How To Make Zoodles
I’ve made zoodles every which way and definitely have a favorite method, but you’ve got options! Here are 7 different tools you can use to make them:
How To Cook Zucchini Noodles
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Choose zucchini with a smaller diameter if you can. These are more sturdy, and I find they release less water. Make sure the zucchini is centered on the spiralizer. That way, you’ll end up with more of the best zucchini noodles, which are the ones that include the edges and skin. The middle ones tend to be mushier. Also, this will reduce super short pieces. Trim your zoodles before cooking. I used to snip them in the bowl at the end, but these days I do it as I spiralize. What to do with the core? You could discard it, but I like to avoid waste and throw it into a vegetable stir fry.
Most people cook zucchini noodles in a skillet, but you can also do it in the oven (actually my favorite method!) or eat them raw in a zucchini noodle salad. (I don’t recommend boiling, blanching, or microwaving, as the results are watery.) I’ll cover the stovetop and oven methods here:
Stovetop Method:
Cooking zoodles on the stovetop is my go-to in the summer when the last thing I want to do is crank up the oven. The only catch is, you have to watch them closely to avoid mushy noodles, and you don’t get quite as much volume as my oven method. Here’s how I do it:
Oven Method:
Baking zoodles is my favorite, because I can skip the whole draining and squeezing hassle. Plus, they don’t shrink as much, so you end up with a bigger batch. The only downside is you need a huge pan and the hot oven is not ideal in the summer. Here’s how I cook zucchini noodles in the oven: Check out my comparison below between the stovetop and oven methods. You’ll see the sautéed ones look a bit smaller and softer, but both ways give you nice, dry zucchini noodles — no soggy water puddles on the plate!
Storage & Meal Prep
Meal prep: I love, love zucchini noodles for meal prep! You can spiralize them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge uncooked. Pat dry and cook right before eating. They last 1-2 days normally, but I use these vacuum glass containers to make them last 3-4 days. Leftovers: I try to avoid cooking zoodles in advance because they get mushy later, but you can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. They will continue to release water, so pat them dry again before serving. Reheat: Stir frying on the stove for a few minutes is the easiest and fastest. Freeze: I have a tutorial for freezing zucchini noodles here! Just be aware they’ll be mushier than fresh ones.
Serving Ideas
These are a blank canvas, so you can turn them into many different zucchini noodle recipes. Serve my basic version below (with butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper) as a side dish to any healthy dinner, or make a pasta-like meal with add-ins:
Sauce – Jazz up your zoodles recipe with Alfredo sauce (my homemade one is pictured above), basil pesto, or marinara. Flavor Boosters – Sometimes I add a sprinkle of garlic powder (or even sauteed minced garlic), grated parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh herbs. Protein – Toss in some sauteed shrimp. Add shredded Instant Pot chicken breast or sliced baked chicken breast. Top with juicy meatballs. Stir in some tender steak bites with garlic butter (my fave) or sliced sirloin steak. Endless possibilities! Other Veggies – I like to saute vegetables before I cook the zucchini noodles, then add them in again at the end.
If you liked this tutorial, check out my other meal prep staples: quick cauliflower rice, crispy bacon in the oven, perfect (easy peel) hard boiled eggs, and 5-ingredient homemade mayonnaise. They’ll seep water as they sit and thin out the sauce too much if it’s already thin. This happens less with the oven method, though. Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System and Healthy Ebook Bundle! I got to take a work trip with my kids last week. We visited Palm Springs for a blogger retreat, and we all brought our kids! They played while we talked about blogging. I’m grateful to have a job that lets me travel with my family… not always, but this was wonderful. Here’s us at a Mexican restaurant for dinner there. Have you traveled somewhere interesting recently?
