Name: Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Noodles
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 4 large zucchinis, spiralized; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp cream cheese; 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, shredded; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; Salt and pepper to taste

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These garlic parmesan zucchini noodles are a perfect breath of fresh air. A healthier version of your favorite creamy pasta dish and a great choice for those on a low-carb diet.

You’re going to love this guilt-free garlic parmesan zucchini noodles pasta. It’s an excellent option for those under a low-carb or keto diet and celiac people, super quick to make on any week-night.

Made with fresh zucchini and then given a creamy zucchini pasta sauce over the top every bite is a perfect blend of textures and taste. This dish will keep you from ever missing pasta again.

What are Zoodles?

Zoodles is the term given to zucchini noodles as it is a combination of the two words. By slicing our zucchini just right we get long strings of the green veggie which can be cooked up and served with a sauce very similar to long spaghetti noodles.

I use zucchini noodles whenever I can to help get away from that refined white flour pasta. Recipes like this and my Zucchini Noodles with Prawns & Creamy Avocado Basil Sauce are great excuses to whip up a batch of homemade zucchini noodles.

Ingredients you’ll need for zucchini noodles recipe:

Large zucchinis
Garlic cloves
Butter
Olive oil
Cream cheese
Shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Zoodles

In a large skillet, saute the minced garlic with the olive oil until it’s nice and fragrant.

Add in your prepared zucchini noodles and sprinkle some salt on top of the noodles to help them release excess water.

Saute for a couple of minutes until the noodles are your desired texture. I like my zoodles to be a little crunchy so 3-4 minutes is perfect but for a softer noodle, cook a little longer.

Remove the pan from the heat and discard any water from the skillet.

Add in the butter, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese. Stir well until combined and creamy.

Add in the chopped parsley and black pepper to taste.

Adjust the salt if necessary.

Serve warm and garnish with extra parmesan cheese.

Recipe Tips

The zucchini, when cooked, releases a lot of water, so to reduce it as much as possible, you’ll need to press the noodles with your hands or with a clean cloth.
To make the zucchini noodles, you can use a spiralizer that makes perfectly shaped vegetable noodles.

How to prepare zucchini noodles

First, start by washing your zucchini well to remove any dirt. Once that has been done, dry with a towel to remove water droplets on the skin.

Now, take a spiralizer cut your zucchini into long skinny noodles, and place onto a paper towel-lined plate until needed.

If you notice that the zucchini noodles are still very moist after about 5 minutes of resting, dab with more paper towels or lightly squeeze them in some cheesecloth to help encourage moisture to leave the zoodles.

Cook as directed.

How do you make zucchini noodles not soggy?

The biggest way to avoid soggy zucchini noodles is in the prep and cooking process. For example, if you remove as much moisture as you can before cooking the noodles, as described above, then you should have an easier time when you actually cook them.

Frying or sauteeing the noodles on a hot skillet will help to remove a lot of moisture from the noodles, and that water can easily be drained out of the pan.

Adding some salt to the noodles will also help to draw out moisture, much like when you prepare eggplants, the salt draws out bitterness and moisture by causing the vegetable to sweat it out.

How to make zucchini noodles without a spiralizer

If you don’t have a veggie spiralizer, you’re still in luck! There are a few other useful ways that you can make zucchini noodles without having to buy a tool that’s only purpose is making zoodles.

Some helpful kitchen gadgets include a mandolin, veggie peeler, a julienne peeler, or even a box cheese grater. Using the julienne blade on a mandolin is the closest to your desired results.

FAQs

Can you freeze zucchini noodles?

Yes, if you find that you have spiralized too much zucchini you can safely store the extra noodles in a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag for about 3-5 months. Simply thaw before using.

How long to cook zucchini noodles

the time spent cooking your noodles will vary depending on how “cooked” you want them to be. If you like your noodles raw, you can certainly do that, but if you want them warmed and still crisp a good 3-4 minutes should be fine. Cooking for 5 or more minutes will give you a softer zoodle and cooking for too long may give you mush so keep an eye on your zucchini noodles as they cook so that you can get them to the perfect level of doneness without overcooking them.

Should you salt zucchini noodles before cooking?

By adding salt to your zucchini noodles you can draw out extra moisture from within the noodles. This will help to prevent soggy noodles and help to keep the sauce from getting too watered down because most of the moisture will have left the pan before adding in the zucchini noodle sauce ingredients.

Are zoodles healthier than pasta?

Zoodles are actually healthier for you than pasta because they are far fewer in carbs and have way more nutrients in every bite. This healthy zucchini noodle recipe is much healthier for you than if you were to replace the zoodles with white flour pasta and that means you can indulge in a slightly larger serving size without the guilt.

If you loved this healthy pasta recipe then you may also enjoy these other great pasta dishes!