You can mix in a cooked protein, such as chicken or shrimp, to turn these noodles into a complete meal.
One of my favorite side dishes is vegetable-based pasta substitutes. Hearts of Palm pasta and spaghetti squash noodles are two excellent options. But I make these zucchini noodles more often than any other substitute.
The cheesy, garlicky strands are delicious and not watery. They are very close to the experience of eating real buttered noodles.
Recipe Card
Spiralized zucchini: You can use a mandoline slicer or a vegetable spiralizer to create the noodle shapes. When I first started making this recipe back in 2014, I simply used a sharp chef’s knife to slice fresh zucchini into thin strips: Nowadays, store-bought zucchini spirals are readily available in the produce section at most supermarkets, so that’s what I use. I usually get mine at Whole Foods: Using pre-spiralized zucchini makes this recipe incredibly easy and quick. Butter: European butter is delicious, but any butter will work. Garlic: For the best flavor, mince it yourself instead of using jarred minced garlic. To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Grated Parmesan: It’s best to use finely grated parmesan and not coarsely shredded. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When melted and foamy, add the noodles. Cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and parmesan. Mix and serve. So ensure you don’t cook them longer than necessary in the first step before adding the garlic. Then, after adding the garlic and letting it cook briefly, turn the heat off immediately. They can also serve as an excellent bed for saucy dishes such as baked scallops, shrimp scampi, or pulled pork. As mentioned above, you can mix cooked protein (such as shredded chicken) into the noodles and turn them from a side dish into a main dish. I also like to serve them topped with meatballs, such as chicken meatballs or meatballs with tomato sauce. If you like cold leftover pasta, you’ll enjoy eating the leftovers cold. I certainly do!
