I’m a big fan of zucchini noodles. After my many tries, I’ve finally learned how to cook zucchini noodles so they aren’t soggy and don’t leave me missing pasta.
And don’t get me wrong, I love my pasta. But on a normal night, I just don’t want to blow my whole calorie and carb budget on a tiny bowl of noodles.
For this very reason, I invested in a spiral veggie slicer and started switching out my whole wheat pasta for zucchini noodles for traditional pasta dinners.
I was totally cool with the substitution.
My husband, on the other hand, was highly skeptical when I promised him that he would love this pasta in veggie form.
However, after a few failed attempts, I think I’ve finally figured out how to master these noodles. Let’s put it this way, the hubby is happy.
Here are the tips that have made all the difference.
When spiraling, use a thicker option
Sure the dish could call for angel hair pasta, but let’s be real- you’re using zucchinis. Zucchini noodles aren’t as hearty as pasta. The wider the zucchini noodles, the better.
Only make as much as you need
For the two of us, we only need two zucchinis for a full dinner. Adding a third just leads to uneaten noodles and increases the chance of sogginess.
Make sure the pan is hot
After you make your noodles with your spiral veggie slicer, heat your pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the pan is hot (flick with water and make sure it sizzles) add the noodles. Adding the noodles into a cold pan leads to overcooking.
Cook until al dente (aka you feel like you’re undercooking them)
My experience is when I think they are fully cooked, they come out overcooked. I’d say two to three minutes for two zucchinis is perfect.
Crunchy is good
When you taste the zucchini noodles as they are cooking, it’s good if they are on the crunchy side. Once it’s too soft there is no turning back.
Also, remember whatever sauce you top it with will add moisture and dull the crunch.
No extra salt needed
When looking online, a lot of blogs suggested adding salt to prevent sogginess. You really don’t need it. Save the salt for your sauce! You can prevent limp noodles by undercooking just a little. No salt needed!
So those are the big dos and don’ts for the perfect zucchini noodles.
- Opt for thick over thin when spiraling the zucchini
- Make sure the pan is hot before adding the zucchini noodles
- Cook less time than you think you should- approximately 2-3 minutes for 2 zucchinis
- Top with an amazing sauce. Looking for an idea? Check out my post on turkey meatballs with homemade marinara!
And when in doubt, just add some cheese to the top of the zucchini noodles. Cheese fixes everything!
