What zucchini noodles means
Zucchini noodles are long, thin strands of courgette cut to look like spaghetti or noodles. In Britain, they are often called courgetti, and in the US and elsewhere, zoodles, a blend of zucchini, the American name for courgette, and noodles. They are made with a spiralizer, a tool that turns the courgette against a blade to produce long, curly strands, or with a julienne peeler or mandoline for straighter strands. Many supermarkets sell them ready-made.
Zucchini noodles became popular as a lighter, vegetable-based alternative to pasta and noodles, and they are used in much the same way. They can be served raw, tossed with pesto, dressings or tomato sauces, or in salads. When cooked, they need only very brief heating, such as a brief toss in a hot pan with oil and garlic, a quick dip in boiling water, or simply being tossed with hot sauce, because they release a lot of water and turn soft and soggy if overcooked. Salting them and leaving them to drain, then patting them dry, reduces wateriness.
They pair well with tomato and pesto sauces, prawns, chicken, meatballs, Asian-style dressings and stir-fries. Other vegetables, such as carrots, butternut squash, beetroot and cucumber, can be spiralized in the same way. You will see zucchini noodles in lighter recipes and modern cooking.