While I guess you could call me a ‘foodie,’ there are so many health-food phenomenons that I have yet to try.
Those beautiful smoothie bowls that look impossibly perfect and blow up Instagram every morning? Never had one.
Artsy avocado toast for breakfast? No avo-toast for me.
Kimchi, cacao nibs, or tempeh? Nope, nada, and nein.
So while I may not be the foodiest of foodies, I have dabbled in the world that is zucchini noodles (aka. “Zoodles”).
My mom got a spiralizer for her birthday one year and pretty much fell in love at first “zoodle.” We’d sauté up zucchini noodles and serve them with hot tomato sauce, we’d make zucchini noodle stir-fries, and we even made zucchini noodle patties.
I, however, was just never a fan. Cooked zucchini noodles always seem to be wet, soggy messes. Not so good eats.
But a few bad experiences with zucchini noodles wasn’t going to stop me! For being such a noodle freak, I figured zucchini noodles and I were meant to be a match made in heaven. I’m always looking for lighter and healthier swaps in my dinners, so zucchini noodles seemed like the ideal balance between healthy and satisfying.
Little did I know, that zucchini noodles are pretty much perfect if you just leave them alone. Yes, I’m telling you that you need to do less work to get dinner on the table. You’re very welcome. Spiralize and done. No cooking, no sautéing. Just that raw, crunchy zucchini is enough to make your zucchini noodled dreams come true. ❤️
Well that plus a rich and creamy sauce that’s so good I could write sonnets about it. ???
When pasta is involved, I go for noodles like fettuccini or spaghetti 99.9% of the time. (Is it just me or is twirling those strands around your fork immensely more satisfying than spearing tiny shaped noodles?) Zucchini noodles are perfect for me because those strands are crazy-loooong. Like, you could totally pull a Lady & The Tramp kind of moment with these Thai Zucchini Noodle Bowls. I’ve seen some people cut their zoodles into smaller strands with kitchen shears, but I liked my noodle bowl-sharing partner enough that I didn’t bother. ?
{ps. I have the spiralizer attachment for my KitchenAid and absolutely love it. It’s super durable and easy to store!}
To give this meal a little more heft, I like throwing in just a touch of some GF noodles. Have you ever measured out an actual portion of pasta before? I’ve tried to eat a single portion before, and I was hungry within an hour. Yeah, like 5 whole noodles is going to satisfy this girl who loves food. No shame. But by mixing both types together, you get some real oomph from the packaged gluten free noodles, while the zucchini noodles lighten it up and give it some extra volume. I love this healthy dinner hack!
And this sauce!! Ahhaksjfd;akdfjs I’m obsessed! It’s the same sauce I use in my Thai Peanut Burrito Bowls, aka. the dinner that never ever ever gets old. I’ve had quite a few readers tell me how much they love this spicy, gingery, garlicky, peanutty sauce in the past, so it totally needed to happen again. Ya’llz gonna love it.
And if that’s not enough to convince you that you need these Thai Zucchini Noodle Bowls in your life, what if I told you that these are a 15-minute meal? YES! And we serve these bowls cold, making them a super-simple leftover or work lunch the next day! I call that a win-win.
Crisp zucchini noodles smothered in an addictive peanut sauce and topped with vegetables… friends, it really doesn’t get much better than this.
Feed your inner noodle freak with this lighter and nutritious, yet just as delicious, weeknight meal.
PrintThai Zucchini Noodle Bowls
- Yield: 2 bowls (easily doubled)
Ingredients
- ~2 oz. gluten free pasta, cooked according to package instructions then cooled*
- 2 zucchinis, spiralized (see post for the spiralizer I have and love)**
- 3 and 1/2 tsp. low-sodium Tamari or liquid aminos, divided
- 1/4 cup nut butter of choice (I used peanut butter)
- 1 and 1/4 tsp. pressed/grated garlic
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp.+ Sriracha
- 1 tsp. honey/maple syrup
- hot water, as needed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
- 8-oz. mushrooms, sliced
- salt+pepper
- For topping: chopped green onions, peanuts/cashews, extra Sriracha
Instructions
- Set noodles and spiralized zucchini aside.
- Make your sauce: Add nut butter, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, honey, and remaining 2 and ½ tsp. Tamari/liquid aminos to a small bowl. Slowly add some hot water to thin, and mix to combine. You’ll want the sauce pourable, but not overly watery (see first photo in post). Use your judgement here. Taste, and adjust as needed.
- Cook your vegetables: Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. One hot, add pepper and mushroom sliced and turn to coat in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool before assembling your bowls.
- Assemble your Thai Zucchini Noodle Bowls: Mix gluten free pasta and spiralized zucchini in a bowl. Toss with some (not all) of the sauce, just enough to coat each noodle. Divide into two bowls. Top with cooked vegetables and serve with leftover sauce, green onions, peanuts/cashews, and extra Sriracha.
Notes
*If you’d rather have a bowl filled with only zucchini noodles, go for it! Skip the pasta and spiralize an extra zucchini.
**If you’re not a fan of super-long zucchini noodles, feel free to cut them up into smaller pieces with some kitchen shears.
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This is so purtyyyy. I think I have only used raw spiralized zucchini once. But I totally know what you mean about them getting soggy. I like to squeeze out moisture with a paper towel. Girl you have these drizzle shots DOWN!!
haha thank you so much, Christina! I definitely have an addiction when it comes to those drizzle shots ;)
oh my goodness that sauce though! Im pretty sure I could eat that with a spoon :)
Oh, Rachel. That sauce is to DIE for. Literally my favorite thing ever!
Ah yes! I feel like all zoodles should be raw. They taste way better and the shape just makes them perfectly fine raw. But then again, I could live on raw zucchini :P
Totally totally true. I love zucchini noodles when raw! Glad you agree, Rebecca :)
Girl this looks so yummy & FRESH! Also – you seriously need to have avo toast. I can’t believe you’ve never tried it!!
Thanks, Lucia!! Avo toast is next on my list…pinky-promise ;)
I can’t wait to make this. Thai flavors and zucchini noodles…I’m in heaven just looking at these pictures!
Oh, Diana…it is SO delicious. I pulled the leftovers out of the fridge tonight and we had dinner on the table in about 10 seconds. Can’t argue with that!
Love how you added regular GF noodles to the zucchini noodles! I’m never satisfied by just plain old zoodles, so this adds in that extra heartiness that, honestly, I totally need. I mean, a girl’s gotta feel full!! Hehe
YES! Zucchini noodles are delicious, yet not very filling. Glad you’re with me, Liz ;)
Like yours, my mum got a spiralizer – I may or may not have been the one to gift it for Christmas not all altruistically ;) – but it’s been sitting unused ever since. Because I didn’t dare stealing it but now I definitely will as my own cheap julienne peller (previous spiralizing tool) got lost.
Long story short: this looks amazing. Seriously amazing. I like that you added some actual pasta as I don’t think I’d ever truly feel satisfied eating -just- vegetables – as much as I like them. And peanut sauce?? Sign me up.
haha definitely give it a try! I love the real pasta-zucchini noodle combo so so much, and I could pretty much drink the peanut sauce with a straw ;)
Beautiful!! I personally love zucchini noodles raw, too – I think I could just munch on them as a snack! NEED to try this sauce soon!
I’ve been loving the raw zucchini noodles, too! This sauce is the BEST…hope you give this a try, Emilie!
Yum! I’ve never really been a fan of zucchini noodles because I’ve always cooked them and they turn into a soggy mess. I’ve never thought to just leave them raw. And that sauce!!!!! This looks great!
Totally agreed, Rebecca! They’re much better raw…and smothered in this peanut sauce ;)
This sauce sounds amazing. Love how simple it is too! I will likely be pouring it over everything for the next few days :)
Thanks, Sam! We’re making this again because of just how delicious the sauce is!
Yuuuum! That is my kinda sauce, girl! I gotta try this :)
Thanks, Mel! Definitely try out that delicious sauce!