Cheesy Zucchini Noodles
Avoid soggy zucchini noodles by following my tips and enjoy these deliciously cheesy noodles instead!
Avoid soggy zucchini noodles by following my tips and enjoy these deliciously cheesy noodles instead!
- Carbohydrate 9.02649532026612 g
- Cholesterol 22.0062901720583 mg
- Fat 7.41542428036994 g
- Fiber 2.22350005626678 g
- Protein 11.2359882950908 g
- Saturated Fat 4.11528299688867 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (244g)
- Sodium 273.19335413197 mg
- Sugar 6.80299526399934 g
- Trans Fat 0.497817550970914 g
- Calories 141 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes lengthwise and spread them out on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and pop them in the oven for 25 minutes or until they've shriveled up a bit.
- If using a spiralizer, slice the ends of the zucchini off so you have a flat surface on each end.
- Spiralize into strands, cutting them every 6 inches so they don’t get too long. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can achieve the same effect with a mandoline slicer or even a vegetable peeler. You’ll want to shave the zucchini into thin ribbons.
- Discard the “seedy” strands. These strands come from the very center of the zucchini and they have a high water content, which can make the rest of your strands soggy.
- After you’ve spiralized or turned your zucchini into ribbons, sprinkle them with a bit of salt and let them sit in a colander for at least 10 minutes. This will help get rid of some of the excess moisture.
- To cook them, saute them in 1 teaspoon of olive oil for a 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Be careful not to overcook them or they’设备 become soggy.
- Drain any excess moisture that may be in the bottom of the pan.
- Once the zucchini noodles are cooked, stir in the ricotta cheese and toss until coated.
- Once the tomatoes are roasted, combine them with the parmesan cheese, and red pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Moisture management determines the success of any squash-based noodle. Zucchini consists of roughly ninety-five percent water, meaning untamed strands instantly flood the pan and boil instead of sautéing. Salting the raw strands inside a colander for ten minutes draws out free liquid through osmosis, anchoring the foundation for a firm texture.
Equipment choice dictates the final shape. A dedicated spiralizer yields uniform cylindrical strands, while a mandoline or a standard vegetable peeler produces wide ribbons. Discard the watery central core regardless of the cutting tool used. That seedy interior carries the highest concentration of cell sap and guarantees a watery outcome.
Cooking requires extreme speed. Sauté the drained strands in olive oil over medium heat for no longer than three minutes. Overexposure to heat collapses the cell walls, releasing trapped water immediately. Combine the hot strands with ricotta cheese off the heat to create a clinging emulsion without splitting the dairy solids.
Roast cherry tomatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty-five minutes until thoroughly shriveled. This concentrates their natural sugars, balancing the rich parmesan and spicy red pepper flakes added at the finish.
