In our quest to eat grain-free, we’ve experimented with a number of noodle substitutes. We enjoy kelp noodles but they are processed and hardly local. Spaghetti squash noodles may be local but their watery texture leaves a lot to be desired. But, zucchini noodles…now we’re onto something! They’re soooo easy—and you eat them raw!
Every year, we plant zucchini in our garden. And, every year, like most people, we have a bumper crop. We’ve gotten good and creative with it—zucchini muffins, zucchini meatloaf, zucchini pancakes—but a body can only eat so much zucchini! So, when I stumbled upon zucchini noodles, I thought, oh, joy!
- Wash then cut the whole zucchini lengthwise into, say 3 long sections (depending on how long it hid in the zucchini patch before you discovered it and how big it got in the process!). (I don’t peel off the skin unless it is very tough. The noodles are prettier with a green stripe on the edge and healthier too.) Your goal is to create long chunks that are about the width of a linguine noodle.
- Then use your vegetable peeler to “peel off” long, think noodle-like strips from each chunk.
- To remove some of the water and create limper, more noodle-like zucchini noodles, sprinkle the noodles with salt and sit them in a colander over a bowl. The excess moisture will drip out.
- Or, if you don’t have time to let them sit, simply toss them with olive oil, pile them on your plates and cover them with very hot sauce. The heat from the sauce will wilt them nicely.
They really do “feel” and behave like real linguine noodles, giving you the pasta experience without any of the grain or carbs!