Zoodles are one thing that was very buzzworthy and slowly kind of fell off the face of this Earth. Zoodles were a very enticing way to eat your pasta but not pack in all the carbohydrates. Zoodles splattered themselves all over Pinterest looking pretty in their green and spirally ways. The real kill to zoodles though is that they weren’t really the replacement for someone really craving pasta. It is like cauliflower turning into pizza. We get it, it is the healthier version and something we have from time to time but it certainly doesn’t get rid of the craving.
Instead of doing away with pasta altogether, or zoodles all together for that matter, have you tried combining them together? If not, you should certainly try! Having the zoodles in your bowl will make it fewer carbs and having the pasta in your bowl will make you feel like you’re eating noodles. Because guess what, you are! Try this recipe out for the perfect zoodle and pasta combo.
The Ultimate Zoodle and Pasta Dinner
ingredients
4 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
3 cloves minced garlic
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 pound dry pasta
2 teaspoons cold water
1 TBS Salt, plus more to taste
instructions
- To cook the pasta: Boil 4 quarts of water with a TBS of salt. When it reaches a boil, add the pasta. As the pasta starts to cook, stir it well with the tongs so the noodles don’t stick to each other or the pot. Follow the cooking time on the package, but always taste pasta before draining to make sure the texture is right. Drain cooked pasta well in a colander and set aside.
- Grab the zucchini and spiralize the zucchini. Cut extra long noodles so that they are about the length of spaghetti.
- Add olive oil, and garlic into a deep skillet. Place a deep skillet on the stove add the olive oil and garlic and warm to medium heat. When the oil begins to bubble around the garlic, add the zucchini noodles. Toss the noodles with pasta tongs and cook until al dente — they should be wilted, but still, have a crunch; 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and parmesan cheese. Cook for one minute.
- Use pasta tongs to transfer the noodles, tomatoes, and basil to a large bowl.
- Then add the pasta to the large bowl.
- Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix it all up.
- Finish with more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.
