Easy Zoodle Bake
Sometimes a guy needs a pasta bake, just like mom used to make (no rhyme intended!)
A creamy, cheesy, hearty pasta bake full of flavor and deliciousness.
But what if the guy in question isn’t very fond of carbs?
Yeah, what if pasta isn’t what he really wants?
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No worries people, I’ve got the solution.
Take a solid recipe and sub zoodles for the pasta. Easy peasy.
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This begs a question though: can this be considered a pasta bake?
Honestly, I don’t know.
It’s baked, so we’ve got that part covered. But what about the pasta? Can spiralized raw zucchini sub pasta?
The zucchini are sliced to look and act like spaghetti/linguini, but besides their shape they are not spaghetti/linguini. I repeat, THEY ARE NOT wheat spaghetti/linguini.
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To be completely honest, this is more a vegetable bake than a pasta bake.
However (and I’m not using this however lightly) it’s nothing short of delicious and it totally tastes like a pasta bake BUT sans pasta.
How can that be? I dunno people, I dunno.
It’s the spiralizer magic or maybe I tricked myself (and my tastebuds) into believing that.
Whatever that may be, this zoodle bake is plate lickin’ good and I can bet 100 bucks you (and your whole family) will love it just as much as I do.
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A creamy, cheesy, hearty casserole that sports a solid 5 stars for deliciousness as well as smarts.
Naturally gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and completely vegetarian. Seriously guys, this pasta bake is no joke.
Now go make some.
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Inspired by HalfBakedHarvest
Ingredients
Serves 6
4 large zucchini
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
¼ cup black olives, halved (I used kalamata)
⅓ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
12 oz / 340 gr shredded mozzarella cheese
3 red bell pepper, sliced
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°) and place a rack in the middle.
Using a spiralizer or peeler create zucchini spaghetti (always read the directions for your spiral slicer as they vary by brand - I use this spiralizer.) If you don't have a spiralizer use a regular vegetable peeler to vertically peel long, thin strips of the zucchini. This will form more of a wider "noodle" from the zucchini, like fettuccini.
In a large colander, toss zoodles with 2 teaspoons of salt and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Pick up small handfuls of zoodles and squeeze out some of the liquid (alternatively you can wrap zucchini in clean dish towel or a piece of cheesecloth and wringing away, but using your hands yields best results).
Add olive oil, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and ground black pepper to a 3-quart baking dish.
Add zoodles, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Drizzle with a little of the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomato jar.
Add ¾ of the shredded mozzarella cheese and then scatter the sliced red peppers on top.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is browned and the peppers have softened.
Remove from the oven, let sit 5 minutes, and serve!
Nutrition facts
One serving yields 350 calories, 25 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbs, and 21 grams of protein.
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