My inexpensive mandoline slicer is one of my favorite kitchen tools! It makes so many jobs in the kitchen so much faster. There are some jobs that would take so long with a knife that I just never even bother. Making Paleo “noodles” out of vegetables is one such job. If you’re looking for a mandoline, make sure you get one that can do a fine julienne. A ton of different vegetables can be julienned into long strips and steamed, braised or sautéed as mock noodles. And my kids LOVE them (there’s something so satisfying about a long skinny slurpy noodle, especially if it is a carrot noodle, a turnip noodle, or a broccoli stem noodle).
This recipe features zucchini as a mock noodle, which has such a lovely flavor for Italian-inspired dishes. Omit the walnuts to make this recipe autoimmune protocol-friendly. This recipe makes enough for 3-4 hearty side dish portions. Alternately, you could add some grilled steak, prawns or chicken and turn this into a main dish for two. If you don’t have an oversized frying pan (which is another kitchen must-have!), you could try using a Wok
.
Bacon-Basil Zucchini “Pasta”
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 3-4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Finely julienne zucchini lengthwise to create long strips of zucchini. Toss with salt in a colander and let sit in the sink for 1 hour.
- Rinse the zucchini very, very thoroughly (have a taste to make sure it’s not salty at all). Drain on a tea towel or paper towels to get rid of as much moisture as possible.
- Heat bacon grease in an oversized frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and zucchini and sauté, stirring frequently until zucchini is cooked “al dente”, about 4-5 minutes (should be a very hot pan).
- Toss in basil and walnuts (if using) and cook another 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
You may enjoy these related posts:
Paleo Pasta
I think pasta is actually really easy to modify for a Paleolithic diet. Noodles …
AIP-Friendly “Spaghetti” and Meatballs
Over the past year and a half of my autoimmune protocol journey, I have …
Zucchini Bread
At the Farmer’s Market over the weekend, I got very excited about this one …
Are Miracle Noodles Paleo?
When going Paleo, one of the hardest things for many people to give up are …
Thanksgiving Frittata (Bacon, Red Pepper, Spinach and Black Olive)
My oldest daughter and I had the flu this Thanksgiving. I did not have the …
Book Review: Inspiralized by Ali Maffucci
This review was written by my assistant Christina. Spiralized vegetables like …
Pulled Pork Wraps with Lime Basil Pesto and Pickled Shallots
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with more complex flavor combinations, with …
Bacon-Braised Brussel Sprouts
Prior to discovering to the Paleo diet, the only way I ate Brussels sprouts was …
30 Recipes for your Whole 30
A 30-day challenge can be a fantastic on-ramp into healthy eating and there’s no …
50/50/50 Burgers
I owe a debt of gratitude to Paleo Parents for the 50/50 Burger. Their original …
Zucchini Muffins
I love cooking muffins full of vegetables (both when I can sneak vegetables in …
Basil-Avocado Baked Salmon
What better way to follow up a post on the safety of eating fish (it’s safe!), …