My favorite way to cook zucchini noodles (zoodles)! See how to make our quick and easy zucchini noodles pasta recipe with garlic, tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Low-carb, keto-adaptable, and vegetarian-adaptable!
Watch the Video
We love this easy zoodles recipe, which uses noodles made from fresh zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and parmesan. Enjoy this light, healthy meal, or add cooked garlic shrimp, baked tofu, or juicy chicken breasts.
The recipe only takes 20 minutes. It’s also low on calories and carbs while having maximum flavor! See below for our easy recipe and my best tips for making zucchini noodles (with and without a spiralizer).
3 Secrets for the Best Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
- Don’t peel zucchini. Peeled zucchini noodles are mushy and have no crunch.
- Don’t salt zucchini before cooking or while it cooks in the pan. Salt draws out water from the zucchini, making it less crunchy when cooked. Since salt makes things taste good, we prefer to salt the sauce, not the zucchini.
- Don’t overcook them. Just like regular spaghetti, cook zucchini noodles to al dente. They are ready when wilted but still have a little crunch.
Making Our Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Noodles
Use fresh, firm zucchini for the best zucchini noodles. We love this recipe with 100% zucchini noodles (basically, spaghetti made from zucchini), but you can always combine zucchini noodles and regular spaghetti for a little more sticking power.
Fresh tomatoes are excellent in this zoodles recipe, but you can use canned. We love canned San Marzano tomatoes and the options from Muir Glen.
Garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes add flavor to our sauce. We also toss in some parmesan cheese. If you are following a vegetarian diet and don’t eat parmesan, any vegetarian cheese will work in its place. I’ve made this with fresh cheese, like feta, and crumbled goat cheese and found it delicious.
Cornstarch is a little unusual, but it is our secret ingredient for making crave-worthy zucchini noodles. Zucchini releases a lot of water during cooking. So, you will have some liquid at the bottom of your skillet.
The cornstarch transforms that watery sauce into a silky sauce that happily sticks to your noodles. Thanks to all the garlic and tomatoes, it’s delicious but a bit thin. We use this liquid to our advantage and thicken it with a slurry made from cornstarch and water.
How to Make Zucchini Noodles with a Spiralizer
Zucchini noodles are spaghetti-like strands of zucchini. The easiest way to make zucchini noodles is to use a spiralizer. They make long, curly noodles in minutes. Here’s our five-step method for doing it:
- Rinse the zucchini and pat them dry, and trim off the ends. Leave the peel on.
- Secure the spiralizer to your countertop. Ours has suction cups on the feet.
- Attach the spiralizer blade to your spiralizer (read the manual if yours came with multiple blades).
- Place the zucchini into the spiralizer, parallel to the counter, and slide the grip onto the other end so it holds the zucchini in place.
- Turn the handle until the zucchini has been turned into long, curly spirals. To cut them into shorter lengths, use scissors to cut them into 10-inch to 12-inch lengths, like spaghetti.
We purchased the spiralizer shown in our photos and video on Amazon for less than $30. There are a variety of brands and price points to choose from, and some food processors now come with a spiralizer attachment. In our video, we use the spiralizer from Paderno World.
How to Make Zucchini Noodles without a Spiralizer
No spiralizer, no problem! Here are a few more ways you can make zucchini noodles with kitchen tools you may already have sitting in your kitchen.
- Julienne Peeler: This affordable tool (under $10) might be tucked away in your kitchen drawer!
- Mandoline Slicer: Most models offer a noodle-cutting function.
- Standard Vegetable Peeler: Create wider noodles with a regular peeler.
- Pre-Spiralized Zucchini (Zoodles): For ready-to-use options, check out stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Safeway.
Once you’ve got noodles, you’re ready to cook them. Or don’t cook them at all, and try our Zucchini Noodle Salad!
Can I Freeze Zucchini Noodles?
Yes, you can! However, frozen zoodles won’t have the same snappy texture as fresh ones. They’re still great for adding to soups and stews, but they might not be the best choice for pasta dishes.
Freezing Your Zoodles:
- Blanch Briefly: Dunk fresh zoodles in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Cool Down: Drain and rinse with cold water (or use an ice bath) to stop the cooking.
- Dry Thoroughly: Pat those zoodles dry – this helps prevent freezer burn.
- Flash Freeze: Spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 to 3 hours until solid.
- Store for Later: Pop your frozen zoodles into a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 6 months.
How Cook Zucchini Noodles without Getting Soggy?
I’ve got two tricks for preventing soggy zoodles!
- Salt AFTER Cooking: Salt draws out moisture, so add it after cooking to keep those noodles firm.
- Use Cornstarch: A simple cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 teaspoons cold water) will thicken any extra liquid into a delicious, silky sauce.
Cornstarch is my “steering into the skid” move when making zoodles. No matter what you do, some extra liquid will always be at the bottom of your skillet. So, use cornstarch to turn all that liquid into a silky sauce.
More Veggie Recipes
- Instead of using zucchini, use sweet potatoes and try our 25-Minute Sweet Potato Noodles with a creamy dairy-free avocado sauce.
- Our Roasted Veggie Tacos are packed full of spice-roasted vegetables and black beans for a bit of protein.
- This Quick and Easy Vegetable Spaghetti tastes so good, you won’t even realize it’s loaded with nutritious veggies.
- I love this Parmesan Lemon Baked Spaghetti Squash with butter cooked chicken, parmesan, and fresh lemon.
- If you have some zucchini leftover, try our Garlic Butter Sauteed Zucchini. It’s fast and delicious.
Best Garlic Zucchini Noodles Pasta
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We are in love with this easy zucchini noodles recipe. There’s fresh zucchini, tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and garlic. Plus, it only takes 20 minutes to make. Make this with 100% zucchini noodles, or swap half of the zucchini for regular spaghetti for a heartier meal.
For a vegetarian option, omit the parmesan cheese, substitute it with your favorite vegetarian-friendly cheese, or use nutritional yeast.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 to 4 cloves)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like the pasta
2 medium tomatoes, chopped, see note (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving, see notes for alternatives
1 cup basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
Salt, to taste
Directions
- Prepare Zucchini Noodles
1Trim and spiralize the zucchini (see notes below for doing this without a spiralizer). Then cut the spiralized zucchini into long noodles to be about the length of spaghetti.
2Add olive oil, garlic, and the red pepper flakes to a large, deep skillet. Turn to medium heat. When the oil bubbles around the garlic, add the zucchini noodles.
3Toss the noodles with pasta tongs and cook until al dente — they should be wilted but still have a crunch; 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the noodles cook any longer, or else they will become mushy. As they cook, keep tossing so that all the zucchini noodles have a chance to hit the bottom of the skillet.
4Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and parmesan cheese, and then cook for one minute. Use pasta tongs to transfer the noodles, tomatoes, and basil to a serving dish. Leave the liquid in the skillet.
- To Finish
1Bring the liquid left in the skillet to a simmer.
2Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook while whisking until the liquid thickens to a sauce; about 1 minute. Taste the sauce and season with salt.
3Pour the sauce over the zucchini, tomatoes, and basil. Finish with more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Making Zucchini Noodles Without a Spiralizer: The spiralizer is not the only way to make noodles. You can use a julienne vegetable peeler or a mandoline. You can also use a standard vegetable peeler to make wide noodles or ribbons.
- Tomatoes: Other varieties of tomatoes work (like cherry tomatoes), you need 12 ounces. Canned tomatoes also work, you may want to hold back some of the liquid in the can.
- Extra liquid in the pan: Don’t be surprised if liquid collects at the bottom of the serving dish. It mixes with tomato, garlic, cheese, and olive oil, so it’s delicious.
- Vegetarian option: Parmesan cheese may contain animal rennet, so it’s crucial to check labels before use. Fortunately, several American brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese alternatives or use nutritional yeast. When using nutritional yeast, add to your tastes. I’d start with two tablespoons and increase from there.
- Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. We assumed 1/2 teaspoon salt.
We have made this several times, absolutely love this! Definitely a go to in the summer, diet friendly…I could eat it everyday.
Yay! When we take out our spiralizer we end up making this recipe everyday for weeks. During the summer when you end of with pounds of zucchini from your garden this recipe helps go through it all 🙂
I have the pickiest eater for a husband but this hit the mark. Ty for a great and clear recipe.
I’ve made this a dozen times. It’s absolutely delicious. Sometimes I saute some prawns and add them at the end to up the protein. I’ve also made this and mixed in regular cooked pasta noodles with the zoodles to make it more filling for my husband. You can’t go wrong with this recipe!
This recipe gives me hope. After starting a diet and feeling hungry for a good portion of the day, this recipe was delicious and filled me up after eating about 500 calories worth. Great dinner!
Yay! So glad you loved it 🙂
OMG! I pretty much followed the exact recipe except adding the cornstarch. I used heirloom tomatoes and the jarred parmesan (all I had). It was mouthwatering-ly delicious. THANK YOU!
Yum! So glad you loved them 🙂