Is there a better way to enjoy crisp, in-season summer squash than by coating zucchini noodles in red curry almond butter sauce that’s savory, satisfying and just the right amount of spicy? Add a hit of protein with crunchy edamame, and you have a refreshing summer dinner that happens to be vegan and gluten-free!
How to make zucchini noodles
Zucchini noodles, or zoodles, are a great way to enjoy in-season produce. You can make veggie noodles from all sorts of squash, carrots (coodles!) and other root veggies, cucumbers (like in this refreshing cucumber salad). And once you get started spiralizing, you’ll open up a whole new way to enjoy a variety of veggies with different sauces and toppings that are lower-carb than traditional pasta dishes, and naturally gluten-free. The best part is that it’s not difficult to make zoodles of all sorts!
There are handy spiralizers–we like this one–that will do the work for you. If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, this attachment will really make things easy! But for many veggies, including zucchini and other summer squash, it’s also simple to make zucchini noodles with an old-fashioned cutting board and knife.
First, simply trim and slice your zucchini lengthwise into planks, about 1/8 of an inch thick. Then stack your planks on top of each other and slice them the long way into thin noodles. Voila: the perfect zoodle shape for this red curry almond butter sauce.
How to cook zucchini noodles so they don’t get soggy
After you’ve made your zucchini noodles, the next step is to cook them without turning them into a soggy mess. Zucchini, like other squash, contains a lot of water. When you pan-fry zucchini noodles, they release most of this water and you may end up with steamed, soggy zoodles rather than the crisp noodles that will hold up well with creamy almond butter sauce.
To avoid soggy zoodles, sprinkle your cut or spiralized zucchini noodles with a good pinch of salt in a colander. Toss and let them sit for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a clean dish cloth and wringing out as much water as possible. This will help your zucchini release a lot of that water, which will allow for better crisping in the pan.
Making the creamy red curry almond butter sauce
This recipe makes some of the creamiest red curry almond butter sauce to coat your *expertly* cooked zucchini noodles. The sauce is super simple to make too. All you’ll do is toss everything into a blender. Or, if you have one, you can use one of my personal favorite kitchen tools: an immersion blender. I use this one, which is an inexpensive but remarkably useful kitchen gadget. I use mine for everything from salad dressings to sauces like this recipe to creamy puréed soups.
Whichever way you choose to blend your creamy red curry almond butter sauce, once it’s tossed with fresh zucchini noodles and topped with crunchy edamame, you won’t be able to put your chopsticks down!
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Is there a better way eat zucchini than by coating zoodles in red curry almond butter sauce that’s savory, satisfying and just the right amount of spicy?
Ingredients
For the Red Curry Almond Butter Sauce:
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon curry paste (or more if you like it spicy)
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated
- 2 limes
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1.5 lbs zucchini, spiralized or cut into noodles
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
For the Zucchini Noodles:
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- Pepper flakes, optional
- Chopped cilantro for topping
- Chopped almonds, cashews or sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Add zucchini noodles to a colander, salt liberally and toss well. Set aside to draw out some of the moisture.
- In a medium mixing bowl or blender, combine almond butter, curry paste, tamari, miso, ginger, lime juice, and rice vinegar. Use an immersion blender if you have one to combine the sauce well. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce blends smooth, rather than thick. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan. Transfer the zucchini noodles to a clean dish towel and wring out as much water as possible over the sink. Add the noodles to the hot pan, reduce heat to medium, and sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Cook the edamame according to package instructions, using a microwave or pot of boiling water.
- Combine the cooked zucchini noodles with the sauce and edamame. Top with chopped cilantro, crunchy nuts of your choice, red pepper flakes if you like it spicy and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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