How to Make Zucchini Noodles
This post will show you How to Make Zucchini Noodles with three tools you can use to make all the zucchini noodles your heart desires. And be sure to check the links to all my favorite recipes using these perfect low-carb noodles!
PIN this post to make some noodles later!
A few years ago people suddenly started making noodles from zucchini. And no doubt the abundance of those noodles popping up everywhere was due to an amazing machine called the Spiralizer (affiliate link). I’ve do love my Spiralizer, and through the years I’ve using it to make lots of recipes!
But now noodles made from vegetables have become mainstream! You can buy them pre-made in most every grocery store, and for those who don’t want to spend enough to buy a Spiralizer, there are also several less expensive noodle-making gadgets that work pretty well. I have three different cooking tools that make this type of noodle, so I thought it would be fun to remind you about them in this post about How to Make Zucchini Noodles.
Are Zoodles the same as Zucchini Noodles?
Those trendy noodles are sometimes called Zoodles, just in case you didn’t know that!
Want to see all my recipes using zucchini noodles?
I hope you have fun experimenting with the noodles and then trying some of my recipes using them!You can use Spiralizer Recipes to see all my recipes using zucchini or vegetable noodles.
Can you use the Zucchini Noodle tips to make noodles from other vegetables?
Of course you can use most of these gadgets to make noodles from many types of vegetables. I especially like cucumber noodles when it’s hot weather and I want to make a noodle bowl, and they’re also great for salads.
Making Zucchini Noodles with a Julienne Cutter:
Several years ago I bought an inexpensive Julienne Cutter (affiliate link) which works just fine for vegetable noodles, especially if you’re only cooking for one or two people. Basically you just drag the cutter along the edge of the vegetable, as if you were peeling a carrot. I like to cut longer vegetables in half, which makes them a little easier to julienne.
As you can see in the photo, there’s some waste because eventually the piece is too small to hang on to. But even as low-tech as it is, I used the juliennne cutter to make this big pile of of zucchini noodles the first time I made Instant Pot Pasta Sauce. I’ve made a few other recipes using it since then as well.
Making Zucchini Noodles with the Vegetti Spiral Vegetable Cutter:
My brother Rand is the one who told me about this Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Cutter (affiliate link) that he found at CVS, and I immediately ordered one from Amazon.com. This is even a little cheaper than the Julienne Cutter and it’s more versatile because it makes two thicknesses of noodles. It comes with a gripper to use when you’re getting down to the end of the vegetables.
To use the Vegetti, just insert the vegetable into the desired end and turn it to make the noodles come out. For larger vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, or jicama, you’ll have to cut pieces that are small enough to be inserted into the end. Above you can see a comparison of the thin and slightly thicker noodles you can make . There’s also some waste with this, because eventually the end gets so small you can’t really turn it any more, even with the gripper.
One thing Jake and I quickly learned when we experimented with this is that if you don’t cut a slice in the vegetable before you start to make noodles you’ll end up with l-o-n-g strings of vegetables, which would be pretty difficult to eat. But if you cut a slit halfway through the piece of vegetable like you see on the last cucumber, you’ll get perfect little short noodles.
Making Zucchini Noodles with the Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer
That brings us to the gadget that I think has created the vegetable noodle craze, the Spiralizer (affiliate link). The machine has five pieces, the base, the pushing mechanism that slides into the base, and three blades for very thin noodles, medium-sized noodles, and slices. There are suction cups on the legs to hold it in place when you’re using it.
To use the Spiralizer, you attach the vegetable on to round disk that has teeth to hold it in place, and center it on the round hole at the top of the blade that helps keep the vegetable in place. Then just turn the handle and noodles come out like magic! This is the small size noodles, about the same diameter as cooked spaghetti. I cut a slit in the zucchini (as shown above with the cucumber) to get the short pieces of noodle.
There’s also a thicker noodle size, probably the one I’m going to use the most. You can also make thin slices, or cut slices like you see here if you cut a slit in the vegetable. Eventually you get to the point where the vegetable won’t push in any more, and you’re left with this core and a small piece of vegetable. And one thing I was delighted to discover is that the Spiralized zucchini kept remarkably well in the fridge for a day or so, and it was actually a little drier after it had been refrigerated. Depending on the recipe the vegetable noodles can be used raw or cooked slightly.
Recipes from Kalyn Using Zucchini Noodles:
- Zucchini Noodles with Tuna and Green Olives
- Italian Sausage Soup with Tomatoes and Zucchini Noodles
- Greek-Style Zucchini Noodles
- Mediterranean Zucchini Noodles
- Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce (with zucchini noodles)
- Tomatoes and Burrata Zucchini Noodles
- Low-Carb Turkey Soup with Zucchini Noodles
- Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad
- Zucchini Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce
- Turkey Mushroom Soup with Zucchini Noodles
- Vegetarian Mexican Bowl (with zucchini noodles)
Want ideas for using zucchinii noodles in soup?
If you’d like to see a great collection of soups from around the web, check out Low-Carb and Keto Zucchini Noodle Soups for 18 different ideas for soup using noodles made from zucchini!
Weekend Food Prep:
This post has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Have You Made Noodles with Vegetables?
If you’ve made vegetable noodles using one of these gadgets (or something different that I haven’t tried) or if you have a good recipe using noodles made from vegetables, please share what worked for you in the comments.
21 Comments on “How to Make Zucchini Noodles”
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Hi there. When it comes to keto pasta you might want to check out e.g. Slim pasta – zero carbs, less than 10 calories, ready in 2 minutes. Comes in different pasta shapes from noodles to lasagna, also as rice. Made of konjac fibre, amazing product.
Interesting. I haven’t been a fan of the low-carb pastas I’ve tried but will look for this one.
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Thank you for this post! I have a julienne peeler and I was thinking of getting the Spiralizer to automate the process a little but mostly to avoid the waste at the end. I'm glad to know there is also waste with the Spiralizer and the savings in work with the peeling probably evens out with extra clean up.
Julie, glad it was useful for you!
Andrea I was using the Spiralizer when my niece Kara's kids were there and they loved helping with it!
I have always used a julienne peeler, I am tempted by the Spiralizer. It looked fun to use and I think my boys would enjoy it.
KFM Cooks, brilliant idea to save the scraps for making stock!
I make my veggie noodles with a Benriner (japanese mandoline). You do get to a point where you can no longer make the long noodles, but what I do to avoid waste is freeze those leftover "middles" and use them to make stock.
Rocky Blast, I can see myself getting obsessed with the Spiralizer as well! And great idea to try it with the cauliflower alfredo sauce (I MUST try that sauce!)
I am a little bit obsessed with my Spiralizer which I got in January of this year. I found that pasta was bothering my stomach and I'd not had any in a long time. The first day I had a bowl of zucchini noodles with tomato sauce I was so happy. My boyfriend prefers these to regular noodles. I have Spiralized a lot of veggies. One of my favorite meals to make is zucchini noodles with cauliflower Alfredo sauce. No joke this is amazing and very low cal. I tend to get very excited telling people to consider a spiralizer lol…glad you posted about it.
Lydia, if I was downsizing that might be a consideration for me, but I really love the Spiralizer noodles.
I've been using my mandoline to make "noodles", and I love it because it's not a single-purpose tool. I used my Spiralizer once, and went back to the mandoline!
Debbie, if you have room for it, the Spiralizer definitely has the least waste. I guess if you're paying premium prices for zucchini (especially in the winter) that could really add up.
Pille, glad you liked it!
Kalyn, that was useful. I've got the simple julienne peeler, but I do like the look of Veggetti (I don't mind the little "waste" – I can always eat that bit raw!).
The Spiralizer looks too big, haven't got so much space in the kitchen.
Happy to see you did mention that there is waste with the Veggetti. I recently purchased one and was disappointed at the amount of zucchini that was unusable. I'm thinking of returning it so may have to consider your other options listed.
Slice the leftover zucchini core into thin slices and add them to your spaghetti, soup, salad, etc.
You can do that, although the part that's left is mostly seeds.
Kate there are some recipes of mine at the end of the post; many more to come! I do think these types of noodles are best in dishes with strong flavors.
I have the Vegetti and love it, thanks for the tip on the cut in the zucchini. Are you going to post any recipies here. I did try my homemade pesto but didn't love it as much as I thought I would