If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to traditional pasta noodles, try this frozen zucchini noodles recipe. It’s easy to make and tastes delicious with your favorite sauce!
Before you pan fry or boil your zucchini noodles, it’s important to drain out the moisture. To do this, place the zoodles in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes.
How to Make Zucchini Noodles
Whether you’re looking for a healthier pasta dish, an easy meal prep option or just a delicious alternative to rice noodles, zucchini noodles are the perfect choice. They’re easy to make, versatile, and can be frozen for long-term storage.
To freeze zucchini noodles, place them in a freezer-safe bag and label it with the date they were frozen. This will help you remember when you want to use them again and prevent wasting your food!
You can also vacuum seal them to keep them fresh for longer. This is a great way to keep your food fresh and save money on groceries.
Zoodles will lose their shape if they’re not stored properly, so it’s important to freeze them in a container with a tight-fitting lid. A resealable plastic container works well, but you can also opt for a glass container or vacuum sealer.
If you’re storing the zucchini for a longer period of time, line the storage container with paper towels before adding them to ensure they stay dry and don’t get soggy. This will also protect the zoodles from freezer burn, making them last much longer.
The quickest and easiest way to cook zoodles is with a spiralizer. This tool makes quick work of transforming raw zucchini into tasty, spiralized noodles.
Spiralized zucchini can be cooked in a variety of ways, including pan frying, boiling or even the microwave. However, cooking in the oven is best because it does not leach out vitamins and minerals as other methods do.
You can also try using a dehydrator to make your zucchini noodles, but this method does require more work. It takes from 3 to 8 hours to dry thin, salted noodles, so be sure to plan ahead.
While the noodles are drying, drain as much excess water from the zucchini as possible. This will result in firmer and more elastic zoodles, but it’s important to note that they will be slightly more mushy when you use them in recipes.
You can store zucchini noodles in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them, but it’s recommended that you make them a day or two ahead of time. This will give the zucchini more time to release water, preventing them from becoming soggy while in the fridge.
How to Freeze Zucchini Noodles
When you’re looking for a gluten-free, low-carb alternative to pasta, zucchini noodles (also known as zoodles) are a great option. These noodle strips are delicious in soups and stews, as well as with salads and sauces.
They’re also a great addition to a vegan diet as they’re naturally low in carbs and high in nutrients. However, it’s important to prepare them properly before freezing them so that they’ll keep their shape and texture when you defrost them.
To freeze zoodles, start by preparing them for storage by removing excess water from the strands. You can do this by placing them in a bowl with a towel or cheesecloth and squeezing out the water.
Next, you should place the zoodles in a zip-top bag that is made for home freezing. Seal the bag, press out any air, and label it with a date.
You can then store the zoodles in a freezer for 10-12 months. They’re best if frozen in small portions to maintain freshness, though you can store them in one large bag if you need them for a larger meal.
Then, when you’re ready to eat them, just remove them from the freezer and reheat them in a pan with some oil for about 5 minutes until they’re warm and piping hot. They’ll be just as delicious as the day you made them!
Another great way to freeze zucchini noodles is by using a dehydrator. This process will give them the most elasticity, but it’s also more time-consuming than other methods.
If you’re using a dehydrator, it’s best to use thin strands so that they dry quickly. Thin noodles should take about 3-8 hours to dry in a dehydrator at 115 F, depending on your local temperature, humidity, and thickness of the strands.
It’s also important to drain off any excess moisture after you thaw the zoodles, as this can affect how they turn out in your recipe. You can drain the excess liquid in a colander, but it’s better to let the zoodles defrost naturally and then drain the extra liquid before cooking them.
How to Store Zucchini Noodles
Once you’ve made zucchini noodles, you can store them in the freezer for up to 10-12 months. They’ll last longer if you squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible and keep them in a sealed container.
When storing cooked zucchini noodles, it’s best to use a plastic or glass storage container lined with paper towels. This keeps the moisture from soaking into the noodles. It’s also a great way to prevent them from getting soggy, which can make them tough to reheat.
To store raw zucchini noodles, place them in a large freezer bag and press the air out. Label the bag and store in the freezer.
You can also make a quick batch of zucchini noodles ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. To do this, simply line a glass container with paper towels before adding the noodles. This will allow them to release their moisture as they defrost, and the paper towels will absorb the excess liquid.
Blanching your zoodles before freezing will increase their storage life because it can deactivate the enzymes that make them mushy. If you can’t do this, a simple dunk in boiling water is a good solution to preserve your zoodles.
Another option for preserving your zucchini noodles is vacuum sealing them. The process is a bit more labor-intensive than freezing, but it can last up to a year.
Before vacuum sealing your zoodles, rinse them well and dry them with clean kitchen cloths. Then, cut them into manageable sizes. Finally, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for one to two hours until they’re firm.
After thawing, rinse the zoodles in warm water and drain any excess water. Then, pat them dry with a clean cloth to remove extra moisture.
Freeze the drained and dry zoodles in a resealable freezer bag, label it with a date, and store in the freezer. They’ll last for 10-12 months, and will keep their flavor and quality without losing any of the nutritional benefits.
How to Cook Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini noodles are a great way to get more vegetables into your diet, and they also have a delicious flavor. You can cook them in a variety of ways, but one of the easiest is to simply steam them on the stove. The steaming process removes a lot of the water from the zucchini and prevents it from soaking up too much sauce.
Boiling is another great way to prepare zucchini noodles, as long as you don’t overcook them. They should only be cooked for a few minutes and should be al-dente or slightly soft. Transfer them to a colander and rinse away any excess liquid.
If you don’t want to boil your zucchini noodles, you can use the microwave or a skillet on medium-high heat to gently stir fry them. If you do this, be sure to keep an eye on them so that they don’t overcook or become limp.
You can also try roasting the noodles in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Grate the zoodles with your spiralizer, following the manufacturers directions (or use kitchen shears to cut them into lengths about 12 inches long). Or, if you prefer shorter noodles, skip this step and grate just the long side of the zucchini.
Once grated, place the noodles on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Toss the noodles in melted butter and season with more salt if needed. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the zoodles are tender.
This method is a great way to make zucchini noodles for meal prep or for quick meals when you don’t have time to prepare them in advance. Just make sure to pat the zoodles dry with a double layer of paper towels once they’ve come out of the oven.
Adding a starchy thickener to your sauce can also help to prevent excess moisture from soaking up too much of the sauce. This can be a basic slurry of cornstarch and water, or you can add pureed potato or cauliflower.