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
.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
- 4 large zucchini (about 2 pounds)
- 2 tsp Salt
(to salt the zucchini) - 1/3 cup bacon grease (crispy bits make it even better)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ cup chopped Walnuts (optional)
(to salt the zucchini)
(optional)1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. Toss in basil and walnuts (if using) and cook another 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
5. Serve!
“Wait a Minute, I Can See Your Ribs!”
This recipe was awesome. I was nervous making it since my kids have never ever liked zucchini…EVER. Tonight they loved the “eel” like side dish 🙂 They went back for SECONDS and said this was the best dinner they have ever had! Wonder if they will like the leftovers tomorrrow. Thank you!!
Why the soaking in salt for an hour?
It pulls some of the water out of the zucchini, so it doesn’t get too soupy when you cook it and so that it doesn’t get too mushy.
Doesn’t rinsing it with water put all the moisture back into it?
A quick rinse doesn’t re-hydrate it, only removes the salt. – Christina, Sarah’s assistant
I made this & it is wonderful. I skipped the walnuts but added small pieces of bacon. The basil counteracts some of the bacon taste & bits of bacon give it a little crunch.
I made this tonight for myself but with only one zucchini. It was delicious! I had no idea it would be that good. I just wish I had made more. ( I actually forgot the basil and sprinkled sunflower seeds instead and it was still good.
Can this be frozen or refrigerated overnight?
Refrigerating overnight is fine, I’m not sure about freezing it. — Tamar, Sarah’s assistant
This seriously sounds amazing!
OK I made this tonight…AMAZING! It is really good! I didn’t soak it at all and I thought it tasted great. I just added a bit of salt as it cooked.
“1/3 cup bacon grease” even seems like a LOT for this bacon loving girl! Seems like it wiould totally overwhelm the taste & weigh down the more delicate zucchini noodles?!
BTW “Real Plans” menu (gives credit to Paleo Mom) states “1/2 cup of bacon grease”! ….and doesn’t even mention walnuts. I paid extra for Paleo Mom recipes on “Real Plans”, but concerned now the recipes may not be translated correctly!
Can u make this ahead and reheat
I’ve often wondered how many of the nutrients are lost by pulling the water out of the squash before cooking it.
How is the zucchini sliced? Does it even matter? Based on the written directions, I’d say ribbons. But the picture looks more spaghetti-ish. I have a spiralizer and can do either… just wonder which was intended.
2nd question – could I cut and drain the zucchini the night before and then cook for dinner the next night? I don’t have time to do that prep and let it sit on a weeknight… Alternately, could I cut it in the morning and let it sit all day? Or would that dry it too much?
It doesn’t matter how much the zucchini is sliced. Just whatever your preference is would be fine. And yes, you could prep the zucchini the night before or the morning of. -Kiersten
This was SOOOO good. It’s what my little AIP heart has been missing Dem noodles. Thank you!