Look at that hearty meat sauce. Ooh de lally! Recipe
Zucchini spaghetti is a dish many tend to ignore, at least initially when new cooks are not sure how to use the vegetable.
The benefits of these green summer squashes is threefold: versatility, a light flavor, and nutrients.
Potato peeler makes the terrific, wider noodles for linguine.
Versatility wise, you can click the “Tags” in the right hand column for zucchini and see the many ways I’ve been able to use the vegetable. The flavor is almost nonexistent, making it a wonderful complement to most dishes. In terms of nutrients, zucchini contains It is also a good source of Thiamin, Niacin and Pantothenic Acid, and a terrific source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.
This julienne peeler is really sharp, so look out! I use this for making the thin strips of spaghetti from vegetables.
Serve it up with this simple marinara (recipe).
Zucchini linguine and what? You are loving those meatballs? Try this recipe.
Zucchini Linguine
2 medium zucchini (about 10-12″ long)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil or butter
Using a potato/vegetable peeler, gently peel zucchini into strips, turning the vegetable, until the seeds are exposed (I typically use the core, cubed, in other dishes). In a pan on the stove over medium heat, in butter or olive oil, cook the zucchini strands, stirring every minute or so, until soft, about 3-5 minutes (cook in batches and drain off liquids if necessary). Remove to a bowl and serve with marinara (below).
Makes about 3 cups of zucchini pasta, or 6-1/2 cup servings.
Nutritional Information Per serving(assuming 3 Tbsp butter/olive oil): Calories: 105, Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 1.6 g, Net Carbohydrates: 5.4 g, Protein: .8g, Fat: 5.8g.
Serve with spinach and fresh grape tomatoes as a fun, fresh side salad.
Zucchini Spaghetti
2 medium zucchini
2-3 Tbsp olive oil or butter
Using a Julienne peeler, carefully pull along the outside edge of the zucchini, turning after every pull, until the seeds are exposed (I typically use the core, cubed, in other dishes).
Cooking Option 1: In boiling, salted water (add a tsp of high-heat tolerant oil like peanut), cook spaghetti for 4 minutes. Drain well. Serve.
Cooking Option 2: You can also prepare the zucchini spaghetti the same way as the linguine (in the pan over low heat in butter) for a slightly less “wet” noodle (my husband prefers the buttery zuke noodles).
Makes about 3 cups of zucchini pasta, or 6-1/2 cup servings.
Nutritional Information per serving (Option 1, 3 Tbsp oil or butter): Calories: 105, Carbohydrates: 4.7g, Fiber: 1.7 g, Net Carbohydrates: 3 g, Protein: .8g, Fat: 5.8g.
Nutritional Information per serving (Option 2): Calories: 36, Carbohydrates: 4.7 g, Fiber: 1.7 g, Net Carbohydrates: 3 g, Protein: .8g, Fat: 2g.
Well, Jamie, once again you put this out in perfect timing!! I was wondering how you make spaghetti squash and was gonna look here and see if you had a page telling how to do it. 🙂 Thanks so much!!!
Hi, Kathy! So many people have zucchini right now (I was given one as well from a friend), so I am glad to share how I make it. Sometimes what feels easy to me I forget was at one time daunting to me, too.
I have to try this. It looks amazing!
I hope you give it a shot. It’s really a delicate flavor and really easy. I need to add pictures of my peelers, too. I forgot to add those.
Oh yeah…pictures of the peelers would be great!! 🙂
Right?! Derp on my face.
I saw a thing at khols you put the zuchini in and twist it and get long pasta like strands . I think i might give yhis a whirl as i have had gastric surgery and shouldn’t have pasta 🙂
Awesome!
My son bought me one of these gadgets and once I tast4d zucchini spaghetti, I have never gone back to regular pasta. After all what I enjoy most about pasta is the sauce! Now regular pasta is tastless to me after zucchini spaghetti. I love this gadget.
oh yes! Pictures of the peelers!! I was just sitting here wondering what a julienne peeler looks like! LOL 😀 thanks for the post! As always, FABULOUS ideas! 🙂
I am uploading them now. Sorry about the wait. I am such a dippydoo. Thanks so much for being so sweet. And patient. And sweet. And patient. And sweet. And really really patient.
Where will we be able to see them, Jamie? 🙂
I *just* posted! Hit refresh or Control + F5 if the update isn’t showing.
Thanks, Jamie!!! 🙂
You are so welcome. Sorry for not having those up with the post. I meant to do that, but my peelers were dirty and I put off washing them…
Love your website……. what brand is the julienne peeler??? I sure would like to find one! Great way to use zucchini and many other veggies that would make ‘noodles’.
Hi, Roni! I bought mine from amazon.com because I love reading the feedback/reviews before I plunk down money on something. Here’s the one I decided on: https://www.amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-Julienne-Peeler-Protector/dp/B0000CEWJD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346429352&sr=8-1&keywords=juliene+peeler
I did my research online (and ended up with the same peeler!!) but trotted over to Sur La Table to pick one up. I’m too impatient for Amazon – especially when it comes to food!
I have amazon Prime so thankfully I only had to wait two days, but yes! It was like awesome to get it quickly!
These are my newest obsession! I bought the julienne peeler too, but for big batches, I use my mandolin. sauted in butter, salt and pepper till tender, nothing is better. and so good for ya! Thanks for all your 411 Jamie!
I really have been eyeing those mandolins, but I’m paranoid of slicing my appendages off! Ha ha!
I sliced off the top of my finger on the mandolin because I was in a hurry and not using the guard. Then I didn’t go to the ER because I was in a hurry. Four years later I’ve regained feeling in the finger tip and my fingernail is growing normally. I no longer use a mandolin but I use the julienne peeler.
Yikes! I am so happy to hear your finger is back to normal!
Hi all!
I’ve found that I like zoodles MUCH MUCH more if I salt the zoodles for a little while (an episode length of Drop Dead Diva.. lol) then squeeze out the liquid in a paper towel/tea towel. Much better in my opinion. Yum! I think 10-15 minutes would definitely suffice. They hold up much better when adding in sauces or putting them in a pan with other yummy things. I just wish I had a garden to harvest some zucchini! Zucchini + patio pots = not good. 🙁
I have been getting zukes from friends at TOPS, so I feel your pain. I’d grow zukes, but my dog would probably eat them. *sigh*
Awesome! Thanks for the picture! I will have to go out and find me one 🙂 LOVE your recipes!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Christine!
Pampered Chef has a cool julienne peeler too – I love it!! LOVE LOVE LOVE your site!!
Those julienne peelers are really nifty. I am glad I broke down and finally bought one!
I JUST bought the Kuhn brand peeler two days ago from Amazon. (free prime shipping, always love that!)
Also read that if you julienne your zuke strips in the am and let them dry out all day long, or overnight for the next day’s meal, they will have a firmer texture. I’m trying this now. Hoping family will accept them as a noodle substitute. We’ll see tonight.
Erin, that sounds like a really good idea! They do tend to hold quite a bit of moisture. The other option that works fairly well, too, is to boil them and then let them sit longer in the colander, shaking it every so often to release m0ore of the liquid.
I love zucchini pasta! I have a spiral slicer that makes zucchini into angel hair pasta. Takes like a minute to cook when it’s that skinny. Here is a link to get one for yourself: https://astore.amazon.com/kwelln-20/detail/B0000DDVYE
Kathy
k-wellness.blogspot.com
That looks pretty cool, Kathy! Thanks for another great option.
Thank you SO much!! I’d never heard of a julienne peeler and was thinking of having to buy a spiral slicer but as I cannot get one here in the NL, I’d have to have one sent by Amazon to here and the costs we adding up 🙁 Now I just Googled your slicer and bought one for a couple of Euro’s!! YIPPIE!! Can’t wait for it to arrive as miracle noodles are expensive here and bland and I love zukes anyway xxxx
I love it, too, because it’s just so versatile. You can peel any veggies with it.
How timely– just yesterday, my wife mentioned the idea of using zucchini or squash instead of pasta. And, being the primary cook in the house, I was trying to figure out how I would efficiently make the strands. (enter julienne peeler. Awesome– thanks!)
You are so welcome! I had the help of friends with this one, too. It’s nice to be able to help someone else!
I made this last night and it was fabulous. A julienne peeler practically fell in my cart while at Marshalls yesterday, so idecided to give it a whirl. So yummy. Thanks for the idea!
It’s my new favorite way to use zucchini. I’m glad you like it, too!
Hi Jamie,just found my way into your site and (singing) Love iiittt! Im not a huge fan of zucchini but you make this look and sound so yumm.I have done something samiliar to this before with shredded drumhead cabbage which is very tasty but am definitely going to give this ago.I have never heard of a julienne peeler before (im aussie) so could you suggest anything easier? Love your work,keep it up!
Oh and i saw your recipe for the non bread ‘breadsticks’ – SO making those! Thanks
Hi, Toni! Absolutely, I can recommend something easier– use a potato-veggie peeler and after cutting off the ends of the zucchini, just draw down the length gently with the peeler to get nice, thin, wider noodles–like linguine! Keep going until you hit the seeds and then you can discard the center or use it for something else.
I have done this with carrots as well. When I do the zucchini i put it in a strainer and sprinkle it with salt for approx 20minutes before hand then rinse, pat dry and then fry. The salt helps to remove the liquid so the zucchini doesn’t ‘stew’.. I dont salt the carrots…
Wow I saw a recipe of yours on Pinterest (the minute microwave cheesecake one), now I am hooked on your entire website. Thank you for all of your wonderful time and effort to inspire people like me 🙂
Hi Jamie, I bought a spiralizer which I use to make my zucchini spaghetti. It will save you fingers too:)
Ophelia