned slightly translucent.
When done, top with your favorite sauce and enjoy!