Zoodles with Almond Butter Sesame Sauce
Inspired by Chinese take-out noodles, these Zoodles with Almond Butter Sesame Sauce have several strategic brain healthy ingredient swaps. The noodles are actually vegetables — zucchini, carrots, and cucumber — that you spiralize. Transforming vegetables into noodles with a spiralizer kitchen gadget is an excellent way to eat more vegetables while reducing your consumption of simple carbohydrates.
For the sauce, we use almond butter instead of the usual peanut butter found in most versions of this dish. Almonds butter provides more brain friendly monounsaturated fats and a good dose of vitamin E. Extra virgin olive oil replaces most of the sesame oil, a highly processed oil. And ginger and turmeric add bright flavors and anti-inflammatory properties.
Don’t have a spiralizer? Look for spiralized noodles in the produce section of the grocery store. Or, toss the sauce with noodles made from brown rice, buckwheat, or forbidden rice—all upgrades from refined white pasta.
Zoodles with Almond Butter-Sesame Sauce: Your new favorite potluck dish
I have taken this sesame zoodle dish to many potlucks, barbecues, and dinner parties. It is always quickly devoured and everyone wants the recipe. Don’t be surprised if some people don’t realize this is a gluten-free dish made with vegetable noodles. I once had the most fun telling a group of teenage boys that they had just tucked in to a raw zucchini dish. Did I mention that we don’t even need to cook the zoodles?
Have you tried fresh turmeric?
Turmeric is a root vegetable most commonly ground into a bright yellow powder. It gives curry dishes their vibrant color and flavor. Fresh turmeric root is increasingly available in most grocery stores. Look for it next to the fresh ginger root in the produce section.
Fresh turmeric can be used whenever a recipe calls for the powdered kind. Since ground turmeric is more potent, you’ll want to double the quantity asked for when using fresh. Store fresh turmeric in the freezer and grate as you would ginger. Frozen turmeric is less likely to splatter turmeric juice, which can stain surfaces and clothing.
Prep Time | 25 minutes |
Servings |
as a main or side dish
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- 2 medium zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter natural and unsweetened
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons sambal oelek chili paste or other hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated or minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh turmeric or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds optional
- finely chopped scallion optional
- finely chopped red bell pepper optional
Ingredients
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- Spiralize the zucchini using the “spaghetti” blade (ie the green blade of an OXO spiralizer, or the C blade of the Inspiralizer.) Place in a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt. Trim with scissors. Place the colander in the sink to drain while you make the rest of the recipe. (The salt will help draw out the water so the zucchini won't be soggy.)
- Spiralize the carrots and the cucumber. Place in a large serving bowl.
- To make the sauce, place the almond butter, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sambal oelek, honey, garlic, ginger, and turmeric in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Thin with small amounts of water, if necessary, to create a pourable sauce. Taste. Adjust for sweet, salty and spicy by adding more honey, soy sauce or sambal oelek. If it needs to taste brighter, add a touch more vinegar.
- Prep any additional toppings, if using: diced red pepper, scallions, sesame seeds.
- Just before serving, rinse the zoodles under cold water and shake dry in the colander. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel in a single layer and roll up to blot dry. Or, spin dry in a salad spinner. Place the zoodles in the serving bowl with the cucumber and carrot noodles.
- Toss the noodles with the almond butter sesame sauce. Sprinkle with toppings, if using, and serve immediately.
Spiralizers are available at most kitchen stores and online. Prices range from $12 to $50. Both the Oxo and Inspiralized brands cost about $40 and have key safety features that keep you from touching the blade. Also — and this is crucial — they suction to the countertop.
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