How to Make Spiralized Vegetables

by Alena
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Create healthy and colorful dishes with zoodles and learn how to make spiralized vegetables even without a spiralizer! This quick guide covers everything you need to know.

Eating your vegetables suddenly becomes much more fun when you can create different shapes like ribbons, curls or noodles out of them!

Thanks to inexpensive kitchen tools like spiralizers, it’s no longer impossible to put carrots, zucchini, summer squash or sweet potatoes on your family’s plates.

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Find easy and beautiful spiralizer recipes that help you create light dinners or vegan bowls as well as tips around using your spiralizer or which one to pick if you don’t yet have one in this article.

Preparing zoodles or other spiralized vegetables is an easy weight loss tip and a great food swap for those who are on a gluten-free or low-carb diet and a fun way to sneak veggies into meals.

For more cooking guides, see how to make a good vegan breakfast here and check out how to make bliss balls at home! 

woman in white apron mixing spiralized raw vegetables in a large bowl with a fork and a spoonpin it

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What’s a spiralizer?

The spiralizer is an inexpensive kitchen tool with fine blades that turn fresh veggies into noodle shapes. 

There are larger countertop versions as well as really budget-friendly handheld spiralizers you can choose from!

They work like a giant pencil sharpener, peeling different types of produce to create long curled ribbons you can use as a pasta replacement.

Best budget-friendly spiralizers

You can get your own spiralizer for around $15 (handheld) or $25 (countertop) — and we’re talking top-rated products here!

OXO Good Grips 3-Blade Tabletop Spiralizer

OXO Good Grips Handheld Spiralizer

Which vegetables can be spiralized?

Our favorite vegetables to spiralize are zucchini, carrots, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onion, beetroot, red cabbage, kohlrabi, turnip, bell pepper, cucumber and celery root.

The most common spiralized veggie is zucchini to make the popular zoodles! Find two delicious recipes below.

Which fruits can you spiralize?

Firmer fruit like apples and pears are perfect for spiralizing. Plantains and some types of melon, like honeydew or cantaloupe, work as well!

You can add them on top of a savory salad or make fruit salad out of them.

How to use a spiralizer

  1. Wash and dry your vegetables
  2. Select the blade you want to use and secure it onto your spiralizer
  3. Make sure your spiralizer is anchored to your countertop
  4. Place the vegetable in the spiralizer
  5. Turn the crank and create colorful veggie noodles!

If you use a handheld vegetable spiralizer, hold the washed vegetable (which should be no longer than 6 inches) in your hand and apply pressure to it while twisting it in your blade.

When you get toward the end of the vegetable, use the food holder that comes with your spiralizer to secure your finger!

Woman using a spiralizer to turn a zucchini into noodle shapepin it

How to make zucchini noodles (zoodles)

Zucchini is the most popular spiralized vegetable out there! And for good reason. With its neutral flavor, straight shape and slightly soft texture, it adapts well to many dishes and mimicks cooked wheat pasta the best.

Leave the peel on if you don’t mind the darker green color, give your zucchini a good wash and then place it on the spikey spot of your spiralizer.

Simply turn the crank so that the pretty zoodles are cut and come out the other way! Either serve them raw as a summer salad or place them in a homemade warm sauce for a few minutes to soften up.

You can also sauté them in a pan and pat them dry afterward so they don’t get too watery. There’s also the option of throwing them into a vegetable casserole as a fun add-in!

woman creating spiralized carrots on a kitchen tablepin it

How to make spiralized carrots

Spiralizing carrots is really similar to making zoodles. No need to peel them, simply give your carrots a wash and pat them dry, then place them individually in your spiralizer and keep turning.

If you’re using a handheld version, take good care of your fingers once you’re left with only a tiny piece of carrot.

The result is crunchy noodle-shaped carrot curls that taste great in combination with spiralized beetroot as a salad or when seasoned and baked into carrot fries!

What we love about spiralized carrots is that they hold their shape and texture much better than more watery vegetables and they can be stored for around 4-5 days in the fridge.

So be sure to add these to your next meal prep session and check out our customizable quinoa veggie bowl recipe below which features spiralized carrots.

Veggie Bowl with Spiralized Carrots →

How do you spiralize without a spiralizer?

You can choose between using a vegetable peeler, mandoline or box grater — however, it won’t be the exact same result you get with a spiralizer.

Mandoline: make flat and long noodles or lasagna sheets with zucchini using slicing blades or create linguine shapes using julienne blades.

Vegetable Peeler: the tool you’ll most likely already have in your kitchen! Make thinner and flat noodles using your peeler or make strips if you have a julienne peeler.

Box Grater: hold it like a mandoline and move the zucchini lengthwise in long strokes to create long, flat noodles! Or make them shorter by changing the angle.

Watch the video below for an awesome tutorial!

Storage suggestions

You can make spiralizing veggies part of your meal prep routine as it can be a bit time-consuming to clean your kitchen tool after using it.

Store your spiralized vegetables in a paper towel-lined airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge for 2-5 days — the exact amount of time depends on the type of vegetable that you used. In general, the lower the water content, the longer you can store it!

Adding a paper towel helps absorb any excess moisture and keeps your noodles in better shape!

Top tips

  • Make sure the veggies you use are ripe (not overripe!) and in good shape for the best texture and look. You want them to be firm and at least 2-inches wide and long.
  • It’s much easier to clean your spiralizer soon after using it. This is especially important for any colorful vegetables as they can stain your tool!
  • Some spiralized vegetables can be frozen and saved for later, making them a great grab and cook option when you’re out of fresh produce.
  • If you want to make sure that your zoodles don’t get soggy, place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for around 15 minutes so they release their water, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
  • The straighter your fruit or vegetable is before spiralizing it, the easier it will be to do so. Your produce shouldn’t be too juicy!
  • Season your vegetable noodles right before serving. The same is true for adding the sauce!
Closeup of zoodles with marinana and black bean meat balls with some zucchini noodles rolled round a forkpin it

More kitchen guides

If you liked this article, be sure to check out these guides next!

Have you made spiralized veggies before? What are your favorite recipes and have you tried any of ours? Share with us below and Pin this article here.

several bowls of spiralized squash, zucchini and carrot as well as sliced red cabbage and bell pepper on a table

How to Make Spiralized Vegetables

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Create healthy and colorful dishes with zoodles and learn how to make spiralized vegetables even without a spiralizer! This quick guide covers everything you need to know. 

Ingredients

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 3 large carrots
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Wash your vegetables and cut off the ends. Place each item individually into your spiralizer and create fun veggie noodles by turning your zucchini or carrot.
  2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Spiralized zucchini noodles should be patted or pressed between paper towels to release some water!
  4. Enjoy your spiralized veggies raw in a salad or let them soften in a warm sauce before serving.

Notes

  • Instructions may vary depending on your specific spiralizer; please follow the directions for your product.
  • Other veggies you can use to make noodles are yellow squash, sweet potatoes, beetroot, cucumber or bell peppers.
  • Find more tips, instructions and easy recipes in the article above!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: ¼ recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 27Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed. Just focus on whole plant-based foods and eat until satiety!

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Alena sitting in a cafe with a bowl of fresh plant-based food and a glass of coffee in front of her

About Alena Handwritten FontAlena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.

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