Zucchini “Pasta”

Zucchini “Pasta”
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(393)
Notes
Read community notes

If you don’t eat wheat, or you’re on a low-carbohydrate diet and miss pasta, this can stand in for fettucine. Be very careful not to overcook it; it will be al dente after just a few minutes of cooking, after which it will quickly fall apart. When cooked just right, it’s silky and wonderful. You can eat it as is, or toss it with a fresh tomato sauce. Use a vegetable peeler or a mandolin to make the thin zucchini strips. It’s easy to do with the peeler, which is what I use.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4
  • 2pounds zucchini (or a combination of yellow and green zucchini)
  • 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¾cup Fresh Tomato Sauce (optional)
  • ¼cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (more to taste)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

148 calories; 10 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 674 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into lengthwise ribbons. Peel off several ribbons from one side, then turn the zucchini and peel off more ribbons. Continue to turn and peel off ribbons until you get to the seeds at the core of the zucchini. Discard the core. You can also do this on a mandolin, adjusted to a very thin slice.

  2. Step 2

    Cook the zucchini strips in 2 batches. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the zucchini ribbons and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, tossing and stirring the zucchini, for 2 to 3 minutes only, just until softened and beginning to be translucent. Adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving dish. Repeat with the remaining olive oil and zucchini. Serve, topping with tomato sauce and freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

Ratings

5 out of 5
393 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

This was great. Instead of tomato sauce, I tossed the "noodles" with homemade arugula pesto. A great combination.

Super easy and very fast to make with just a vegetable peeler. Best use for those large bags of zucchini on sale! Delicious, even without the sauce.

I didn't discard the zucchini core, but chopped it up and put it in the ratatouille I made the following day.

I like to use a spiralizer for the zucchini. It makes great consistent noodles, and instead of the tomato sauce I use halved cherry tomatoes, thrown in at the same time as the noodles.

A great one-person dinner by using only one large zucchini! The secret is using a wide vegetable slicer and making the ribbon thicknesses consistent so that they cook evenly. Variations are endless: I sautéed shallots in olive oil and added toasted walnuts, lemon zest, and pecorino into the cooked zuke ribbons.

This was delicious! I tossed it with basil pesto and some toasted almond slivers! A revelation.

Cooked the "pasta" in brown butter with garlic. Seasoned it with a small amount of soy sauce. Uber yummy.

I used a spiralizer for the zucchini. Very efficient and it results in noodles of consistent size. I really liked the idea of pan frying. I was about to boil the zucchini when I found this recipe. I served with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce (also in NYT Cooking). Delicious!

Works great though I wouldn't substitute the zucchini pasta with regular pasta regularity. I also advise dicing the stem and adding it to the sauce. No need to waste perfectly good veg.

Easy, fast, and delicious! Good on its own, but even better with sauce. Endless options, but I just added some leftover italian sausage and tomato sauce and some crumbled feta. Very satisfying! Given the saltiness of the latter two ingredients, I should have cut down the salt used to cook the zucchini. Next time!

Please do more of these recipes with the zoodles. My son loves to help make them but was deeply offended that they did not turn into real spaghetti. Le sigh. I'm thinking the pesto (which we've not had on regular pasta) suggested in the comments might do the trick. Send zucchini help!!!

I added some garlic powder to give it a bit more flavor. This came out great.

Add roasted slivered almonds sautéed then season with red pepper pepper and salt this made the dish toasty nutty slightly hot ; no sauce just oil lots of sited garlic . A truly divine delicate flavors with side salad

Actually pretty darn tasty!

I used a spiralizer for the zucchini. Very efficient and it results in noodles of consistent size. I really liked the idea of pan frying. I was about to boil the zucchini when I found this recipe. I served with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce (also in NYT Cooking). Delicious!

GREAT on its own, superior experience to pasta. you can also mix this with pasta and it is great.

So I did these with a light, bright tomato sauce that I thought matched up really well, recipe as follows: 2/3 small crate grape tomatoes, sauteed in olive oil til they burst. 1 big green creole tomato, diced and added. 1 small shallot, diced fine and added 2 cloves grated garlic 1 glug dry white wine oregano healthy amount basil salt pepper 1 tsp white sugar cook covered until well merged add a handful of shelled pistachios, then blend. 1/2 tbsp honey 3 drops fish sauce blend, taste, adjust

I cooked a sauce with tomatoe sauce, bechamel, mushrooms, dehydrated tomatoes, pepper, onion red paprika and garlic. I was a really good combination.

A great one-person dinner by using only one large zucchini! The secret is using a wide vegetable slicer and making the ribbon thicknesses consistent so that they cook evenly. Variations are endless: I sautéed shallots in olive oil and added toasted walnuts, lemon zest, and pecorino into the cooked zuke ribbons.

It was delicious as is. I had fresh pesto, red sauce, and white sauce available, but decided naked zucchini was best. Next summer I plan on cooking this more often, as I have an inexhaustible supply of squash from the garden until frost. Thank you!

I like to use a spiralizer for the zucchini. It makes great consistent noodles, and instead of the tomato sauce I use halved cherry tomatoes, thrown in at the same time as the noodles.

Ate this for lunch today with homemade tomato sauce. My dinners are getting so meat heavy, I feel like I'll be using this recipe more often to break my fast or just eat a light lunch. I also have a Silver Palate recipe for carrot pasta that the sauce would go great on this zoodles recipe.

I will use this recipe whenever I make spaghetti from now on. My husband loved it, and of course it is wonderful for someone who wants to limit carbs in the diet. I followed Kathleen's lead and put minced garlic in the oil when I sauteed it. Delicious.

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