Zucchini Noodles with Tomato Sauce
Long gone the days when we needed to feel guilty for diving into a big bowl of pasta – I know, zucchini noodles are not totally the same in taste and texture, but come very close to the real thing. And if you replace your ordinary noodles witch gluten-free, unprocessed and super healthy zucchini spaghetti, your body will surely thank you for it.
And when it comes to pasta, there are many ways to let your zoodles pamper your taste buds, you just have to find the best version for yourself. I had to experiment a lot myself until I found a great pasta version that comes very close to the real thing, without any compromises on the health front. Ready for a pasta dish that is free of oil, salt, sugar and dairy, but filled with even more natural flavors?
When delicious noodles meet healthy vibes
For the raw tomato sauce:
– 4 tomatoes
– 6 tbsp dried tomatoes
– 2 dates
– 1/2 red bell pepper
– 1/2 red onion
– Juice of 1/2 lemon
– Fresh basil leaves
– Pinch of cayenne pepper
– Italian herbs (eg. oregano, marjoram, rosemary, thyme)
For the raw spagetthi:
– 2 medium zucchini
1. Soak the dates in water overnight, don’t forget to remove the stones first so that they don’t end up in the blender later on.
2. Blend all sauce ingredients. If your blender has a hard time to get going, add a minimum amount of water or use a hand blender instead.
3. Utilize a spiralizer to get the zucchini in the perfect spaghetti shape.
4. Add your favourite veggies as topping if you like to make it more exciting.
Achieve the perfect texture for raw noodles
For the zucchini noodles to come even closer to traditional spagetthi, you might want to peel them first. This not only improves their texture but also help the sauce to better stick to the pasta. Some people also make raw noodles with cucumbers, but I only use them as an addition to my zucchini noodles since their texture is often watery and might take a lot of creaminess from the sauce. Cucumbers are also stronger in their taste and tend to mask the flavor of the tomato sauce. So, in my humble foodie opinion, zucchini is the best choice for raw noodles.
All the best for your culinary trip to Italy and stay curious for alternatives that path the way to a more radiant wellbeing!
Pokhara, Nepal
