I’m gonna let you in on a secret. I’m a complete carb addict. And by carb addict I mean I love those emotionally satisfying but not so healthy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, bagels, and muffins. Sure I’m a food and diet coach, but I’m only human. And carbohydrates are my vice. And this is precisely why I love zoodles.
What are zoodles you ask?
Good question! Zoodles are vegetables that have been spiralized to make long, pasta-like creations. They’re super easy to make and can be substituted for any pasta based dish to make a healthier version of your favorite comfort food. There is an emotional element to eating that we can’t deny. Zoodles help you stay within your diet health goals while satisfying that emotional need for fun food. And zoodles are made from low-glycemic vegetables which are the healthy, non-fattening carbohydrates. How awesome is that!
The best part of zoodles is that they are super easy and economical to make. I make my zoodles with Brieftons Next Gen Spiralizer which, at the time of writing this, can be purchased on Amazon for just $14.99.
You can purchase Brieftons Next Gen Spiralizer by clicking below:
(please note that if you purchase using this link, I will receive a small commission. However, I only promote products I love and use myself.)
My favorite veggies to use are zucchinis and carrots. I peel and wash the vegetables and then I let my spiralizer do its magic. And within a matter of just a few minutes, I’m left with a bowl full of super healthy vegetable noodles, ready for my favorite recipe!
By the way, zoodles are perfect for little ones who are picky eaters. You might be able to give them a bowl of zoodles without them ever knowing they are made of vegetables. If that doesn’t work, you can always hide them in a regular spaghetti dish. They blend in so well with spaghetti that it is hard to know they’re there.
So what’s my favorite thing to do with zoodles?
Well, one of my favorite comfort foods is macaroni and cheese. Because sometimes my inner 8-year old just wants to be heard. But the adult in me wants macaroni and cheese that is better for me. So what is the compromise? Ooey gooey zoodles macaroni with cashew cheese. This is the grown up way to eat like a kid again.
Ingredients (cashew cheese recipe is a slightly adapted version of Real Food Daily’s Vegan Cashew Cheese Recipe)
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup cashews (preferably soaked for 2 to 4 hours)
- 1/8 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 turns white ground pepper
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut or nut milk
- 1/4 cup agar flakes (found in the dried seaweed section or online)
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp white miso
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
Rinse the vegetables, cut off the ends and peel the carrots. Use the spiralizer to shape the vegetables into noodles. Set your zoodles to the side.
Next, make the cheese,. Add the nuts, nutritional yeast and spice to a food processor or blender. Blend for 2 to 4 minutes until smooth.
Combine the non-dairy milk, oil and agar flakes in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until agar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Add this mixture to your food processor and blend again
Add the lemon juice and miso and blend one more time.
Immediately pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and stir. The cheese sauce must still be very hot. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Want a more traditional macaroni and cheese?
Combine your zoodles with milk and cheese and microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. This will be more similar to the fare you grew up with!
And this is just the beginning. The sky is the limit when it comes to using zoodles. Serve them hot or cold. So grab your spiralizer and start experimenting today. Because healthy eating should be all about eating comfort food. You just need a little creativity to transform your unhealthy classics into healthy masterpieces.
I haven’t had wheat pasta in years. I eat mung bean noodles, sweet potato noodles, zucchini noodles. After reading the book “Wheat Belly” I am a firm believer in alternatives for noodles.
The funny thing is that while my husband and I both love sweet potatoes, we’ve never had sweet potato noodles. It is definitely on my to-do list.
Thx for this recipe, Erica. I’ve never heard of Zoodles before! But I think I’ll find myself a Spiralizer and get cooking, as I too, love pasta.
Yes, definitely give it a try! You can use them in so many ways so I’m sure you’ll find a way to use them that you’ll enjoy.
I’ve never heard of Zoodles, but they sound like a great idea. Making your own certainly would be the freshest way to go, but are they also available for purchase anywhere?
I’ve never seen zoodles for sale. If you found them, they would have to be in the fresh prepared food area by the deli as they are extremely perishable. Another option is kelp noodles which are sol in stores like Whole Foods. They are somewhat processed to make the noodles, but still much healthier than grain pasta. And they are very neutral tasting, not fishy at all.
This is the first I am hearing of zoodles. I have cut down on carbohydrates and it has made a significant difference to my body. No more white bread, pasta or rice.
Yes, zoodles are definitely the better type of carbohydrates to enjoy. They are lower-glycemic so that won’t quickly turn to sugar in your body and make you gain weight.
I’ve never heard of Zoodles either. I’m also a carb addict and Zoodles sound like just the thing to satisfy my craving. I’m going to but the Spiralizer and try them. Thanks for the tip!
Jeannette, you really can fool yourself into thinking you’re eating real pasta. One of my favorite ways to eat them is in old fashioned pasta sauce so you should definitely give that a try as well!
Erica, I haven’t heard of zoodles but I love the idea. When the zucchini was running rampant last summer, I shredded it and used it to make ‘pasta’ which I then froze. Isn’t this blogging fun? I’ve learned so much from you about healthy eating in an easy and affordable way. Love it.
Lenie, I love that you made veggie pasta your own way! And you definitely inspire me with your economical ways to make healthy eating and living fun.
I’ve been seeing recipes like this for awhile now and I would love to give them a try. Here’s the thing, before commenting I checked Amazon and the price is still $14.99 but the shipping to Hawaii nearly doubles the price and I just refuse to pay it as general principle more than anything. But you’ve inspired me nonetheless, so I’ve bookmarked your post and I’m going to shop around.
Marquita, I don’t know what kind of chain stores they have in Hawaii. But you can probably find spiralizer at a store like William Sonoma or Bed Bath and Beyond. I don’t know if they have those there, but I imagine they have some sort of equivalent.
Have never heard of either zoodles or cashew cheese. Does seem like an ingenious way to get kids to eat vegetables.
Yes, when you put zoodles in red pasta sauce, it really looks like regular pasta. I’m sure all kids won’t be fooled, but I think quite a few would.
Hello Erica,
Its been a lonf time i took pasta. May be a year or so. Though never heard of Zoodles, but it definitely looks good, in fact great from the description above.
Wow, a whole year without pasta! That is impressive. With zoodles, it all depends on the sauce you use because they really take on the taste of the sauce.
Thanks for including the product link. I’ve made zucchini noodles before–but cutting them, very tediously, with a knife. Now that I know there’s a perfect tool, I can see substituting veggies with pasta (I, too, could live on pasta & bread!) –perfect!
I could live on pasta and bread too! I’m so impressed with how many people have the creativity to make their own pasta. I would never have thought to do this on my own. I find the spiralizer very easy to use. They also have these higher-end spiralizers that do almost all the work for you, but I think the manual one I listed is easy enough on its own. Though the higher-end ones might be better for someone with. let’s say, really bad arthritis though.
A great recipe for a great meal.
Now that I am on a strict diet, posts like this mean a lot to me. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you found this useful. Starting a new diet plan is difficult. However, with time, you start to learn better ways to enjoy foods that you really enjoy and then it gets easier.
A friend once served angel-hair pasta that was absolutely delicious. I didn’t realize it was zucchini till half way through the meal. Was I impressed! Like Arleen above, I use (and love) mung bean noodles and sweet potato vermicelli. Not only tasty and nutritious, the noodles also have a translucency that make for a striking appearance, along with a neat texture. Thanks for a great article!