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If you want to know how to make zucchini noodles, you’ve come to the right place! We have different cutting guides to suit whatever equipment you have. Whether you like spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, or lasagna, we’ve got you covered on all four zoodle varieties!

Image of Four types of zucchini noodles on a pink background: spaghetti, angle hair, fettuccine, and lasagna.
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Say Goodbye to Carb-Heavy Pasta!

Zucchini going crazy in your garden? Well, spring is the perfect time to learn how to make zucchini noodles (otherwise known as zoodles)!

Now, these are not the soggy zoodles you can find in the market — these are fresh, slurpable (I’m fairly certain that’s a word), perfect zoodles! Today, we’re covering four different ways to make this low-carb, gluten-free pasta: spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, and lasagna.

Zoodles are the perfect alternative when you feel like Italian food but don’t want to be weighed down! Enjoy them with pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese, or layer slices between lasagna ingredients for a lighter, more refreshing meal.

4 types of zucchini noodles on a pink background.

Here’s What You’ll Need

Zucchini noodles are a great replacement for regular noodles because they are cheap, easy to find (or grow!), and straightforward to work with.

  • Zucchini: We typically use green zucchini to make our noodles. They are one of the most low-calorie and nutrient-dense vegetables (win-win!).

Zucchini Cooking tip

While zucchini noodles resemble pasta noodles, boiling them in water leaches out water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and B6 in the case of zucchini). Instead, sauté the zucchini noodles on the stove with a touch of olive oil until they are soft.

Spaghetti zucchini noodles with red sauce, parmesan cheese, and a fork in a white bowl.

Let’s Make Spaghetti Zoodles

  1. Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut it in half to fit in your spiralizer.
  2. Spiralize the zucchini half while keeping it perfectly centered.

Try spiralized zucchini noodles in zucchini pasta with creamy avocado pesto!

A spiralizer with half of a zucchini it in and the other half pushed through the spiralizer and turned into spaghetti zoodles in a pile on a pink background.
Apply constant pressure while spiralizing the zucchini to create uniform, long noodles.
A pile of spaghetti zucchini noodles on a pink background.

Next, Angel Hair Zoodles

  1. Lay the zucchini on a flat surface (cutting board or plate).
  2. Run down the length with a julienne slicer.

This option is great with our pumpkin pasta sauce. Simply toss and enjoy!

A half cut zucchini, a black and yellow julienne slicer, and a pile of angle hair cut zucchini noodles lined up on a pink background.
A julienne slicer is super helpful for making angel hair zoodles, but you can also use a good knife and your great knife skills.
A pile of angle hair zucchini noodles next to half of a zucchini that is being sliced by a black and yellow julienne slicer.
Continue slicing it until there is no zucchini left.
A pile of angle hair zucchini noodles on a pink background.

How About Fettuccine Zoodles?

  1. Trim the top and bottom of the zucchini.
  2. Run the zucchini lengthwise down a mandolin to create long, thin planks.
  3. Cut each plank into 4 or 5 strips with a knife. Easy peasy!

These make a great replacement for the noodles in lemony gremolata pasta!

A mandolin slicer, 4 lengthwise slices of zucchini, a knife, and a pile of fettuccine zoodles on a pink background.
Set your mandoline slicer to its thinnest setting for the best texture.
A pile of fettuccine zucchini noodles n a pink background.
Fettuccine noodles are wide noodles that pair great with thick sauces. The extra surface area means they can carry more sauce with each bite!

Last But Not Least, Lasagna Zoodles

  1. Trim the top and bottom of the zucchini.
  2. Run the zucchini lengthwise down a mandolin to create long, thin strips.

Try these in our favorite zucchini lasagna recipe!

A mandolin slicer next to 5 lengthwise slices of zucchini on a pink background.
Again, set your mandolin slicer to its thinnest setting for the best results.
Multiple thin, lengthwise slices of zucchini laid flat on a pink back ground.
These follow almost all the same steps as fettuccine noodles, minus the last step of slicing them into strips. Woo, less work!

Best Ways to Cook Zoodles

When it comes to cooking your zoodles, you have options.

  1. Sauté zucchini noodles in a splash of olive oil to preserve their texture, flavor, and nutrients.
  2. Microwave your zoodles for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
A black pan with spaghetti zoodles in in on a pink background.
Simply sauté the zoodles over medium heat in a large skillet until warm, slightly softened, and tender.
A white bowl on a pink background filled with spaghetti zoodles and partially covered in plastic wrap. As if the bowl is being covered by plastic wrap.
Due to zucchini’s high moisture content, the microwave creates steam in the confined space, making the zoodles more likely to become slightly mushy. Avoid boiling them in a pot of water to prevent them from becoming completely mush.

Let’s Get Saucy

Zucchini noodles have an incredibly neutral flavor, meaning they can go with almost any sauce. Some of our favorites are:

  • Romesco: This flavor-packed sauce features tomato, roasted red bell pepper, and garlic.
  • Marinara: A classic tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes.
  • Traditional Pesto: Who doesn’t love a good basil pesto in the summer?
Spaghetti zoodles, red sauce, parmesan, and a fork in a white bowl on a pink background.

Overflowing on Zucchini?

4 types of zucchini noodles on a pink background
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How To Make Zucchini Noodles (4 Easy Pasta Shapes)

5 from 4 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
If you want to know how to make zucchini noodles, you've come to the right place! We have different cutting guides to suit whatever equipment you have. Whether you like spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, or lasagna, we've got you covered on all four zoodle varieties!

Ingredients 

  • 1 zucchini
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Instructions 

How to Cut Zucchini Noodles

  • Option 1 Spaghetti Zoodles: Trim the top and bottom off of the zucchini, then chop it in half, hamburger style. Working one at a time, center each zucchini halve on a spiralizer and turn firmly to create the spaghetti noodles.
    Discover how to make zucchini noodles with ease using a spiralizer, crafting perfect curly strands on a vibrant pink surface.
  • Option 2 Angel Hair Zoodles: Lay the zucchini on a flat surface, the run down the length of the zucchini with a julienne slicer. Continue until there is no zucchini left.
    Vegetable peeler effortlessly creates perfect zucchini ribbons on a pink background, ideal for those wondering how to make zucchini noodles with ease.
  • Option 3 Fettuccine Zoodles: Trim the top and bottom off of the zucchini. Set a mandolin slicer to its thinnest setting, then run the zucchini lengthwise down the mandolin to create long, thin planks. Use a knife to cut each plank into 4 or 5 strips, creating fettuccine noodles.
    A black mandoline slicer, a knife, and sliced zucchini are arranged on a pink surface, perfect tools for learning how to make zucchini noodles.
  • Option 4 Lasagna Zoodles: Trim the top and bottom off of the zucchini. Set a mandolin slicer to its thinnest setting, then run the zucchini lengthwise down the mandolin to create long, thin planks.
    A kitchen mandoline slicer sits next to three thinly sliced zucchini pieces on a pink background, perfect for those exploring how to make zucchini noodles.

How to Cook Zucchini Noodles

  • Option 1 Saute: Heat a splash of oil in a large saute pan over medium/high heat. Add noodles and cook briefly, just until bright green and soft – about 3 minutes.
    Option 1 Saute: Heat a splash of oil in a large saute pan over medium/high heat. Add noodles and cook briefly, just until bright green and soft - about 3 minutes.
  • Option 2 Microwave: Place zoodles in a microwave-safe bowl or plate, covering firmly with plastic wrap. Microwave for 60 seconds, or until bright green and soft.
    Option 2 Microwave: Place zoodles in a microwave-safe bowl or plate, covering firmly with plastic wrap. Microwave for 60 seconds, or until bright green and soft.

Notes

Sauteing is our favorite way of cooking zucchini noodles because it keeps them from becoming overcooked and mushy (while preserving their nutrient content). We do not recommend boiling or baking the noodles, which results in overcooked (or unevenly cooked) zoodles.
Store zoodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (without sauce) | Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.3g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 1.7g | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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