Easy Zucchini Noodles for One

I bought a zucchini noodle maker a couple of months back and I just CANNOT get enough zucchini noodles. To me, they have completely replaced the need for any pasta. The zucchini itself does not have much flavor, but boy oh boy can you doctor it up into something spectacular.

I feel funny calling this a recipe because it literally is so simple. I’ve made this dish three times so far, and each time I love it even more.

Even my two year old wants some of Mommy’s “chinni noodles” when they’re made this way. Any recipe that helps your kids want to eat more veggies is a winner in my book!

For you gardeners out there, this is a great way to use up your zucchini. Usually, by the end of zucchini season it is coming out your ears and you can’t handle seeing on more zucchini.

My grandpa used to joke that he was afraid to go to church in late summer because people would leave zucchini on the seat of his car each week. 🙂 Of course, he had enough of zucchini for the season too. So here is a fresh and new way to enjoy zucchini!

To make this dish into a complete meal you could add some grilled chicken or steak on top. As a side dish, you could split it between two people, add a meat protein and another veggie and call it a complete meal. But it’s so good, you might want to eat it all yourself.

If you follow Trim Healthy Mama this is an S dish.

You want to start with clean zucchini (obviously) so wash and trim the ends off of a medium zucchini. A large sized zucchini will definitely yield enough for 2 portions.

With your zucchini noodle maker in hand, find the side for making thick noodles and make noodles according to the directions. Make the noodles over a cutting board and cut them in half, and then half again so you end up with shorter noodles. The first time I made zucchini noodles I made the mistake of not trimming them down and it was kind of a mess trying to eat them.

In a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and then add the zucchini noodles and onion to the pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper. This helps not only to flavor the zucchini, but the salt helps to draw the liquid out as well. It makes for a less mushy zucchini noodle.

Sauté for 7-9 minutes, or until the veggies are tender, stirring frequently. If you do not stir frequently your zucchini will stick to the bottom of the pan. You definitely don’t want to walk away while they’re cooking.

Plate them and immediately top with Parmesan cheese. Serve alongside some chicken or steak, or by themselves for a nice light lunch. Enjoy!