


How to make zoodles (that taste great)
All you need is one small kitchen tool to turn your favorite garden veggie into a delicious pasta-like dish.
Okay, pasta lovers – gather ‘round. You don’t want to hear this (and probably know it already), but eating too much pasta is really not good for you! Even without wheat allergies and sensitivities, most people won’t do well on a diet that’s overloaded with high-carb pasta.
The good news is there are alternatives that taste just as delicious, and can be doctored up to resemble your favorite pasta recipe. These zoodles can be served with melted cheese, topped with your favorite meat sauce, or loaded up with marinara and some grated parmesan for an incredibly delicious and nutritious lunch.
I’ve tried julienne peelers and mandolins, and personally prefer the mandolin as it reduces the risk of me shredding my fingers into skoodles (skin noodles – I know, I know, that’s gross). The julienne peelers also tend to clog more quickly than the mandolin.
There are larger appliances on the market that make zoodling a snap – but they require more of a financial investment, and take up loads more counter space (like the spiralizer from Sur La Table). My thought is that if you’re going to make zoodles once a week or so, a simple mandolin will do. If you’re giving up your day job to become a full-time zoodler, definitely go for one of the electric gadgets.
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchinis
- 2/3 cup pesto
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, for garnish
Directions
Use a mandolin or julienne peeler to create thin strands of zucchini, aka zoodles.
Run zucchini through a mandolin, julienne peeler or spiralizer to create pasta-like strands, aka zoodles. (Photo: Zju4ka/Shutterstock)
At this point you can sauté the zoodles for 3-5 minutes in a tablespoon of olive oil if you prefer your veggies softer, but it’s not necessary.
Toss with pesto, and garnish with chopped nuts.
Related Topics: Vegetarian
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