Monday, December 16, 2013

Zucchini noodles with a tahini lemon sauce

What makes an ideal dinner on a 40'C (106'F) day? Last night, my answer was raw zucchini noodles with a tahini-based sauce, followed by soy vanilla ice cream.


I'm sure you can figure out soy vanilla ice cream by yourself (hint: visit a store) but the zucchini dish deserves sharing. There are lots of similar recipes around, but I think that speaks to how well veggie spirals pair with creamy nut and seed-based sauces.



I had originally planned to make a Thai-style sauce with peanut butter and lime, and I expect I'll get to that combination eventually. Yesterday, though, tahini and lemon were calling to me, and I am glad that I answered their call. They combined to give a creamy but flavour-packed sauce, with citrus undertones and just a tiny hint of spice from sriracha. It was a gorgeous dinner.



Zucchini noodles with a tahini lemon sauce
The creamy blend of tahini and lemon pairs perfectly with spiralized zucchini and carrot noodles
Vegan and easily made raw (use unhulled tahini and substitute a raw alternative to sriracha)
Serves 1

Print recipe

Ingredients
1 tbsp unhulled tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp agave
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
1 - 2 tsp water
1 medium zucchini
1/2 medium carrot
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Method
Combine the tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, agave and sriracha in a bowl and whisk well to thoroughly combine. Gradually add the water to give a consistency that is similar to tomato sauce (not runny but not too thick). I used 2 tsp water; you may need less depending on the thickness of your tahini.

If you have a veggie spiralizer, use it to spiralize the zucchini and carrot. If you don't, use a mandolin or sharp knife to create thin vegetable slices.

Pour the tahini dressing over the vegetable noodles, stir through, and top with the tomatoes.

Serve immediately.

Notes: I would have added 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast to the sauce, but had (inexplicably) run out. Feel free to try this variation if you're a nutritional yeast fan.

If you don't have a spiralizer and aren't keen on lots of chopping, the dressing would be beautiful on a kale salad too.


With regular noodles, this might be a filling dish. With the zucchini base, you'll feel satisfied but still have room for dessert. Definitely a winning outcome - and all without generating an ounce of heat!

Submitted to Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

If you enjoy veggie noodles, what are your favourite sauces / toppings?

18 comments:

  1. Sounds great for the hot weather - though I had some tofu with tahini on it last week and wasn't bowled over the by tahini sauce - sometimes it works for me and other times not - but I will be looking for hot weather food on Thursday as we are forecast to have 40 C as Perth's weather wafts over our way - I am not happy but really shouldn't grumble too much as we haven't had much of your hot weather so far this summer.

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    1. Sorry to be sending you our heat! Tahini is a hit and miss ingredient for me too - I much prefer it paired with other ingredients/flavours than on its own. Something about it goes well with vegetables though!

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  2. Creamy nut sauces are pretty much always a good way to go!! Plus they taste good cold, which is always good during a heat wave!

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  3. I've heard the weather in Perth has been rather punishing. We haven't had weather like that in Sydney - yet! I love how you have a gadget to make your carrot and zucchini into noodles - another gadget on my want list! xx

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  4. I know 40C sucks, rationally. But dear god when it's already windchill -26C before winter starts and you're out almost every night waiting for streetcars for 20 minutes... I really feel like I'd rather be there.

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    1. Do you find it mind boggling that there are 66'C between us in terms of temperature? I find it very mind boggling indeed!

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  5. Wow, it's hard to imagine such hot temperatures when I'm at the other end of the spectrum with temps in the mid-teens to lower 20s!

    Your meal looks scrumptious, I've never tried zucchini noodles but have seen/heard they're delicious.

    I am a HUGE fan of lemon tahini sauce, I will eat it on anything! I've got a great pasta primavera recipe in my blog that has a lemon tahini dressing on it, yum!

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    1. Ooh, I'll have to look up your lemon tahini dressing! It is an amazing flavour combination :-) I definitely recommend zucchini noodles too - but perhaps when it is warmer where you are!

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  6. damn that's hot Kari. I was thinking of you knee deep in the land of swelter when I heard the forecast. Hot!

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    1. Aw, bless you for thinking of me. I fear we're sending our weather your way this week, but hopefully it won't quite hit 40'C!

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  7. Tahini sauce is one of my all-time favourite things! I love it over lentils especially but I bet over the zucchini noodles it was wonderful. Thinking of you in 40C while it's grey and raining here!

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    1. I've heard you're having fairly awful weather - I imagine you'd appreciate some of our sunshine so only wish I could send it across! I love the idea of tahini sauce on lentils too - I shall have to try that!

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  8. Sounds like the perfect dinner Kari. I think I could probably eat this every day for lunch.

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