How to Make Zucchini Noodles

Zucchini noodle (aka zoodles) aren’t just for low-carbers or dieters anymore. I love using zoodles as a salad or bowl base as a way to get sneak more veggies into my diet.

While a spiralizer is my favorite tool for making noodles from all the veggies (hello, sweet potato noodles), I found two perfect alternative tools you (probably) already have. Read on to learn how to make zucchini noodles without a spiralizer, how to cook zucchini noodles, and my tried-and-true storage and meal prep tips.

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Ways to Spiralize

There are many ways to make zucchini noodles. Using a spiralizer is the fastest and most versatile (you can spiralize pretty much any vegetable, not just zucchini), but it does take up kitchen space. Here we’ve listed our three favorite methods.

SPIRALIZER METHOD

• Find yourself a spiralizer. Our favorite is this one from Oxo.
• Prepare the zucchini. Wash the zucchini and slice off the ends of the zucchini so they are flat.
• Choose your blade. We like the blade with the thicker triangular holes for zucchini noodles.
• Secure. Clamp down the spiralizer onto your counter and secure the zucchini between the prongs and blade surface. Make sure the zucchini is aligned in the center of the central coring blade.
• Spiral away! Hold the side handle for leverage and then hold the turning handle to spiralize. Spin clockwise while applying pressure towards the blades.

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BOX GRATER METHOD

• Find yourself a box grater. Our favorite is this one from Oxo.
• Prepare the zucchini. Wash the zucchini and slice off the ends of the zucchini so they are flat.
• Place the box grater on its side. You want the largest holes facing up. If you use this Oxo two-fold grater rather than a more traditional box grater, simply take it apart and lay the side with large holes flat over a bowl.
• Grate away! Push the zucchini along the top of the grater in long strokes to create long, thin ribbons.

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JULIENNE PEELER METHOD

• Find yourself a julienne peeler. Our favorite is this one from Kuhn Rikon.
• Prepare the zucchini. Wash the zucchini and slice off the ends of the zucchini so they are flat.
• Peel away! Pass the julienne peeler down one lengthwise side of the zucchini just like you would use a regular peeler.

To Cook or Not to Cook?

Zucchini noodles can be eaten raw or lightly cooked (keyword: lightly!). We usually enjoy ours raw or slightly “cooked” by the warmth of the sauce (hello, pesto) we’re putting on top of the zoodles. Here are our three favorite ways to enjoy zucchini noodles.

• Raw
  Pretty self-explanatory. Keep your zoodles raw for the crispiest and freshest tasting zoodles. Just spiralize and eat!
• Sauté
  A great option for colder nights. Just don’t overcook! Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and add some minced garlic. Once hot, sauté your noodles 1-2 minutes and serve immediately. Add salt and pepper after sautéing so the zoodles don’t wilt too much while cooking.
• Microwave
  The fastest way to cook zucchini noodles. Just add your zoodles to a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for one minute. After a minute, check on the noodles and then continue to cook in 30-second increments until desired texture. 1-2 minutes total should be enough.

Storage and Meal Prep Tips

STORAGE
Uncooked zucchini noodles can be kept in an air-tight sealed container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. After you’ve spiralized several zucchini, simply line a storage container with a paper towel, add your noodles, and place in the refrigerator. Cooked zucchini noodles don’t store well in the fridge. If you want cooked zucchini noodles, just cook the prepped noodles right before serving. You can still save time by spiralizing ahead of time and storing the raw zoodles in the fridge until ready to cook.

MEAL PREP
If you’re making several servings of prep-ahead meals (like our Bánh Mì Bowls) DO NOT COOK zucchini noodles adding to your meal prep containers. As mentioned above, zucchini noodles must be stored raw. We happen to think they’re really good raw, but if you like them cooked, a great solution is to microwave the whole meal prep container for 1-2 minutes right before eating.

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