Are zucchini noodles healthy?
Yes, absolutely. Zucchini is a great way to get your pasta craving under wraps in a nutritious, and delicious way. I find myself often subbing spiralized zucchini or sweet potato noodles for wheat pasta.
Vegetable noodle substitutes are low in calories and carbs when compared to wheat noodles. They’re an easy and delicious choice for weight loss or management. Plus they’re completely wholesome and offer a ton of nutrients when compared to wheat pasta.
Additionally, veggie noodles are naturally gluten free, making them perfectly suitable for people with a gluten intolerance.
How to prepare zucchini noodles
You’ll need a spiralizer. I use a Veggie Bullet, but any spiralizer will do!
Once you’ve spiralized your zucchini noodles, you want to drain as much water as possible to prevent soggy noodles later.
Place the zoodles in a colander inside a large bowl OR in your kitchen sink so that water isn’t dripping all over your counters.
Generously sprinkle the noodles with salt. This will get the water to drain from your noodles and leave you with perfectly textured zucchini noodles once cooked. I
typically do this in the morning and let them sit and drain most of the day. But, if you’re not working ahead, let them sit at least 30 minutes to get most of the water drained.
How to make vegan Bolognese sauce
There are many variations of vegan bolognese, some use tofu, some use soy grounds or other meat substitutes.
For my bolognese sauce, I’m using simple ingredients that you’ll might already have in your kitchen, whether you’re vegan or not.
- Walnuts for crunch and lovely texture. If you’re allergic to nuts, feel free to sub for pumpkin seeds instead.
- Sundried tomato. If you’re avoiding oil, I’ve often found these in vacuum sealed bags without oil, as opposed to the kind in jars.
- Onion, I like yellow onion for this one, but whatever you have on hand will work.
- Pepper, I like red or orange, but again, any bell pepper will work, or you may even use your favourite hot pepper if you want to add some heat.
- Cauliflower for bulk in a low calorie and low carb option.
- Mushrooms for “meaty” flavour and texture.
Work in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. Start by pulsing your nuts and sun dried tomatoes and transfer to a large, deep skillet. Then, process all the vegetables and add them to your pot or pan. Do NOT over process the veggies. You don’t want them pureed, but instead, you want a chunky, hearty delicious sauce.
Give everything a stir and cook the veggies on your stove top until softened and then add in your homemade tomato sauce, or store bought and let it simmer so flavours blend nicely.
You will be left with a very thick, rich and hearty sauce to top your noodles.
Then, warm your zucchini noodles (or zoodles) in a large skillet. You just want to heat them through, but do not over cook them.
Transfer your noodles to bowls. Try not to let them sit too long in the hot skillet to prevent them from getting soggy.
Ladle a generous amount of sauce over top each bowl and serve with hot peppers, fresh basil or vegan parmesan cheese if desired.
And just dig in! This dish will really satisfy! It was a big hit with my family, and picky eater approved.
More spiralizer recipes
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Buon appetito,
Rosa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini
- 1 cup walnuts or raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 4-5 cups cauliflower florets approx. half a medium cauliflower
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms approx. 8-10 small mushrooms
- 32 ounces (4 cups) tomato sauce or tomato puree of choice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Optional Garnishes
- vegan parmesan cheese
- chili flakes
- fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Spiralize your zucchini using your Veggie Bullet or spiralizer of choice. Place them in a colander inside a large bowl and generously sprinkle the zucchini with salt. Toss them with your hands and set aside. If working ahead, you may do this step several hours prior to cooking. The longer they sit, the more water will drain. If not working ahead, let them sit in the salt for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the walnuts and sun dried tomatoes to your food processor and pulse until a crumbly texture is achieved. Do not over process, you want it chunky. Transfer to a deep skillet.
- Working in small batches, add the cauliflower and mushrooms to your food processor and pulse until chopped, but not pureed. Transfer to the same pan as the walnut mixture and add all the seasoning.
- Mix well and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are softened and reduced. Then pour in the tomato sauce and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the zucchini noodles to a pan and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until warm. Do NOT overcook, or they will get soft and mushy, just until warmed up. Serve with the bolognese sauce and enjoy.
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