A quick, healthy, fun and delicious way to get your veggies in without really thinking about it.
I'm a kitchen gadgets guy. I don't have a lot of them (not sure my wife would agree), because I'm picky. I need my gadgets to be simple with high utility. This handheld spiralizer came into my Amazon feed based on my buying habits. It made sense immediately, I copped it, and I've been making strings of every vegetable I could including carrots, beets, and most commonly zucchini. I think the challenge in vegetable consumption for many people is the perceived lack of options for cooking. Spiralizing opens up a whole new consideration set and zucchini is the perfect vegetable for the spiralizer treatment, which probably explains why spiraled zucchini pasta is all the rage now.
My family is a big fan of this Zucchini spaghetti recipe. They like the sauce which I posted a few days ago and which the zucchini noodles actually take a backseat to; in all honesty the noodles by themselves are bland, so flavor-wise will generally be a backseat player. I like the ease and versatility given that on a nightly basis I'm cooking for a vegan, pescatarian, and omnivore. This dish satisfies all easily as it works fine meatless or pairs well with grill fish or meat. Even better it takes less than 20 minutes to get this plated on any given night and also travels well making it a work lunch option.
I spiralized zucchini to make use of the big batch of collard greens salsa verde had on hand. A good pesto would work well also. I figured if I made enough of the sauce, then I had a great excuse to come up with simple, cool ways to enjoy such a ridiculously good green ass liquid collards mix. Stay tuned for additional recipes later, but for now try the zucchini spaghetti of zoodles as they are commonly called.
What is zucchini spaghetti?
Zucchini pasta is basically spiralized zucchini pasta or more commonly referred to as zoodles (as in Zucchini Noodles). Zucchini is cut thinly into long strings such that they resemble spaghetti pasta. Once cut it can be consumed raw or cooked (sauted, boiled, or roasted) as a low carb alternative to pasta.
How to make spiralized zucchini pasta
I highly encourage you to purchase a simple spiralizer. No need to break the bank as I bought mind for less than $10. It works for hard veggies like beets and carrots as well as it does for softer ones like zucchini. Spiralized vegetables have also become popular enough that many grocery stories sell pre-packaged bags of spiralized vegetables including zucchini.
Zucchini Spaghetti Cooking Tips
- Invest in a spiralizer. They make long, curly noodles in no time and require little work.
- Do not peel the zucchini. Keeping the skin on provides some crunch and more importantly helps prevent mushiness. Once skin is removed, the zucchini breaks its form and moisture will begin to seep out
- Moisture is the enemy! Don't salt, don't salt, don't salt! Salt draws out water, which leads to NOT CRUNCHY. Don't worry about flavor, the collard green salsa will provide all the flavor you’ll need. If using a different sauce, you can salt right at serving.
- Be careful not to overcook. The longer you cook, the more chance of moisture. Overcooking = NO CRUNCH. 2-3 minutes cooking time is sufficient.
- Yes this is keto-friendly.
MORE RECIPES
Pear and Fennel Salad w/ Collards
Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
Instant Pot Collard Greens with Brisket
Blackeyed Peas and Collard Greens
Zucchini Pasta W/Collard Greens Salsa Verde
Make this healthy zoodles recipe today! If you make it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 4 medium sized zucchini spiralized with the skin on
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups Collard Greens Salsa Verde
- Grated Parmesan Cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet in medium heat. Add in the garlic clove and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 30 seconds or so.
- Add in the zucchini “noodles†and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly wilted, 4-5 minutes. Make sure to turn it a few times with tongs (or two forks) to ensure even cooking.
- Add salsa verde and cook for 1 minute more.
- Remove the zucchini noodles and divide amongst two plates. Taste for seasoning adding in salt if necessary. Top with cherry tomatoes and cheese if using. Serve