Lightly cooked zucchini noodles with a tomato basil sauce

In my zucchini noodle experiments to date, I have used the noodles fresh and raw. To be honest, it never occurred to me to eat them in any other way. Recently, though, I saw a reference to zucchini noodles being lightly cooked. Last week, I decided to give that approach a go, and added noodles to a hot pan for just under 2 minutes. The result? Slightly softened, nicely warmed noodles that were a lovely change from the standard raw variety.

Complementing the noodles were tomatoes, basil, sherry vinegar and nutritional yeast. The flavours were wonderful. Broccoli and tofu featured too, as did a smattering of other herbs. If you had sun dried tomatoes to hand, I think they would be an excellent addition (or replacement for fresh tomatoes) as well.


All in all, this was an easy, satisfying, nutrition-packed meal that took under 15 minutes to prepare. I recommend it! If you don't have a vegetable spiralizer, you can make the zucchini noodles using a julienne peeler as shown here.

Lightly cooked zucchini noodles with a tomato basil sauce

Makes one very generous serving (how I ate it!), or two small servings

Vegan and gluten free

Author: Bite-sized thoughts

Print recipe

Ingredients

150g firm tofu, pressed and cut into squares

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

1 punnet (250g) cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or 1/4 to 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes

2 tbsp sherry vinegar (or red wine or balsamic vinegar)

Small handful fresh basil leaves (or 1/2 tsp dry)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Pinch chilli flakes

Pinch salt

Few cracks of black pepper

1/2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast, divided

1 large zucchini

Oil, as needed, for cooking

Method

Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat and cook the tofu until golden, several minutes on each side.

Add the broccoli, tomatoes, sherry vinegar, basil, oregano, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast to the pan. Stir ingredients well to combine. Reduce heat to low while you prepare the zucchini.

Using a vegetable spiralizer or julienne peeler, create thin zucchini noodles. When ready, add to the pan with the other ingredients. Increase heat to medium high and cook for 2 minutes (or so) before serving.

Top with the reserved 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast, and extra black pepper if desired.

Submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Have you tried zucchini noodles cooked? 

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This post isn't Anzac-related, but today is the day for remembering and honouring the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Their efforts, and the lives lost fighting, should never be forgotten.

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