If you've ever used zucchini as "pasta"

[StaceyinLA]

Do you cook it first?

[Pam L.]

I have a delicious recipe for zucchini lasagna. My recipe does not require pre-cooking the zucchini and it has always come out fine. But it all goes in the oven for at least 30 minutes.

 

Hope you get some helpful info!

[Mrs Mungo]

I haven't used zucchini, but I have used spaghetti squash (baked it in the oven first) and I've used eggplant as pasta in lasagna (I roasted it in the oven first).

[Farrar]

I'm quite curious... how do you use zucchini as a pasta? It's so mushy when cooked.

[MrsBear]

Summer squash works a bit better than zucchini for lasagna; Spaghetti Squash is great as a sub for spaghetti!

[Becca211]

I have done this a lot! I love it. I shred it and put it in boiling water for 3 -4 minutes. When you get it out of the water you need to put it on a towel or something to squeeze the water out.

[GailV]

Raw zucchini goes through a spiralizer quite easily. Sorry I can't link to our (cheap one from Amazon.com) but the iPad is acting up. It's then like spaghetti or vermicelli. Takes about 5 minutes, and there's no cooking pan to wash, unless you cook up a sauce. You can also make a raw sauce and have this as a totally raw dish. Perfect for hot weather, which is when the zucchini glut occurs.

 

It never even occurred to me to cook it first. Or later, for that matter. I thought raw was considered normal.

Edited April 27, 2012 by GailV

[HappyLady]

For noodles made with the spiralizer, no. I love them that way! :)

[StaceyinLA]

This is exactly what I did - shredded it, steamed it just a couple minutes, then mashed it between paper towels to get the water out. It was SO good with the sauce! I never expected it.

 

I have issues with the spaghetti squash because the shreds are so thin. The zucchini was a bit more substantial.

[Sputterduck]

I don't cook it first.

[gardening momma]

I've never heard of a spiralizer. Looked it up on Amazon, and looks good, but which one do you like? The low to mid-range ones have really good reviews, but they have really bad reviews, too. The Benriner is pricier, but looks more durable.

Edited April 27, 2012 by gardening momma

[StaceyinLA]

I'm thinking I need one of those. I'd LOVE to not cook it. Actually, I could probably have left it raw shredded. I wondered if it would be too firm, or if the sauce would "soften" it a bit.

[GailV]

 

This is the one we have. It didn't come with instructions, but there are YouTube videos on how to use it.

[PiCO]

I often eat meat sauce over roasted veggies. (Obviously, roasted veggies are cooked, but I don't cook them any more.)

[Starr]

I cook it first. You could try slicing it very thin and not cooking it. Let us know if it works.

[Spy Car]

Just for fun we did a little "raw food" experimentation earlier this year. One item that has stayed in the regular rotation was zucchini "pasta."

 

I did not cook it. I ran cut mine into very thin strips using a French mandoline. Then I dressed the strips with a little olive oil and turmeric. The turmeric helped give the "pasta" a nice golden color. Then I sauced with pesto, but one could use anything.

 

I think zucchini pasta is quite good. Try to choose relatively small ones.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

I'm thinking I need one of those. I'd LOVE to not cook it. Actually, I could probably have left it raw shredded. I wondered if it would be too firm, or if the sauce would "soften" it a bit.

 

Sauces do soften the raw zucchini pasta, and fairly quickly.

 

Bill

[xixstar]

When I make spaghetti noodles with the mandoline slicer, I cook it in a little oil and with some garlic. I like it very al-dente still, so I don't cook too far. I also find it's a much better texture when I don't slice up the seedy middles so I slice up the outer layers until I get to the seeds and then freeze the middles for green smoothies. Takes a lot more zuchinni to make a family sized serving but, if you grow it, you know that isn't a bad thing.

[Mrs Mungo]

I'd shred it raw and saute it in 50 pounds of bacon fat. I guess that's not what you are looking for though. :D

 

That is what I'm talking about!

[Coffeemama]

My family loves zucchini pasta. I cut the zucchini raw using this spiral slicer. Then I toss it in a pan with olive oil and cut up tomatoes for 2-3 minutes to warm it up. When everyone is seated and ready to eat I add warm tomato sauce on top. If I mix the sauce in too early it tends to get soggy and loose that pasta texture.

[arghmatey]

Do you cook it first?

 

No. Here's a new recipe from my raw foods guru. She uses raw zucchini.

 

http://rawfullyorganic.com/content.php?section=recipes&id=100