Here’s how to make zucchini noodles with three different tools that you can use to make all the zucchini or vegetable noodles you want. And check out the links for all my favorite recipes using vegetable spaghetti!
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A few years ago people suddenly started making pasta from zucchini and other types of vegetables. Undoubtedly, the abundance of zucchini noodles that appeared everywhere was mostly due to an amazing machine called Spiralizer (Referral link). I loved my Spiralizer, and have used it over the years to make so many recipes for zucchini noodles!
But now zucchini noodles seem to be mainstream! You can buy them pre-made at most grocery stores, and for those who don’t want to spend enough to buy a Spiralizer, there are actually many less expensive pasta makers that work just fine. I have three different cookware that makes pasta from zucchini and other vegetables, so I thought it would be interesting to mention them to you in this post about How to make zucchini noodles.
Of course, you can use most of these tools to make pasta from other types of vegetables as well. I especially like cucumber noodles when the weather is hot and I want to make a bowl of pasta, and when the weather gets cold I like to make noodles to use in soup. I hope you enjoy trying pasta made with zucchini and other vegetables!
What are zoodles?
These trendy zucchini noodles are sometimes called Zoodles, just in case you didn’t know it!
Want to see all my zucchini spaghetti recipes?
you can use Spiralizer Recipes Find out all my recipes using zucchini or vegan pasta.
Make zucchini noodles using a julienne slicer:
Several years ago I bought inexpensive Julian Cutter (affiliate link) That works well with vegan pasta, especially if you’re only cooking for one or two people. Basically, you just pull the cutter along the edge of the vegetable, as if you were peeling a carrot. I like to cut the longer vegetables in half, which makes it a little easier for julienne.
As you can see in the picture there is some waste because the piece at the end is too small to hold onto. But even though it’s low tech, I used a julienne slicer to make this big pile of zucchini noodles the first time I made them. instant pasta sauce. I’ve made a few other recipes using it since then, too.
Making zucchini noodles using a Vegti spiral vegetable slicer:
It was my brother Rand who told me about this Vegetarian Spiral Vegetable Cutter (Referral link) he found at CVS, and I immediately ordered one from Amazon.com. This is slightly cheaper than Julienne Cutter and is more versatile because it makes two thicknesses of pasta. It comes with a handle to use when getting down to the end of vegetables.
To use the Vegetti, simply insert the vegetables at the desired end and stir until the noodles come out. For larger vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, or jicama, you will have to cut into small enough pieces to insert at the end. Above you can see a comparison of the thinner and thicker pasta you can make. There’s also some waste with this, because eventually the end gets so small you can’t flip it anymore, even with the clutch.
One thing Jake and I quickly learned when we tried this is that if you don’t slice a veggie before you start making pasta, you’ll end up with long strands of veggies, which will be very hard to eat. But if you cut a slit in the middle of the vegetable piece as you see in the last option, you’ll get the perfect short noodles.
Making zucchini noodles using a spiral vegetable slicer
This brings us to the tool that I think created the veggie pasta craze, and Spiralizer (Referral link). The machine has five pieces, the base, a pusher mechanism that slides into the base, and three blades for extra-thin pasta, medium-sized pasta, and slices. There are rubber cups on the legs to keep it in place when you use it.
To use the Spiralizer, you can clamp the vegetables onto a round disc with teeth to hold them in place, and center them on the round slot on top of the blade that helps keep the vegetables in place. Then just turn the knob and the noodles come out like magic! These are pasta that are small in size, about the same diameter as the cooked pasta. I cut a slit in the zucchini (shown above with the cucumber) to get short pieces of pasta.
There is also a larger size of pasta, which is probably the size I will use the most. You can also make thin slices or cut strips as you can see here if you cut a slit in the vegetables. Eventually you get to the point where the vegetables don’t rush in anymore, leaving you with that pulp and a small piece of vegetable. And one of the things I was pleased to discover was that spiralized zucchini stayed remarkably well in the fridge for a day or so, and were actually drier after they had been refrigerated. Depending on the recipe, vegetable pasta can be used raw or slightly cooked.
Recipes from Kalyn using zucchini noodles:
Zucchini noodles with tuna and green olives
Italian sausage soup with tomatoes and zucchini noodles
Mediterranean Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini noodles with cherry tomato pasta sauce
Zucchini noodles with tomatoes and burrata
Low carb turkey soup with zucchini noodles
Zucchini pasta salad with pesto and chicken
Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad
Zucchini noodles with peanut sauce
Turkish noodle soup, mushroom and zucchini
Julienned Mexican Vegetarian Zucchini Bowl
Want more zucchini pasta recipes for soup?
If you want to see a great selection of zucchini noodle soup from all over the web, check it out Low Carb Keto Zucchini Noodle Soup 18 different soup ideas using zucchini noodles!
Weekend food preparation:
This post has been added to a category called Prepare food on the weekend Here you will find recipes that you can prepare or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Did you make noodles with vegetables?
If you’ve made vegan pasta using one of these tools (or something different that I haven’t tried) or if you have a good recipe using veggie noodles, please share what worked with you in the comments.
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