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    Home » Keto

    How To Spiralize Zucchini Noodles Or Zoodles

    Published: Jul 3, 2020 Updated: Nov 2, 2020 By: Cassidy Stauffer May contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinnable image of zucchini noodles with text

    An easy step-by-step tutorial on how to spiralize zucchini to make zucchini noodles, how to avoid watery zoodles, and how to use them in any recipe calling for pasta!

    scooping zoodles with fork out of white bowl
    scooping zoodles with a fork out of a white bowl

    I use zucchini noodles all the time so I'm excited to finally share a step-by-step tutorial!

    If you're new to zucchini noodles, they are simply zucchini that have been cut into a noodle shape and used in place of pasta. Many people refer to them as "zoodles".

    Like spaghetti squash, they're a perfect noodle replacement if you follow a low-carb, keto diet or are grain and gluten-free.

    Jump to:
    • Tools used to make zucchini noodles
    • How to spiralize zucchini
    • To make zoodles
    • How to make zucchini lasagna noodles
    • 💭 Top tips
    • Looking for recipes to use with your zoodles?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Tools used to make zucchini noodles

    There are 3 tools to make zucchini noodles or zoodles:

    • Spiralizer. This is my favorite! Spiralizers can create long, thick, beautiful noodle strands. They're also fast and easy to use. This is the spiralizer I recommend: OXO Spiralizer. It's very similar to one I have but friends have told me the suction cups on the bottom actually stay put! I can't tell you how frustrating it is when the suction cups come up and the spiralizer moves around! Or you can buy a hand-held spiralizer. It requires a little more work and the strands aren't as thick, but it works!
    • Julienne Peeler. A julienne peeler definitely requires more work and the noodles come out shorter and thinner, but it's a good option if you don't have a spiralizer.
    • A knife. A knife works well when making zucchini lasagna noodles. While you could use a knife to make spaghetti strands, I don't recommend it. It's time-consuming and really hard to get the noodles in the right shape and size.

    How to spiralize zucchini

    spiralizer on countertop
    spiralizer on countertop

    I'm going to show you how to make zucchini noodles using a countertop spiralizer. However, the same method applies whether you use a countertop spiralizer, hand-held spiralizer, julienne peeler, or knife.

    3 zucchini with ends cut off and cut in half
    3 zucchini cut in half

    When picking out zucchini, pick out medium-sized ones that are as straight as possible.

    If your veggies are extremely curved, the blade can't make the entire circle and it won't make beautiful long noodles.

    Then, cut off the ends and cut them in half.

    While you could peel the zucchini for prettier noodles, I've found that I prefer to leave the skin on. The skin makes them more sturdy and releases less water.

    3 spiralizer blades on countertop
    3 spiralizer blades on a countertop

    If using a countertop spiralizer, you'll have 3 blade options. From top to bottom they are:

    1. Spaghetti Noodles with ⅛th-inch spacing
    2. Fettuccini Noodles with ¼-inch spacing
    3. Ribbon Noodles with a flat edge
    close up of spiralizer blade in spiralizer
    close up of a spiralizer blade

    Slide the blade you want into the spiralizer. For this tutorial, I'm using the Fettuccini Noodles blade with ¼-inch spacing.

    spiraling a zucchini
    spiralizing a zucchini

    Place the zucchini into the prongs and line it up with the de-seeing hole on the other side, making it as centered as possible. The bottom of the spiralizer has nifty suction cups - don't forget to use them so it doesn't slide around!

    Place a paper-towel-lined baking sheet under the spiralizer. Then turn the crank until you reach the end and have beautiful long noodles. It may sound hard, but it's actually very smooth and effortless.

    zucchini noodles on paper-towel-lined baking sheet
    noodles on a paper towel-lined baking sheet

    After you make the noodles some of them will be extremely long, so you can cut them with scissors.

    To make zoodles

    Zucchini noodles hold a lot of moisture. If you pan fry them or use them right away in a recipe, they will turn into a watery soup!

    To get rid of the excess moisture, sprinkle with sea salt and place in a 200 degrees oven for 20 to 30 minutes to "sweat".

    Some people sprinkle them with sea salt and place them in a colander over the sink to sweat. However, I prefer letting them sweat in the oven. It just seems to make them a bit drier.

    Whatever you do though, don't skip the salt! The salt is what helps bring out the moisture.

    squeezing water out of zucchini noodles into a bowl
    squeezing water out of noodles into a bowl

    Then, wrap the zoodles in paper towels and gently squeeze to get out the excess water.

    Be careful not to squeeze out every last drop or the noodles will be mushy!

    zucchini noodles in cast iron skillet
    zucchini noodles in cast iron skillet

    To cook the noodles, simply saute in some oil over medium-high heat until they reach the desired tenderness, around 3 to 5 minutes.

    And then that's it, you're done! Add sauce and enjoy 🙂

    How to make zucchini lasagna noodles

    Using zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is really easy! They're especially perfect in my Paleo & Keto Lasagna! There are 2 simple steps:

    1. Slicing the zucchini: Slice the ends off of the zucchini. Holding the zucchini upright (vertical, standing on a sliced end), use a sharp knife to slice down creating ¼-inch slices. Try to make the slices as uniform as possible.
    2. To prevent a watery lasagna, you’ll need to get out the excess moisture. To do this, place the zucchini slices on paper-towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to “sweat” in a 200-degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes. Wrap the noodles in paper towels and gently squeeze to remove the excess moisture. Then, use them in place of the noodles when layering the lasagna then bake as directed.

    💭 Top tips

    • Zucchini noodles continue to seep water as they sit, so I don't recommend mixing them with sauce until they're ready to serve.
    • Zoodles can be spiralized and kept in the fridge for a few days before use, but I don't recommend cooking them until they're ready to be used.
    • Do not freeze, it ruins the texture - trust me!
    • Don't skip letting the noodles sweat! Otherwise, they will be watery.
    • You can also sweat the noodles by sprinkling them with sea salt and placing them in a colander over the sink for 30 minutes. However, I prefer letting them sweat in the oven. It just seems to make them a bit drier.
    • Whatever you do, don't skip the salt! The salt is what helps bring out the moisture and allows them to "sweat".
    • While you could peel the zucchini for prettier noodles, I've found that I prefer to leave the skin on. The skin makes them more sturdy and releases less water.

    Looking for recipes to use with your zoodles?

    I think you'll love these...

    • Lasagna Soup
    • Chicken 'Noodle' SoupChicken Parmesan
    • Alfredo Sauce
    • Pesto
    • Chicken Piccata
    • Meat Sauce
    • Tuscan Chicken
    • Shrimp Pasta
    pasta in bowl with fork
    shrimp pasta in a bowl with fork

    If you’ve tried these Zucchini Noodles or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!

    Craving more? FOLLOW ME on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or E-Mail to find more delicious food!

    📖 Recipe

    scooping zoodles with fork out of white bowl

    How To Spiralize Zucchini Noodles Or Zoodles

    An easy step-by-step tutorial on how to spiralize zucchini noodles, how to avoid watery zoodles, and how to use them in any recipe calling for pasta!
    5 from 2 votes
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    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    CALORIES :84kcal
    CARBS :6g
    FIBER :2g
    Author: Cassidy Stauffer

    Ingredients

    • 4 Medium Zucchini
    • Sea Salt - around 1 tsp, or as needed
    • 2 tablespoon Butter - olive oil, avocado oil, or oil of choice
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
    • Using one of the tools below, spiralize the zucchini. See the above post for tips!
    • Place the spiralized zucchini on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.
    • Allow to "sweat" in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
    • Wrap the noodles in paper towels and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. Do not try to squeeze out every last drop or the zucchini will be mushy!
    • Heat the oil in a medium to large-sized pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the zucchini and saute until desired tenderness, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, if desired, add sauce and enjoy!

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    Notes

    Expert Tips
    • Zucchini noodles continue to seep water as they sit, so I don't recommend mixing them with sauce until they're ready to serve to prevent watery pasta.
    • Zoodles can be spiralized and kept in the fridge for a few days before using, but I don't recommend cooking them until they're ready to be used.
    • Zucchini noodles cannot be frozen, it ruins the texture - trust me!
    • Don't skip letting the noodles sweat! Otherwise, they will be watery.
    • You can also sweat the noodles by sprinkling them with sea salt and placing them in a colander over the sink for 30 minutes. However, I prefer letting them sweat in the oven. It just seems to make them a bit drier.
    • Whatever you do, don't skip the salt! The salt is what helps bring out the moisture and allows them to "sweat".
    • While you could peel the zucchini for prettier noodles, I've found that I prefer to leave the skin on. The skin makes them more sturdy and releases less water.
    How To Make Zucchini Lasagna Noodles
    Using zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is really easy! They're especially perfect in my Paleo & Keto Lasagna! There are 2 simple steps:
    1. Slicing the zucchini: Slice the ends off of the zucchini. Holding the zucchini upright (vertical, standing on a sliced end), use a sharp knife to slice down creating ¼-inch slices. Try to make the slices as uniform as possible.
    2. To prevent a watery lasagna, you’ll need to get out the excess moisture. To do this, place the zucchini slices on paper-towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to “sweat” in a 200-degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes. Wrap in paper towels and gently squeeze to remove the excess moisture, do not try to get out every drop or the noodles will be mushy! Then, use them in place of the noodles when layering the lasagna and bake as directed.
    Tools Used To Spiralize
    1. Spiralizer. This is my favorite! Spiralizers can create long, thick, beautiful noodle strands. They're also fast and easy to use. This is the spiralizer I recommend: OXO Spiralizer. It's very similar to one I have but friends have told me the suction cups on the bottom actually stay put! I can't tell you how frustrating it is when the suction cups come up and the spiralizer moves around! Or you can buy a hand-held spiralizer. It requires a little more work and the strands aren't as thick, but it works!
    2. Julienne Peeler. A julienne peeler definitely requires more work and the noodles come out shorter and thinner, but it's a good option if you don't have a spiralizer.
    3. A knife. A knife works well when making zucchini lasagna noodles. While you could use a knife to make spaghetti strands, I don't recommend it. It's time-consuming and really hard to get the noodles in the right shape and size.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1spiralized zucchini | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

    NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol

    Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.

    Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my

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    Cassidy is a certified keto and intermittent fasting health coach and a mom of two teenagers, one of whom has autism and epilepsy. For the well-being of her family, she serves up easy, kid-approved recipes that are gluten-free and keto with many dairy-free and paleo options. She's passionate about creating healthy, allergy-friendly food that's just as good as the original!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. martutz says

      January 06, 2020 at 7:52 am

      I gotta buy that spiralizer! I'm also struggling for a healthier me, I've even start running with SportMe marathon training app and I can say I'm on the right track now. Nutrition is an important part of my losing weight plan, and your blog posts are a true inspiration!

      Reply
    2. Christine @ Once Upon a Time in a Bed of Wildflowers says

      April 09, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Oh that looks SO good! I've always wanted to get a spiralizer... and I am going to HAVE to get one before summertime and zucchini season now! 🙂
      I've already pinned this recipe, and I'm going to share the link on my "My Week on Wednesday" post this week! 🙂
      ~ Christine

      Reply
    3. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says

      April 09, 2014 at 12:50 pm

      Yum! I love my spiralizer. I haven't sweated the liquid out of my "zoodles" when I made them though. Will have to check that out in the near future. Thanks for linking this terrific recipe and tutorial to Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Cassidy!

      xo,
      Shirley

      Reply
      • Cassidy says

        April 10, 2014 at 1:14 pm

        Thanks Shirley! I haven't had a spiralizer long, but I've been making zucchini noodles for quite awhile. A lot of people don't "sweat" the noodles, but I think it helps keeps the sauce from being runny 🙂

        Have a great day!
        -Cassidy

        Reply
    4. Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry says

      April 08, 2014 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      Love my spiralizer! I can't wait to make this delicious recipe for dinner this week.

      Reply
      • Cassidy says

        April 08, 2014 at 6:02 pm

        Thanks Laura, I hope you like it 🙂 I've only had my spiralizer for about a week and I'm already in love!

        Reply
    5. sabrina says

      April 08, 2014 at 5:44 pm

      OMGoodness!!! I just got mine delivered a few days ago- picked it up from Amazon and have't been able to find organic zuchinni in my area....thanks so much for this recipe! Pinning this for sure! YUM!

      Reply
      • Cassidy says

        April 08, 2014 at 6:03 pm

        Thanks Sabrina!!! I hope you find some zucchini and you like my recipe 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cassidy! I'm a certified keto and intermittent fasting coach and am a mom of two teenagers, one of whom has autism and epilepsy. For the well-being of my family, I serve up easy, kid-approved recipes that are gluten-free and keto with many dairy-free and paleo options. I'm passionate about creating healthy, allergy-friendly food that's just as good as the original!

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