- Pat zucchini noodles dry with paper towels after spiralizing them. …
- Cook zoodles over medium-high heat. …
- Do not cover the zucchini during cooking. …
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. …
- Do not add salt to the pan. …
- Use a pan that conducts heat well. …
- Don’t overcook the zoodles.
Zucchini noodles, also known as “zoodles,” are one of the most contentious foods in the world of healthy eating. Some immediately dismiss them as sloppy, depressing substitutes for real pasta, while others wax lyrical about their spiralizer and their upscale chilled Zoodle salads. It’s like the Jets versus the Sharks, but once you master the art of making zoodles (and, to be honest, stop equating them to fettuccini altogether), they can actually serve as a tasty base for your nutritious dinners.
“Zucchini is more than 90% water, making it difficult to cook zoodles and avoid sogginess,” says Jen Knox, executive chef for Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s Green Bar & Kitchen, a plant-based eatery. Knox, fortunately, has a few clever solutions for serving zoodles that aren’t perspiring in their own water (yuck!). Check out all the techniques for spiralizing, cooking, and serving zoodles for dinners that emphasize vegetables.
Tips to Avoid Soggy Zucchini Noodles
After you spiralize a zucchini with a spiralizer, there are three best ways to cook the zucchini noodles so they are crisp, not soggy:
Read this post for more details on how to prepare zucchini noodles.
First off, you won’t have to worry about sogginess if you serve raw zoodles (like in this exotic Coconut-Mango Zucchini Noodle dish). Cooking is what really makes zucchini release moisture. However, even raw zucchini can occasionally become a little limp after being cut. In this situation, pat the spiralized noodles dry with paper towels or a thin kitchen rag to remove any excess moisture.
You really don’t need to worry about too much water when cooking zucchini noodles in a soup like this one with chicken. The noodles will maintain their moisture and remain mostly firm due to osmosis.
However, because the zucchini will release water into the soup you’re making, the flavor might be diminished. For instance, if you make salty ramen, the more time the noodles spend in the broth, the less umami flavor the ramen will have. If you keep the soup, you can easily remedy this by adding more seasonings. This won’t be a problem if you eat the ramen right away after it is prepared.
Last but not least, you will notice right away that the zucchini noodles release moisture into the pan when you cook them in a skillet. One spiralized zucchini releases barely a tablespoon of liquid. However, if you’re cooking several zucchinis, the water in the skillet may quickly accumulate.
Here are some suggestions for avoiding soggy, watery zucchini noodles.
Tip 4: Reduce or thicken your sauce
If your dish contains hot sauce, drain the liquid the traditional way by thickening or reducing it.
Simply simmering your sauce until enough liquid has evaporated is what is meant by “reducing” it. To prevent burning, be sure to stir the sauce frequently while it simmers. When you combine everything, you can reduce your sauce even more than usual to account for the additional liquid from the zucchini.
Thickening sauce means to add a starchy thickener. This can be a straightforward slurry made by combining equal amounts of cornstarch and water (starting with 1 tablespoon each). Add this to your sauce, stir it, and watch it quickly thicken. In order to add more vegetables, you can thicken sauces with puréed potato or cauliflower.
How to Sauté Zucchini Noodles
Sautéing your noodles may be the simplest option if you’re already cooking on the stovetop. Simply pour one tablespoon of avocado or olive oil into a pan and sauté for one to two minutes. If you’re making zucchini pasta with lemon garlic shrimp or something similar, this is the ideal cooking technique. But I discover that I’d rather not have the extra oil on the noodles if I’m adding a bolognese or other sauce to them.
FAQ
Why are my zucchini noodles mushy?
Since zucchini is almost entirely water, cooking zucchini noodles releases the vegetable’s water content, so it’s important to not overcook them. Additionally, if you overcook them, the result will be a pile of watery, mushy zoodles.
How can I make my zoodles firmer?
- Tip #1: Use a Spiralizer. Although it won’t help your zucchini noodles become less watery, a spiralizer is a necessary kitchen appliance to make zoodles.
- TIP #2: SQUEEZE THE ZOODLES. …
- TIP #3: USE PAPER TOWELS. …
- TIP #4: ADD SALT. …
- TIP #5: LET REST FOR 30 MINUTES. …
- TIP #6: COOK ZOODLES WITHOUT A LID.
How do you dry out zoodles before cooking?
On a cookie sheet covered with paper towels, spread out the noodles. Sprinkle with salt. “Sweat” the noodles in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the majority of the moisture released by the zucchini has been absorbed by paper towels. Squeeze the paper towels tightly over the noodles to remove any liquid that may still be present.
Can you make zucchini noodles ahead of time?
The best time-saving advice is to prepare your zoodles in advance. After spiralizing several zucchini, add your noodles to a sizable glass or plastic storage container that has been lined with paper towels, then store it in the fridge.
