Zoodles?

jonezy444
jonezy444 Posts: 14 Member
edited October 2017 in Recipes
Who has a veggie spiraler? I saw one at Walmart and it looked like a great idea but it looked too cheap to make good "zoodles". Anyone have one and love it or is it overrated? I'm new to all this and I'm going to miss my pasta!! Y'all are great have a good day!
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    I have a small cheap one - like a pencil sharpener. It's fine for zucchini that arent too fat. I've used a mandolin to make zoodles as well.

    I use zoodles when I don't want the carbs from pasta.... But you can still eat pasta if you're trying to lose weight, you just need to make it fit. If you love pasta, you might find that zoodles don't satisfy you.
  • iamthemotherofdogs
    iamthemotherofdogs Posts: 562 Member
    I love zoodles! It satisfies my cravings when I'm aiming for lower carbs. That and spaghetti squash are definitely a good go-to every so often to keep things interesting. A local store here spiralizes them for you and packages them so I just grab those.
  • sissidevore
    sissidevore Posts: 151 Member
    i have the pencil sharpener kind. i also have a huge food processor that does them in like a few seconds, but never used it for that. ( i am to lazy to wash the thing. gosh)... but i love it on the occasion. it doesn't really replace noodles. i do find that if i am just craving the sauce, it works great for me. but sometimes i do better just eating 1/2 cup of pasta, and get over the craving.
  • jonezy444
    jonezy444 Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for the tips guys! I actually just bought a spaghetti squash yesterday- going to try to make chicken broccoli alfredo with it....if I can find a knife sharp enough to tackle the beast
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I have one but I don't use it. It's the stand kind, and it's too much of a hassle to clean the individual components just for zucchini "pasta". I eat "pasta" pasta much more often than I do zucchini pasta anyway, and usually just chop in the zucchini. I'm a lazy cook, though, so your experience may be different.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    jonezy444 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips guys! I actually just bought a spaghetti squash yesterday- going to try to make chicken broccoli alfredo with it....if I can find a knife sharp enough to tackle the beast

    I excitedly bought one a few months ago.... It was so disappointing. Perhaps I expected too much of it, but it didn't hit the spot at all.
  • cat_lady77
    cat_lady77 Posts: 203 Member
    I think they're worth it! You can make noodles with sweet potatoes & carrots too. You will not feel like you ate actual pasta but it can still be tasty. You can eat a lot more of it to feel more full (without the bloat/carb coma afterwards!)
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    edited October 2017
    jonezy444 wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips guys! I actually just bought a spaghetti squash yesterday- going to try to make chicken broccoli alfredo with it....if I can find a knife sharp enough to tackle the beast

    Just a tip on spaghetti squash (after I used to almost kill myself trying to cut it in half to roast). You don't actually have to cut it in half to roast it. Just stab it a few times on both sides and roast it whole and then cut it in half and scoop the seeds out when it's done. If you want to roast it in halves though throw it in the microwave first for a few minutes before cutting it in half to roast, it softens it up just enough to make is SO much easier to cut and doesn't impact the final roasted product.

    Also, if you have a kitchen aid the spiralizer attachment for it is awesome. I used to have a plastic spiralizer and its so much sturdier.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,245 Member
    heavensshadow wrote: »
    Another option is to do half pasta, half zoodles. I too have a small, cheap, pencil-sharpener type spiralizer. It does the job. Just be sure to salt and dry your zoodles before using them, to pull out excess moisture -- otherwise you'll have a soggy mess that isn't near as satisfying (imho).

    ^^^This!

    I often make half-and-half zoodles and spaghetti noodles and then just make my regular veggie/meat sauce. My husband loves it and it's a good way to get extra veggies. My cheapy spiralizer (less than $10) is going on 3 years now but I only use it for zucchini or yellow summer squash. Not sure how it would hold up to harder veg like carrots or beets.

    Another favorite zoodle recipe is to make a salad with zoodles, cucumber, sweet peppers and assorted other veggies like broccoli or cauliflower (cut small). Toss with an asian sesame ginger dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Always a hit!
  • kelsiestoner
    kelsiestoner Posts: 78 Member
    Spaghetti squash is my favorite. The texture is really the only thing to get used to but after you get past that you can make it taste like pretty much anything. When it comes to anything close to zoodles, I go the lazy way too and just slice my veggies lengthwise or use a mandolin.
  • Cynthia1066
    Cynthia1066 Posts: 21 Member
    I like veggie noodles, although they are NOT the same as regular pasta. Ditto "Zero Pasta" (a Japanese product). My husband also uses the spiralizer to make shoestring potatoes :s !
  • huango
    huango Posts: 1,007 Member
    edited October 2017
    I love my countertop OXO spiralizer.
    I use it for my zucchini, as part of Thai shrimp salad.
    or for butternut squash, and I roast the "bunoodles" into crispy crunchy snacks.
    I quickly rinse it off right after using it, so that nothing sticks to it/dried stuck on it.


    But I don't tell myself that I'm replacing pasta with zoodles.
    Just not the same.

    --

    If you don't have a spiralizer, you can just grate the zucchini along the length.

    --

    Thai shrimp salad with zoodles and shirataki noodles:
    20626156_10214210893372205_6803795410723182484_o.jpg?oh=216311e9ce877cee269d9062559bdb39&oe=5A39DBA8


    roasted butternut squash noodles
    15825834_10212018816011641_6266202299229681527_n.jpg?oh=e05fed531f1def56de4a4a26ea2dbaa3&oe=5A6F62EE
  • maura_tasi
    maura_tasi Posts: 196 Member
    I have the vegetti spiralizer! I love it and to me it's totally worth it. I use it for zucchini, butternut squash, sweet potatoes (and regular potatoes too!), carrots, cucumbers, the list goes on! I enjoy mixing zoodles and regular pasta together for a nice variation, especially if you're new to zoodles and don't feel comfortable with them yet! I love spaghetti squash as another noodle substitution, but it did take me a few tries to find a way I like it. I prefer it roasted instead of microwaved and I keep an eye on it because it can get too soft if cooked for too long.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    I also go with the half pasta half veggie option, most of the time. I'm too cheap to buy a spiralizer, so I just grate mine with the cheese grater. :D
  • mkeonem
    mkeonem Posts: 41 Member
    I have a spiralizer, we sometimes use it but have found we like "penne" zoodles better. Take the zucchini and cut into 1/4s, cut out the seeds to keep it from having that mushy spot (or not, your choice, it is a texture thing for me) then cut on a bias to get the penne shape.
  • neesa_ross
    neesa_ross Posts: 39 Member
    I got one from Walmart recently and I love it! It’s super easy to use and makes great noodles. I love pasta but switching to zoodles was so worth it!
  • stepea83
    stepea83 Posts: 161 Member
    perfect as a pasta alternative. esp if you're watching carbs
  • AyaRowan
    AyaRowan Posts: 80 Member
    I absolutely love zucchini noodles. Before buying a spiralizer off Amazon I first used one of my mandolin attachments to test out of I liked them. Which obviously I did so I got the spiralizer for better shaped noodles.

    Zucchini noodles plus jarred sauce makes for a quick meal. Since I'm on keto currently, I avoid jarred saices due to added sugar. Instead, I've been making garlic parmesean noodles by sauteeing zoodles with a bit of butter and garlic then adding parmesean. I also absolutely love zucchini "ramen". It is close enough to ramen noodles in shape and texture that I don't miss them. I'll use chicken broth, zoodles, plus whatever I have on hand like a handful of kale, green onion, baby corn, and chicken. Yum.
  • Kadoober
    Kadoober Posts: 289 Member
    I have a counter top spiralizer, and it's ok.
    After the novelty of it wore off, I find the only time I use it is for a zucchini salad that is refreshing and delightful.

    Zucchini, chopped pineapple, fresh chopped mint, and small splash of olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

    It's worth having the thing just for this concoction :)

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