Other Ways to Make Zucchini Pasta While You Wait for Your Spiralizer

By now, you’ve bought your spiralizer and you’re {im}patiently wait for it to arrive. In...

By now, you’ve bought your spiralizer and you’re {im}patiently wait for it to arrive. In the meantime, you’re drooling over my recipes, right? Riiight. Don’t worry, you can still eat zucchini pasta by using other methods. They don’t create “noodles” like the spiralizer- the veggies comes out more like a slaw, but tastes similarly delicious. Also if you haven’t bought a spiralizer yet, this is a great way to test the waters.

HOWEVER, you shouldn’t really cook these types of zucchini pasta: they become too mushy when put over heat. (at least the peeled and julienned ones). When you use a julienne or peeler, you don’t get a solid thickness/density, which is essential for cooking the zucchini. They do work for cold sauces (like pesto), but don’t create those little spirals that remind you of pasta!

Ways you can make zucchini pasta {without a spiralizer}

With a Julienne Peeler

You can go to your local homewares store (or sometimes they sell them in grocery stores!) and buy a julienne for $10 or less. I got the OXO Julienne Peeler for $9.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I use it to make veggie pasta salad/slaw, but it can be used to make zucchini pasta. Simply “peel” the zucchini with the peeler and voila – little veggie “pasta” strips!

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With a Knife

This is a bit more time consuming, but it can be done. Basically, you need to keep slicing your zucchini into smaller and smaller strips to achieve the pasta “shape,” like this:

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With a Peeler

There are many types of vegetable peelers (even potato peelers!) and the more heavy duty you get, the better, because the “peels” that it will slice will be thicker. A peeler makes pappardelle type “noodles,” as seen here:

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Stay tuned tomorrow for “Skinny Sunday,” where I’ll be posting a great, low-calorie, healthy dish for those of you trying to lose weight! I’ll be doing a nutritional data count (carbs, cals, etc). Dare I compare it to its ugly cousin – regular pasta? Stay tuned… and in the meantime, get off your computer/tablet/smart phone and enjoy your healthy weekend!

 

with love, Ali

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  • I just came across your blog and was intrigued by your zucchini pasta! I adore my cheap, white, plastic spiralizer. I have had it for over four years and it is still in great condition. I am looking forward to checking out your recipes. I used some zuke spirals yesterday as the base for my lunch.
    • Thank you so much for following! Glad to have another spiralizer fan on board! If you ever make a dish, post it up on my Facebook page (Facebook.com/Inspiralized), I'd love to see what you make!
  • So glad I found your site. Now waiting for my spiralizer. I have an apple peeler that I'm wondering if it would work for now. We have cut up apples for pie and it was spiral shape but thicker then what your noodles look like. Thanks for all your info. Jan
  • I'm still looking for a good way to spiralize carrots. Because the paderno leaves that "core", it takes about 20 carrots to get enough. (maybe i'm exaggerating). So I went to bed bath and beyond and bought the "vegetti" spiralizer, thinking it didn't leave the "core", an oxo julienne peeler, and a $70 oxo mandoline (not the cheapest one, but not the more expensive steel one). And guess what- they were all terrible! The "vegetti" DOES leave a core, so forget it. The julienne peeler AND the mandoline cut "sheets" of carrot that were scored into strips, but didn't cut all the way through!! and the mandoline (which I thought was the "gold standard" was hard to use- the holder thing doesn't "stick" to a carrot, but it's hard/dangerous to do with your bare hands... so then I thought "well maybe carrots are just universally difficult" and tried zucchini- same results!! So, back to paderno it is... But my questions are: how do I spiralize carrots???! Giant carrots would be a nice option, but I can never find any. And next- am I doing something wrong with the peeler/mandoline?? I had to pull each "noodle" apart by hand.
    • They do leave a core on all veggies. I think b/c it attaches to hold them in place while spirilizing and yes be very careful, super sharp, I cut myself no matter how careful I am. My zucchini spirals the best, well most squashes.
  • Thanks for the tips! I love your site, have your cookbook and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Inspiralizer so I can get going on these great dishes! Will definitely give these methods a try!
  • Great tips indeed. But my first choice is the julienne peeler. I have one more option the sharpener :-) http://www.juliennepeeler.info/the-best-julienne-gadget-of-2015-a-carrot-cucumber-sharpener-peeler/