Easy Zoodles with Garden-Fresh Tomato Sauce

Behold the great Zoodle!

 

We love zoodles at our house. Especially since we got my new favorite gadget: the spiralizer. 

I picked mine up on a super sale on Amazon last year and have been spiralizing everything I can get my hands on. 

Zoodles can be very wet and watery, so my fool-proof version with a garden-fresh tomato sauce is a real hit. The key is to saute the zoodles, add lots of flavor with herbs, and (most importantly) to strain them like you would pasta to take out the excess moisture. 

Step 1: Clean and prep the zuccini. You will need 1-2 small zucchini or one medium zucchini per person.

Use small-medium sized zucchini. Any larger and they will not fit on the spiralizer.

Step 2: Spiralize the zucchini according to instructions.

Explore Amazon or your favorite cooking store for spiralizers like the one above or hand held spiralizers.

Step 3: Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. toss in the zucchini and  add in 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite herbs. Fresh thyme, basil, and oregano work best, but use what you have. Saute for 8-10 min. You want these to be soft, but not mushy. Just cook until they are translucent, but still have texture and not mushy.

Step 4: Prep a sieve or strainer with cheesecloth or paper towel. Then pour in the zoodles in the sieve or strainer. Let them sit and let the excess liquid  drain out while you prep the sauce.

Step 5: Prep your sauce. Start by throwing in whatever fresh tomatoes you can get your hands on. I used about 6 large garden tomatoes and a pint full of fresh cherry tomatoes from the plant. Quarter the large tomatoes and toss the cherry tomatoes whole into a hot pan with 3-4 tablespoons of EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil). Smash 2-3 garlic cloves and add them into the pan along with 2 teaspoons of salt. Let these cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 min. You want these to melt and decompose. Don't bother with skins or seeds. That is what the blender is for!

Step 6: Add in 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite Italian herbs. I use fresh oregano, and thyme. If using fresh chop them roughly. If you only have dried, use 1-2 tablespoons max. Add in 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes. If you want a sweet, deep sauce (not a chopped tomato type of flavor), then use San Marzano tomatoes (see below). These are the BEST for sauces. Just trust me. 

Add in 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Trust me. This is essential to cutting the acidity and deepening the flavor.

Step 7: Let the canned and fresh tomatoes cook down for 20-25 min. These will get deep red and much thicker. Set aside off of the heat. Prep the blender. Slowly ladle about 3/4 of the tomato mixture into the blender. Please DO NOT our the hot mixture in place on the lid and turn on the blender. You will explode the mixture all over the kitchen and get third degree burns. Trust me. :)

Let some of the steam give off a bit, place 2-3 paper towels over the blender and light place the lid on top (do not push down). Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the lid, and hold in place. This method allows the steam to escape and prevents a seal that will explode the mixture. Slowly turn your blender on, starting very low and holding the lid in place. Slowly increase the speed and blend until no seeds or lumps are visible (1-2 min).

Step 8: Once blended, pour mixture back into the pan, let this cook for another 5-10 minutes. This will thicken again. Taste and add salt if needed.

The hot sauce will heat up your zoodles so no need to re-heat the zoodles. Top your zoodles with your favorite pasta-type toppings and enjoy.

Hints:

If you have carnivores, try adding in some cubed pancetta to the pan before you add in the tomatoes. Get the pancetta nice and crispy and remove it and set aside. Proceed as normal, once done, sprinkle the top with the crispy pancetta.

Try cubing nitrate-free pepperoni and sprinkling on top of sauce. 

I hope you enjoy!!