Pesto “Voodles” (Veggie Noodles)
If you took a trip through my kitchen, you would find I am the owner of way too many pieces of cooking equipment and gadgets. Having cooked both professionally and just for enjoyment for many years, over time I excitedly added one must-have “goodie” after another, eventually leaving little storage space to bring home a new “toy” unless it was truly unique and versatile .
Well, my new “baby” definitely meets those qualifications and now happily has taken up residence in my kitchen! Although I’m still somewhat of a spiralizer newbie, I am already having lots of fun creating all kinds of quick, colorful and healthy dishes, especially “voodles,” (veggie “noodles”). Almost all the pleasure of eating pasta without the excess carbs and calories …
Yield: about 4 servings
Well, my new “baby” definitely meets those qualifications and now happily has taken up residence in my kitchen! Although I’m still somewhat of a spiralizer newbie, I am already having lots of fun creating all kinds of quick, colorful and healthy dishes, especially “voodles,” (veggie “noodles”). Almost all the pleasure of eating pasta without the excess carbs and calories …
Yield: about 4 servings
Ingredients
- ½ to 1 cup Basil-Mint Pesto or your favorite prepared pesto
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound zucchini ends trimmed
- 1 pound yellow squash ends trimmed
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or as desired
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the Basil-Mint-Pesto. (or use ½ to 1 cup of your favorite)
- With a spiralizing machine, process zucchini and yellow squash into noodle shapes. (If you don’t have one, making thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler will work just fine.)
- Place veggie “noodles” in a colander. Toss with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow moisture to drain. Note: If time is short, you may skip this step, but be aware your veggie “noodles” will be a bit watery.
- In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium setting. Sauté zucchini and yellow squash “noodles” with garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, just until they begin to soften. (Do not overcook or veggies will be limp.) Drain any liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the pan.
- Toss “voodles” with cherry tomatoes.
- Toss in ½ to 1 cup Basil-Mint Pesto, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste .
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: this dish is best enjoyed immediately after preparation. Vegetables may be spiralized up to 2 days before cooking. Store covered in the refrigerator. (Add layers of cheesecloth or paper towel to absorb moisture.) Basil-Mint Pesto may be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Use within 2 days.
Spiralized veggie “noodles” can be extremely long, making eating a bit challenging! Easy solution: simply snip the “noodles” to desired lengths with a kitchen shears.
These days, spiralizers are all the rage in the home cook world and myriad choices abound! The one I selected is from Williams-Sonoma which I received for a Mother’s Day gift from my hubbie. After watching an in-store demo and realizing how easy it was to create any number of colorful, fun and healthy dishes, we were hooked. Intrigued? Then just do a bit of research before making your selection, and have a blast spiralizing!
Many healthy and beautiful veggies can be successfully spiralized. So far, I have had great success with butternut squash, jicama, beets, carrots and sweet potatoes and look forward to trying many more!
Love spaghetti and meatballs, but don’t want the carbs? Just serve my Confetti Turkey Meatballs, Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce with Meat or Shrimp, Basil and Cherry Tomatoes over “voodles!”
Another yummy dish using veggie “noodles” you may like is: Spaghetti Squash ‘n Veggie Mélange .
