If you want to prepare a healthy, carbohydrate-free and alternative to classic pasta dish, you can cook zucchini noodles. These noodles are simple to make and taste great. Follow the recipe in detail and get ready to lick your lips.
Ingrediants
For 4 servings
- 4 large courgettes
- Salt (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (optional)
- Water (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Cut the Zucchini Noodles
Step 1. Decide whether or not to peel the zucchini
If you want your noodles to look like pasta, peel them. If you want to add more color to your plate, move on to the next step.
- The peel of zucchini is beneficial for health. Primarily, it contains fiber, an element capable of regulating your digestive system.
- Slice a courgette lengthwise to create a stable base to rest on the work surface. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the green courgette peel, exposing the light pulp underneath.
Step 2. Make courgette noodles
Using a vegetable peeler, or a mandolin, you can create long and thin fettuccine.
- Pass the vegetable peeler, or mandolin, on the long side of the courgette to create long, flat noodles. When the seeds appear, turn the courgette and start slicing it on another side. The seeds would compromise the consistency and compactness of the noodles, so they should be avoided.
- If you're using a mandolin, choose the smallest blade available to make small, thin noodles.
Step 3. Cut the courgettes
If you want to use them as a substitute for lasagna pasta, slice the courgettes with a sharp knife or mandolin. Make slices that are flexible, but of the right thickness.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise using a knife. The noodles will need to be thin enough while maintaining their shape.
- When the seeds appear, flip the courgette and start slicing it on the other side. The seeds would compromise the consistency and compactness of the noodles, so they should be avoided.
- If you're using a mandolin, choose a blade that can make long, thick noodles.
Step 4. Make spaghetti-style zucchini noodles
You can use a vegetable peeler, a mandolin or a julienne cutting accessory.
- Slide the vegetable peeler, or julienne attachment, along the long side of the courgette. With each step, slice only a small portion of the courgette, no thicker than 1.25cm, to create thin spaghetti-like noodles. The julienne cutting attachment should naturally be set to get the right thickness, avoiding your additional intervention.
- If you have chosen to use a mandolin, make sure the blade is set for a julienne cut. Pass the courgette along the blade, lengthwise, to obtain long and thin noodles.
- When the seeds appear, turn the courgette and start slicing it on another side. The seeds would compromise the consistency and compactness of the noodles, so they should be avoided.
Step 5. Prepare the grated zucchini noodles
Zucchini can be grated using a grater.
- Simply slide the courgette over the grater blade and create small flakes about the size of a grain of rice. In this case, it is advisable to hold the courgette in the direction of the width, rather than the length, otherwise it would be almost impossible to avoid the seeds.
- When the seeds appear, flip the courgette and start grating it on another side. The seeds would compromise the consistency and compactness of the noodles, so they should be avoided.
Step 6. Make spirals
You can give your noodles the shape of spirals using a special kitchen accessory.
Press the courgette against the blade of the spiral cutter and turn the handle on the tool. You will get some fabulous courgette spirals
Step 7. Choose to cook your zucchini noodles or eat them raw
In the second case, add them to a salad or enjoy them alone. Alternatively, cook the noodles in boiling water, in a pan or in the microwave to make them softer and more similar to traditional pasta.
Zucchini are vegetables that contain a lot of water, so you may need to drain them if you want to eat your noodles raw. Instead of drying your noodles, as proposed in this article, you may decide to transfer the zucchini in a colander and wait 15 or 20 minutes. After the necessary time, wrap the noodles in absorbent paper and press them lightly to extract as much excess water as possible
Part 2 of 5: Dehydrate the Zucchini Noodles
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 95 ° C
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with paper towels.
Under normal conditions, you would not put paper in the oven. The dry heat of the appliance could cause a fire. However, because zucchini contains large amounts of water, the paper will become moist quickly, enough to prevent it from drying out and catching fire
Step 2. Arrange the courgette noodles on the baking sheet
Distribute them in a single layer as flat as possible, without overlapping them.
- If you can't make a single layer of zucchini noodles, consider using multiple baking sheets. In order to dry zucchini properly, each noodle must be in contact with absorbent paper. Otherwise, the noodles placed on the bottom of the pan will not be able to dry evenly.
- Before putting the noodles in the oven, season them with salt to help the moisture escape.
Step 3. Let the zucchini noodles sweat and dry in the oven
Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed by the paper or evaporated as steam.
When you want to incorporate your noodles into a recipe, sweating zucchini is an important part of the process. It is the most effective way to remove the moisture contained in vegetables, and if not done correctly, it could ruin the final consistency of the dish making it uncomfortably watery
Step 4. Squeeze out any remaining moisture
Wrap the zucchini noodles in absorbent paper and press them to extract any residual moisture.
Note: Your noodles will have lost their flexibility and softness at this point. For this reason it will be necessary to cook them further
Part 3 of 5: Boil the Zucchini Noodles
Step 1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan
Fill a medium-sized saucepan half or 2/3 of its capacity with water. Put it back on the stove and heat it over medium-high heat by bringing the water to a boil.
Add the salt. When the water boils, add a generous amount of salt. The zucchini will absorb it during cooking, acquiring flavor externally and internally. By adding the salt first, the water will take longer to reach boiling point
Step 2. Pour the courgette noodles into the pot and cook briefly
Dip the noodles in boiling water and cook them until tender, being careful not to overcook them causing them to break.
- The exact cooking time will vary according to the degree of softness you want to achieve, as well as the degree of initial drying. If your noodles are still partially moist, two minutes should be enough. If they are very dry, you may need to cook for up to 10 (al dente) or 15 (soft) minutes.
- The most important thing to remember is not to lose sight of them while cooking. If the noodles start to flake, remove them from the water immediately.
Step 3. Serve them
Drain the water and transfer the noodles to individual serving plates.
Transfer the zucchini noodles to a colander to remove the cooking water. Let them rest and drain for about 5 minutes, or for the time necessary to evenly eliminate excess water
Part 4 of 5: Sauteed Zucchini Noodles
Step 1. Heat the oil in a pan
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat.
Move the pan carefully to distribute the hot oil evenly across the bottom. When the oil is hot enough, you will be able to spread it out easily
Step 2. Skip the noodles briefly
Add the courgettes to the hot oil and sauté them for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While cooking, don't lose sight of the zucchini noodles. By not mixing them for long, you will risk burning them and causing them to stick to the bottom of the pan causing them to flake later.
- This cooking method guarantees tender and at the same time slightly crunchy noodles, unlike the previous method.
Step 3. Serve
Transfer the noodles to individual serving plates. Enjoy your meal!
Put the leftovers in the refrigerator; they will keep their pleasant consistency for about a day and can be eaten cold or reheated in the next meals
Part 5 of 5: Microwave Zucchini Noodles
Step 1. Start with partially wet noodles
For this method, you will need to allow the courgettes to retain some of their natural moisture, to ensure that they cook well in the microwave, preventing them from drying out completely.
- Skip the second part of the article, the one about drying the noodles, or just avoid squeezing them further after removing them from the oven. Having said that, still leave them to drain in the colander for about ten minutes before starting to cook.
- If you've completely dried your noodles, you can still use this cooking method. Simply add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water to the dish containing the zucchini, to ensure your noodles have the right degree of humidity.
Step 2. Transfer the noodles to a microwave-safe dish
Arrange them in an even layer and cover them loosely with a lid suitable for use.
Do not seal them completely. Position the lid appropriately, ensuring airflow
Step 3. Cook on high for 2 minutes
Cook the zucchini noodles until soft but avoiding them from falling apart.
While cooking, don't lose sight of them. Prolonged cooking will make them mushy, hard and unappetizing
Step 4. Serve
Drain the excess liquid and transfer the zucchini noodles to individual serving plates.
