Vegetable spaghetti? How?

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ByteLily
ByteLily Posts: 52 Member
in Recipes
I have tried to make it with some tool I once had (this was many years ago). My zuchinni spaghetti usually turned to mush no matter how little I cooked it. I'd like to know how it's done?

Ps I hate spaghetti squash

thanks!

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  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I make it all the time with my spiralizer. I have a tabletop model (Paderno makes it). I tried one of the hand ones and it was horrible. I don't peel it just wash and cut off one end. The other end gets tossed after I'm done but that holds it better on the machine.

    The key I think is to cook it very little. I put it in a no stick pan with a tiny bit of olive oil if my son is joining me. For myself I leave it out. Add some salt and pepper and saute just until some of the water comes out. Make sure your pasta sauce is thick because zuchinni will continue to lose water and can make your sauce runny. Add a tablespoon or so of fresh grated parmesean and enjoy. I prefer it to spaghetti now.

    I have also spiralized carrots and if you use the wider setting they are wonderful replacements for egg noodles in a creamy sauce. I often make it with light cream cheese. You have to watch your calories carefully but if you are craving an alfredo it's not bad. I use either chicken or shrimp. I started out making it with half noodles but when I realized I was picking around the noodles to get the carrots I realized I didn't need the noodles, lol. I steam the carrots before topping with the sauce. Carrots are higher than zuchinni in calories though so be careful.
  • ByteLily
    ByteLily Posts: 52 Member
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    ok so you are sauteing your zucchini! I was blanching mine. Very watery. I have seen the model you are talking about , I might have to get that and try it. My previous one, also was a hand turned one. That paired with the instructions to boil was what probably set me wrong.

    Re alfredo- I also use half veggies with my pasta but found myself picking out the veggies, too so this is why I wanted to try to make it again and leave the noodles out all together. Anyways- the alfredo- cauliflower does great with (I buy newmans own jarred alfredo) it. With the parmesean. you can even whack it under the broiler to brown it up. Its really good !

    Thank you for the help. Now I know how to proceed :-)
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    You are very welcome. My son who is not a veggie guy (even though he's a grown man) loves the zuchinni spaghetti which is a miracle in itself, lol. He comes over once a week for dinner and that's one of his favorites. Hope you have better luck.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,702 Member
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    I use a vertical feed spiralizer which I prefer to the horizontal feed models. Less vegetable waste and less effort with the help of gravity. Never tried a pencil sharpener model because they sound like too much work.

    I normally mix spiralized veg with real pasta as I would otherwise miss the chewy texture. I normally dump the veg of the bottom of the colander before draining the pasta. Previously would zap a minute in the microwave before stumbling on the colander method.
  • OHFlamingo
    OHFlamingo Posts: 239 Member
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    Barilla makes a line of "healthier" pasta; my favorite is made with spinach and zucchini, and is non-GMO. I lightly saute fesh veggies in a bit of olive oil for my sauce. I have been thinking of getting a spiralizer for years, but I haven't convinced myself I need one or would actually use one.
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  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    I use the hand-cranked spiralizer. At first it was difficult to use, but got used to it. I sautée the resulting zoodles in a non-stick pan for 3 mins or less.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I also just cook zucchini in a pan with a little oil for a couple of minutes... no more than 3. Boiling would make it too soft.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    I buy pre-spiralized veggies in my grocery store. Turnip noodles are great in a stirfry. Butternut squash noodles I roast with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper.
  • JaiNicole7
    JaiNicole7 Posts: 88 Member
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    I picked up a Veggetti from Walmart for around $20 and sauteed my zucchini in a touch of olive oil and it came out great. It has multiple blade sizes.
  • ByteLily
    ByteLily Posts: 52 Member
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    thank you everyone! I will look into the vegetti. The barilla looks interesting and tasty! Sadly I have celiacs and cannot have it.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I use a spiralized also. I don't cook the zoodles . I pop them in the microwave for about 30 sec just to the chill off then top with sauce.

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