One Pot Zucchini Pasta

My mom surprised J and I with a spiralizer attachment for our KitchenAid mixer this past Christmas and we’ve been having so much fun putting it to use ever since!

I initially asked for one because I made the decision last year to cut back on my intake of bread and pasta and my Pinterest search for healthier options led me into the great big world of veggie pasta alternatives – replacing regular pasta noodles with thin slices or spirals of veggies instead.

One of my favorite dishes made possible by the spiralizer so far has been this super simple “zoodle” (zucchini noodle) pasta, which I found over at Making Thyme for Health! One of the biggest pluses of this recipe is that it’s a “one pot” dish, so you just keep adding ingredients into the same pot and create virtually zero mess.

One Pot Zucchini Pasta

Original recipe can be found here | Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds zucchini (about 4-5 large zucchini), spiralized
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh basil
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
shredded parmesan for topping (optional)

Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until onion has begun to soften.
Add the zucchini noodles to the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Cover the pot with a lid or plate and allow to cook for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Using tongs to stir makes it much easier!
Add in the tomatoes and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Test a “zoodle” to see if it’s the consistency you prefer, and if not, continue to cook and soften 1-2 more minutes.
That’s it! Simply toss the fresh basil, crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese (if desired) into the pot and stir together. It’s now ready to serve!

This is the perfect summertime meal as it’s light and made with in-season produce (I can’t wait until we can simply gather everything we need straight from our garden later this summer!)