What Are Zoodles?
Zoodles are an easy-to-make variety of noodles that doesn’t involve any wheat or flour. They are made solely from zucchini. Yes, that’s right, a noodle that is actually 100% vegetable. They look very similar to regular noodles, so they can be used to replace spaghetti, linguine, or even egg or rice noodles.
How Healthy Are Zoodles?
Really healthy! Zucchini has virtually no fat and is full of necessary nutrients, including:
- Iron
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Small amounts of fiber and calcium
Regular Noodles vs. Zoodles
Why might you want to have zoodles instead of regular noodles? Regular noodles are basically a carb fest. If you’re on a low carb diet, you may have had to cut out pasta completely. Pasta is also made with wheat, so it is generally unsuitable for people on a gluten-free diet.
Zoodles are very low in carbs, only offering around 3g carbs per 100g of zucchini. Compare that with around 74g of carbs in 100g of wheat-based spaghetti.
What Is the Healthier Choice?
If you need to bulk up on carbs for any reason, then there’s no reason why standard pasta wouldn’t be the ideal choice. However, for most people, zoodles tick all the boxes: tasty, low in fat, low in carbs, high in essential micronutrients, and low in sodium. Zoodles win out almost every time.
How to Make Zoodles
If you want to know how to make zoodles, you’ve come to the right place. Zoodles are surprisingly easy to make.
The quickest and simplest way is to use a spiralizer. This is a widely available kitchen tool that allows you to simply pop the zucchini in and turn the handle, instantly creating beautiful, even zoodles.
You can also use a vegetable peeler in long, straight pulls down the side of the zucchini. This makes wider zoodles, suitable to use in the place of linguine.
Can You Freeze Zoodles?
Yes, you can freeze zoodles! Zucchini pasta is easy to store. Either spiralize your zoodles and bag and freeze them immediately or place them in a colander and sprinkle salt on them. Leave your zoodles for half an hour. The salt will draw out excess moisture, which will drip away. Bag them, freeze them, and when you defrost them (at room temperature) to use in your favorite recipe, they will have a slightly firmer texture than the non-salted zoodles.
