How to Make the Perfect Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) with Pesto

Last Updated on June 14, 2024

Come along and learn how to make zucchini noodles, also knowns as “zoodles”. They’re quick and easy to make, light, fresh, and most importantly, totally delicious! This is one of our favorite simple summer garden-to-table meals.

Whether you’re looking for new ways to enjoy your abundance of homegrown zucchini, or simply want to substitute traditional pasta for something healthier and low-carb, making zoodles is a fantastic option. Follow our tips to make the perfect zoodles that hold their form and texture, and don’t turn into mush!

We love to make zoodles with garden pesto and fresh tomatoes, but they’re awesome with roasted tomato sauce, cheese, or other pasta sauces too. We also love to add black beans for a little bump of protein, and often serve them with a side of sourdough focaccia to soak up the sauce.

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Ingredients & Supplies

• A spiralizer, or “zoodler”. We love and use this highly-rated spiralizer.
• A few zucchini (or other similar summer squash). The amount will vary depending on how many people you intend to feed. Aaron and I usually eat one medium-large zucchini worth of zoodles per person. 
• Fresh garlic and onion OR garlic and onion powder
• Fresh tomatoes
• Sauce of your choice. Check out our popular “Besto Pesto” recipe with basil, walnuts, parmesan and lemon or this easy roasted tomato sauce. A little fresh chopped basil sprinkled on top is also excellent.
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: add black beans or white beans for a welcome pop of protein

We love to serve our zoodles with tasty homemade sourdough bread. We’re already cutting carbs by skipping “real” pasta, right? See our simple sourdough loaf recipe, or our popular sourdough focaccia recipe.

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INSTRUCTIONS

1) Choose your Zucchini Wisely

Medium to large zucchini make the best zoodles. You can use yellow summer squash too. The more straight your chosen zucchini are, the easier they’ll spin in the spiralizer.

Small zucchini work too, but it will take a lot of them to make a good size portion. On the other hand, we’ve found the most monstrous, overgrown squash are difficult to work with on the spiralizer. (You know, the forgotten ones that are almost the size of your arm.) Huge squash also create a more wet and soggy zoodle. Use those to make stuffed squash instead. 

2) Create Oodles of Zoodles

• Cut the butt ends off the zucchini. I also find it easiest to cut long zucchini into two shorter halves (or three sections for really long ones) before spiraling. See photos below.
  
  
• Secure your spiralizer to your countertop. Most of them have suction cups on the bottom, which help them stay put while you spin.
  
  
• When we make zoodles, we prefer to use the blade that creates spaghetti-like strands. On our spiralizer, that is the 3 mm blade insert.
  
  
  
• Skewer the zucchini between the spikes by the blade and the one by the handle. Now, spin away! Crank the handle in a circular motion with one hand, while also applying pressure to the second handle with your other hand. This keeps the zucchini moving forward, pressed tight against the blade.
  
  
• If you notice exceptionally long zoodles, you may want to cut or break them into smaller lengths to make them easier to eat.
  

If this is your first time “zoodling”, you may be amazed at how many zoodles you can make from just one zucchini! But keep in mind they will shrink down significantly as they cook! So don’t be overwhelmed by the amount on your plate, or worry about making “too much” – they’re just vegetables, after all.

3)  Cooking Zoodles 

• On the stovetop, heat a large sauté pan or similar on medium-high. We like to use our favorite stainless steel wok or a large cast iron skillet.
  
  
• Drizzle just a small amount of olive oil or butter in the pan. Zoodles release a lot of liquid on their own, so you don’t need much! 
  
  
• If you are going to use fresh garlic and onion, now is the time. I like to use about half of a yellow or white onion, chopped, and a few cloves of minced garlic. Let those cook together until the onions turn translucent, and then add the zoodles. If we don’t have fresh on hand, we add a sprinkle of homegrown garlic powder and onion powder over the zoodles as they cook instead.
  
  
• Salt and pepper to taste.
  
  
• Do not cover the pan while the zoodles are cooking! This makes them more wet.
  
  
• Gently toss the seasoned zoodles. I find using tongs is the easiest. Continue to toss and stir your zoodles every minute or so to promote even cooking.
  
  
• Once the zoodles start to warm up, add your sauce of choice to the pan. OR, if you prefer your zoodles on the drier side, wait until they’re almost done cooking, carefully drain the liquid from the pan, and then add sauce just before serving. We usually just embrace their natural juices. It’s full of nutrients, garlic and onion flavors! (Add option pre-cooked beans now too).
  
  
• Zoodles cook fast! Maybe around 5 minutes, give or take. Avoid overcooking. We like when they have turned from white and firm to more yellow and flexible, but are still a bit al dente. I would personally rather have my zoodles slightly undercooked than overcooked. Some people even eat them raw after all!

4) Serve and Enjoy

If you haven’t already, top the zoodles with a drizzle of your favorite sauce. Diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and/or grated cheese are also wonderful additions. If they’re extra wet, I like to lift the zoodles out of the pan with tongs and let them drip a bit before plating. Store leftovers in the refrigeratorfor up to 5 days, and reheat quickly on the stovetop as needed. Or, enjoy them as a cold “pasta salad” instead!

Chow down!

What do you say? Are you ready to jump on the zoodle train with me?

I hope you enjoy this recipe – whether you have your own homegrown zucchini or pick a few up from the farmers market! It is one we enjoy almost weekly during squash season. Please feel free to share this recipe with friends by Pinning it below!

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5 from 3 votes

How to Make the Perfect Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) with Pesto

Whether you’re looking for a new way to enjoy your abundance of zucchini, or simply want to substitute out pasta for something healthier and lower-carb, this pesto zoodle recipe will do the trick! It is quick and easy to make, full of seasonal ingredients, light, healthy, and most importantly, totally delicious!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword: zoodles

Servings: 2 people

Equipment

• Spiralizer or "Zoodler"
• Sauce pan or skillet

Ingredients

• 2 medium-large zucchini
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 yellow onion or white onion
• extra virgin olive oil or butter
• salt and pepper, to taste
• pesto sauce (or other pasta-like sauce of choice, if any)
• 2 each small tomatoes (optional)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1 tsp onion powder (optional)

Instructions

• Wash your zucchini, and then use spiralizer* to create zucchini noodles. *See notes below
• Add a small amount of olive oil or butter to a saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
• Next, if using garlic and onions, add them to the pan and cook until the onions are translucent.
• Now add the zoodles and gently toss them every minute or so throughout the cooking process which should only be about 5 minutes. Do not cover the pan while cooking – that will make them extra wet. Allowing steam to be released is good.
• Once finished cooking, plate the zoodles and sauce or top them anyway you see fit and enjoy immediately. There will be a bit of excess liquid in the pan. If you do not wish to have all the liquid in your dish, you can either strain your zoodles or use tongs to plate them – leaving much of the liquid behind. We like to serve our zoodles with a few dollops of pesto and chopped fresh tomatoes.

Notes

How to Use a Spiralizer

1. Secure the spiralizer to your countertop. Most of them should have suction cups on the bottom, which help them stay put while you grind. A helping hand from a friend works too! 
2. Cut the butt ends off the zucchini. I also find it easiest to cut long zucchini into two shorter halves before spiraling. Don’t worry, the zoodles will still be plenty long! Ridiculously long, in fact.
3. When we make zoodles, we prefer to use the blade that creates spaghetti-like strands. On our spiralizer, that is the 3 mm blade insert.
4. Skewer the zucchini between the spikes by the blade and the one by the handle.
5. Now, spin away! Crank the handle in a circular motion with one hand, while also applying pressure to the second handle with your other hand. This keeps the zucchini moving forward, pressed tight against the blade.

If this is your first time “zoodling” you’ll be amazed at how many zoodles can be created from just one zucchini. You will also be surprised at how much they shrink as they cook down. In other words, don’t be overwhelmed by the amount on your plate, or worry about making “too much” – they’re just vegetables, after all!