Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is really the ultimate 15 minute meal.

Made with Zucchini Noodles, or 'Zoodles', and roasted red pepper sauce, this vegetarian and gluten free meal is light, vibrant, and full of rich, savory flavor with barely any effort.

Why this recipe works.

This is a low-carb, gluten-free dish made with healthy ingredients that the whole family will love. It is especially perfect for making on a busy weeknight when you want something fresh but comforting!

Here is what else you will like about this recipe.

• Using zucchini noodles adds flavor, a healthy vegetable, and heartiness to this dish.
• The roasted red peppers help to create a silky, restaurant-style sauce in minutes.
• Customizing this recipe is easy as using a vegan cheese to make this dish vegan or adding some jumbo shrimp for a pescatarian treat!
• This is really the perfect quick meal when you want comfort without heaviness in a healthy dish.

Have you tried my recipe for Zucchini Pasta Salad in Lemon Dijon Dressing?

Made with sliced fresh zucchini and tossed in a lemony dijon dressing, that vegan and Mediterranean diet friendly dish is perfect as a side or as a main dish. Both this recipe for Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and that recipe for Zucchini Pasta Salad are great tasting recipes that can be made with zucchini.

Using a Spiralizer is an easy way to make your Zucchini Noodles. You can find Spiralizers here.

Ingredients Needed.

• Zucchini. I would stick to the longer and thinner zucchini as they are easier to work with in a spiralizer.
• Olive Oil Used for sautéing.
• Onion. Finely diced. Yellow onion works well.
• Garlic. Freshly Minced.
• Roasted Red Peppers Use jarred red peppers that have been drained and then roughly chopped.
• Tomato Paste Added as the sauce base.
• Seasonings Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Basil, and Red Pepper Flakes (all dried).
• Broth Such as vegetable broth, for the sauce.
• Parmesan Cheese Freshly grated.
• Optional: Heavy Cream, Half and Half, or Coconut Milk for the sauce.

How to Make Zucchini Noodles with Red Pepper Sauce.

• Prep Time 15 minutes .
• Servings 4 .
• How to serve : Serve in bowl with Homemade Mini Pita Bread and a Salad on this side.
• Notes: You will need a Large skillet, Blender or food processor, Spiralizer
  Cutting board, Knife, Measuring cups and Spoons.

1. Prepare. Gather your ingredients as indicated. If you have not done so, spiralize your zucchini, chop your onion, and mince your garlic.
2. Sauté Preheat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat for one minute. Add the onion and sauté it until soft and translucent (about two minutes). Then you can add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes sauté until fragrant (about a minute or two).
3. Sauce. Stir in the roasted red peppers and tomato paste sauce and continue to cook the ingredients for one minute. Then you can stir in the vegetable broth and simmer the ingredients for five minutes to thicken.
4. Blend. Turn the heat off and let the ingredients sit for a minute or so to cool down enough to handle if the sauce is too hot. Transfer the ingredients to your food processor (or blender). Process or blend the sauce until silky smooth for the best texture.
5. Zucchini In a clean skillet, heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat for one minute. Then you can add in the zucchini noodles and cook until tender.
6. Serve. You can transfer the zucchini noodles to a large bowl or serve from the skillet. To do so, simply pour the sauce over the noodles and toss the ingredients and serve.

Tips for making the best Roasted Red Pepper Zoodles

To make this dish truly stand out, the secret lies in managing the moisture from the zucchini that can make your sauce watery. To remove as much of the water you can, place the spiralized zucchini noodles into a colander and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and then let them sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes you can use clean paper towels or kitchen towels to blot excess water off.

More helpful tips for you.

1. Other methods of reducing excess water include not overcooking the zucchini and draining the red peppers well.
2. To make the flavors pop, just before serving add a small amount of lemon juice and/or lemon zest on top just before serving .
3. For a creamier sauce, you can stir in the optional Heavy Cream, Half and Half, or Coconut Milk.

FAQ

• Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
  Yes, the sauce can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated.
• How do I keep zucchini noodles from getting soggy? Do not overcook the noodles. Simply sauté them for no more than two to three minutes. The cooked zucchini should still have a slight "snap." Also, make sure that your do not cover the skillet when you are cooking the zucchini as doing so can trap steam, which can turn the noodles mushy instantly.
• Can I serve this sauce with regular pasta? Absolutely. This is a simple red pepper sauce that also works beautifully with traditional pasta.
• What can I use if I do not have a spiralizer?
  While a spiralizer works best in turning zucchini into noodles, you can try using a Julienne Peeler, vegetable Peeler, or Box Grater.
• What protein goes well with this recipe?
  While the sauce is rich and satisfying on its own, it pairs perfectly with:
  Grilled or Rotisserie Chicken, Sautéed Shrimp, or Roasted Chickpeas.

Variations.

• Swap out your zucchini with roasted spaghetti squash strands or hearts of palm noodles.
• Sauté in some sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms with the onions.
• Take your sauce up a notch by stirring in extra red pepper flakes or hot sauce.

How to store creamy roasted red pepper sauce with zoodles.

If possible, the sauce and the zucchini noodles should be stored separately as zucchini will not reheat well once it has been soaking in sauce. To store the sauce, place it in an airtight glass jar and refrigerate it for up to four days or freeze it in freezer-safe container for up to a few months. For the zoodles, raw zoodles can be stored in a container lined with a dry paper towel for up to a few days. Cooked zoodles can be stored for up to a day but, note that they will be softer than the freshly spiralized noodles.

You may also be interested in these zucchini recipes.

• Vegan Zucchini Brownies Recipe
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread- Vegan Recipe
• Mediterranean Diet Air Fried Zucchini Chips
• Mediterranean Diet Zucchini Coffee Cake
• Mediterranean Diet Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• 10 Easy Mediterranean Diet Meals for Beginners (Simple & Healthy Recipes)