Happy Homemaker Program
Veggie Noodles
July 2020
Veggie Noodles
July 2020
A couple of years ago, a program was done with the county extension homemakers on making noodles from various vegetables or fruits. With many starting to see their gardens produce, here are fun recipes and cooking methods to try with your bounty.
With the invention of a Spiral Slicer,
Veggie Noodles were born. The newest
trend in cooking is making noodles from vegetables. Any round or semi round, dense vegetable will
work. Vegetables without a center (like peppers) will not work with a spiral
slicer.
Tools
Spiral Slicers come in various
sizes and with various blades to cut the vegetables into noodles. There are
counter top appliances or hand held varieties.
The hand held variety will generally only cut one size of noodle. The counter top version will generally cut
more than one size or type of noodle.
If you don’t wish to purchase a
spiral slicer, a julienne peeler will do the same thing. This type of peeler will create straight
noodles by hand. You can also use a
regular peeler to get the same effect.
Once the noodles have been cut,
you can dice the noodles into smaller pieces, creating a “Veggie Rice”.
Types of
Noodles
Whether you
want to make a main dish, salad or an experiment, try making some of your
favorite vegetables into noodles. Fruits
can also be made into noodles, like apples, pears, or plantain. Some favorite types of noodles to create:
· Zoodles—Zucchini Noodles
· Roodles—Parsnip Noodles
· Swoodles—Sweet Potato Noodles
· Toodles—Turnip Noodles
· Coodles—Carrot Noodles
· Sqoodles—Squash Noodles
· Boodles—Broccoli Stem Noodles
How To Cook a
Veggie Noodle
Most Veggies
Noodles can be boiled, sautéed, roasted, steamed, fried, or used raw. For those vegetables that contain a lot of
water, like squash, it is a good idea to allow the vegetable to sit in a
strainer or slightly squeeze the vegetable to remove any access water. By removing the water in the vegetable, you
will have a less mushy product in the end.
Sauté or Roasting is a preferred
method of cooking veggie noodles.
However, if you choose to boil the vegetable, use the following
information as a guide.
Soft Vegetables (squash, egg plant,) should only be boiled for 1
to 2minutes, then drained. Any excess
water left on the vegetable will create a mush rather than a noodle.
Hard/Root Vegetables (Sweet Potato, carrot, Winter Squash) should
only be boiled for 4 to 5 minutes. Any
excess water should also be drained from the vegetable to prevent over cooking.
Sauces for the veggie noodles are
generally a cream or oil based sauce.
Cream sauces generally have less water
and a thicker consistency, therefore they stick to the noodles. The same goes for an oil based sauce like
Pesto. These have no water content and
stick to the noodles well. Tomato type
sauces generally have a high water content and can make the veggie noodle mushy
when used.
Below is a chart of some
vegetables and fruits and how to use each as a noodle.
Vegetable or Fruit
|
Raw or Cooked
|
Cook Method
|
Cook Time
|
Best Served As
|
Zucchini
|
Both
|
Sauté in Skillet
Simmer in Broth
Raw
|
2-3 Minutes
2 minutes
N/A
|
Pasta Noodles
Noodles
Pasta, Salad Add-on or Slaw
|
Sweet Potato
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in Skillet
Boil
Simmer in Sauce
Bake at 400 Degrees
Steam in Microwave
|
6-8 minutes
3-4 minutes
5 to 7 minutes
15 minutes
4-5 minutes
|
Pasta, Noodles
Pasta, Noodles
Pasta, Noodles
Fries or Chips
Pasta Noodles
|
Butternut Squash
|
Cooked
|
Bake at 400 degrees
Sauté in Skillet
Simmer in broth
|
7-10 minutes
6-8 minutes
7-10 minutes
|
Pasta, Noodles
Pasta Noodles
Spiralized Rice
|
Carrot
|
Both
|
Boil
Simmer in Sauce
Bake 400 degrees
Raw
|
3-4 Minutes
5-7 minutes
10 minutes
N/A
|
Pasta Noodles
Pasta Noodles
Fries, Chips, Pasta, Noodles
Salad Add-on, Slaw
|
Cucumber
|
Raw
|
Press in between paper towels to remove excess moisture
|
Noodles
Salad Add-ons
|
|
White/Red Potatoes
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in skillet
Simmer in sauce
Simmer in Broth
Bake at 400 degrees
|
6-8 minutes
5-7 minutes
7-10 minutes
15 minutes
|
Pasta, Noodles
Pasta, Noodles
Spiralized Rice
Fries, Chips
|
Beet
|
Both
|
Sauté in skillet
Boil
Bake 400 degrees
Simmer in Broth
Raw
|
5-7 minutes
3-4 minutes
10-15 minutes
6-8 minutes
N/A
|
Pasta, Noodles
Pasta, Noodles
Chips, Pasta, Noodles
Spiralized Rice
Noodles, Salad Add-ons, snack
|
Rutabaga
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in skillet
Simmer in sauce
Simmer in Broth
Bake 400 degrees
|
6-8 minutes
5-7 minutes
7-10 minutes
12-15 minutes
|
|
Parsnip
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in skillet
Bake 400 degrees
Simmer in Broth
|
6-7 minutes
10-12 minutes
6-7 minutes
|
Pasta Noodles
Fries, Chips, Noodles
Spiralized Rice
|
Jicama
|
Both
|
Sauté in skillet
Bake 400 degrees
Simmer in Broth
Raw
|
6-7minutes
10-12 minutes
6-7 minutes
N/A
|
Pasta, Noodles
Chips, Fries, Pasta, Noodles
Spiralize Rice
Salad Add-ons, Noodles
|
Egg Plant
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in Skillet
|
6-7 minutes
|
Pasta Noodles
|
Broccoli Stem
|
Cooked
|
Sauté in Skillet
|
6-7 minutes
|
Pasta Noodles
|
Onion
|
Both
|
Sauté in Skillet
Breaded and Fried
Raw
|
3-4 minutes
3-4 minutes
N/A
|
Addition to a Stir-fry meal
Onion rings or fries
Salad Add-on or slaw
|
Apple
|
Both
|
Bake at 400 degrees
Sauté in Skillet
Raw
|
10 minutes
6-7 minutes
N/A
|
Snack, dessert
Snack, Dessert
Salad Add-on
|
Pear
|
Both
|
Bake at 400 degrees
Sauté in Skillet
Raw
|
10 minutes
6-7 minutes
N/A
|
Snack, dessert
Snack, Dessert
Salad Add-on
|
Plantain
|
Cooked
|
Simmer in Broth
Bake at 400 degrees
|
6-7 minutes
15 minutes
|
Spiralized Rice
Fries, Chips
|
Zucchini Noodle Salad with Bacon & Tomatoes
Ingredients
3 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Sea salt
1/8 tsp Black pepper
3 medium Zucchini (spiral cut)
6 slices Bacon (cooked, cut into small pieces or crumbled)
1 1/2 cup Grape tomatoes (halved)
1/4 cup Fresh basil (cut into ribbons)
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic
powder, sea salt, and black pepper, until emulsified.
In a large bowl, combine the spiral cut zucchini, chopped bacon,
halved grape tomatoes, and fresh basil. Toss with the dressing. Serve
immediately. Recipe from WholesomeYum.com
4 Ingredient Pesto Zoodle Salad
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini (spiral cut)
4 Tablespoons prepared pesto
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 handfuls of baby mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Serve
cold.
Avocado Alfredo Zoodles With Chicken + Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 medium-sized zucchini , spiral cut
Avocado Alfredo Sauce:
2 large ripe avocados
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or almond milk to lower calorie count)
Salt to season
1 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional to prevent avocado browning)
Chicken:
1 tablespoon reserved sun dried tomato oil
1 lb chicken breast fillets (or thighs), cubed
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and oil reserved
Extra parmesan cheese to garnish
Mixed Italian herbs to garnish (oregano, basil, parsley) -- adjust
to your tastes
Instructions
Prepare zoodles first with your spiral slicer. Set aside.
Combine the avocados, garlic, parmesan cheese, milk, salt to your
tastes, oil and lemon juice in a food processor bowl. Process until smooth and
creamy. Set aside.
Add reserved oil to a preheated nonstick pan or skillet on medium
heat. Sauté chicken until beginning to
change color. Add sun dried tomatoes and fry together with the chicken until
chicken is browned. Add the zoodles; mix through chicken and tomatoes; and
allow to cook through for 3-5 minutes, or until just beginning to soften. Pour
the avocado sauce over the top and stir through until warmed. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and mixed
herbs. Recipe from Cafe Delites
Spiral Cut Zucchini Mac and Cheese with Oat Crumb Crust
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for approximately 2 hours
4 medium zucchini
1/2 to 1 cup filtered water, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons yeast
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Oat Crumb Crust:
½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt, for garnish
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut
the ends off your zucchini. Using a spiral slicer, create zucchini “noodles.”
Place them in a large bowl and set aside.
To make the cheesy sauce, combine the cashews, ½ cup water,
mustard, garlic, yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, apple cider vinegar
and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If the sauce is
too thick, slowly add the remaining ½ cup water until you have reached a
smooth, sauce-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Pour the
sauce into the noodle bowl and mix until well coated.
To make the oat crumb crust, combine the oats and the olive oil in
a food processor and pulse until well crumbled.
Arrange saucy noodles in a shallow baking dish and cover with a layer of
the oat crumb crust. Bake until golden and warm all the way through, about 10
minutes.
Garnish with salt, black pepper and a few leaves of parsley or
basil. Recipe from The Healthy Maven
Spiral Sliced Beet Salad
Ingredients
2-4 Beets, peeled and cut with a spiral slicer
1 Orange, juiced
1 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Honey
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Fresh Mint Leaves, thinly sliced
¼ Cup Pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
Place the beet noodles in a large bowl. Cut the noodles into
smaller bite size portions.
In a small mason jar, combine the orange juice, vinegar, honey,
salt, pepper, and olive oil. Shake until well combined. Pour the dressing over
the beet noodles. Add in the mint and pistachios and toss well. Serve
immediately.
Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion
Sweet potato noodles roughly 6 loosely packed cups
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can black beans 19oz, drained and rinsed
1 can corn kernels 12oz, drained and rinsed
4 (6- inch) corn tortillas cut into 1/2 inch strips (flour
tortillas work too)
1 can of enchilada sauce
2 cups of mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a large, ovenproof skillet heat the
olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent and soft. Add the sweet potato noodles, and cook for 10
minutes, until al dente. They should have a bite to them and not be completely
soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the black beans, corn, tortillas, enchilada sauce and half of the
cheese. Stir until completely combined.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place in the oven for 5
minutes, until cheese is melted and the enchilada sauce bubbles.
