Butter Parmesan Zucchini Noodles | Easy 10-Minute Side Dish

Make no-cook butter parmesan zucchini noodles for a quick and easy low-carb side dish perfect for pairing with lean protein. Fresh, light, and cheesy, you’ll want to scoop more onto your plate!

I’m always trying to include extra veggies in our meals. And I try to do that in new and interesting ways.

A couple of years ago, my aunt found a killer deal on this spiralizer and sent it to me as a gift.

My story for these butter parmesan zoodles is very straightforward:

I made them. They rocked. The end.

Oh, you want more than that?

How do I make zucchini noodles?

When you spiralize zucchini and toss it with butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, you have a simple side dish that’s effortlessly delicious!

WHY MAKE NOODLES WITH ZUCCHINI

So why should you make noodles with zucchini? Do zoodles taste good?

These butter parmesan zoodles sure do! They’re:

Plus, they’re super quick and easy to throw together! I’m all about simple when it comes to getting dinner on the table, especially on busy nights!

ZUCCHINI NOODLES INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you need to make courgette noodles (courgette is the French name for this green squash, used in England and France, whereas we typically use the Italian “zucchini” here in the United States. Zoodles are “zucchini nudeln” in Germany!).

• Zucchini
• Butter, melted and cooled
• Shredded Parmesan
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)

HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI NOODLES

Step 1. Using manufacturer instructions, spiralize the zucchini.

Step 2. Spread the spiralized zucchini on a kitchen towel and cover with a second towel. Roll up gently from the end and allow the zucchini to sit for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Unroll the zucchini and place it in a bowl.

Step 4. Add the cooled, melted butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

This recipe is featured in my One Week No-Cook Meal Plan! Perfect for hot summers when you don’t want to heat up the house!

BUTTER PARMESAN ZOODLES TIPS

Now, I’m fairly new to the spiralizer craze as a whole, so I had to do some digging on how to cook zoodles…or if you even have to cook them at all.

For this recipe, I decided to leave the zoodles raw. I already know that when the zucchini is overflowing the garden, I’m not going to want to cook.

So, we aren’t boiling water, turning on the stove, or heating anything.

In the case of today’s zoodles, there are two key tricks to help you get the texture of zoodles just right, so that you end up with a dish that resembles regular pasta, and you can twirl your fork in the zoodles and soak up the butter and cheesy goodness.

1. START WITH ROOM TEMPERATURE BUTTER AND ZOODLES.

• You’re going to melt the butter, but melted butter is hot.
• If you keep your zucchini in the fridge, it’s going to be cold when you spiralize it.
• Hot butter + cold zucchini = zoodles with chunks of butter, and it’s not exactly pretty.
• It’s good if you don’t mind eating small chunks of butter with your zoodles, but it’s not exactly award-winning.
• However, if you let the butter cool slightly and bring the zucchini to room temperature, you get a bowl of deliciousness for dinner. Highly recommend.

2. REMOVE THE EXCESS WATER FROM THE ZUCCHINI.

• Zucchini contains A LOT of water, so after you’ve spiralized the zucchini, spread it out on a towel. Cover it with a second towel, gently roll it all up together, and let the zucchini sit for about 10 minutes. The towels will absorb the excess liquid, and you’ll get perfectly plump zoodles for your recipe!
• A secondary option is to place the zoodles in a colander with a sprinkle of salt. Let the extra moisture drain for about 10 minutes. This method works, but I feel like it leaves the zoodles slightly damp.
• Note that you COULD skip this step, but the zoodles will inevitably leak water, and it could ruin your dish. I don’t recommend it. 
• This dish is best when served immediately. If you want to get ahead, you can spiralize the zucchini, remove the extra liquid, and store it in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container lined with a paper towel. Just don’t forget to bring it to room temperature before you add the butter and Parmesan!

TOOLS FOR THE BEST SPIRAL ZUCCHINI

• I use this spiralizer to make my spiral zucchini. It gives you nice long noodles. But a julienne peeler works too if you don’t have space for a spiralizer. Or you could try to use a knife to slice your zucchini into thin strips. I’ve seen some mandoline slicers with a spiral function but I have not tried it. 
• You can use kitchen scissors to cut the zoodles shorter.
• Some people remove the skin of zucchini with a vegetable peeler. But I find this unnecessary. I think the skin helps add to the tasty texture!
• Using a nifty butter crock like this one means you can keep your butter at room temperature. Perfect for this butter parmesan zoodles side dish or for slathering on a fresh slice of bread!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH ZUCCHINI PASTA

This zucchini pasta is a great side dish with these main dishes:

Even though this is the no-cook version of zoodles, you can still top them with your favorite pasta sauces, and they make a tasty main dish. The warm tomato sauce heats the zoodles just enough that they have the texture of al dente pasta. Try one of these yummy options:

LOW CARB NOODLES ZUCCHINI RECIPE

Are zucchini high in carbs?

Let’s compare:

• 2 cups of wheat pasta have 480 calories, 90 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber
• 2 cups of zucchini zoodles have 66 calories, 12 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of fiber.

If you’re working on tracking your macros and you need a way to lower your carbohydrates but still have plenty of volume on your plate, this butter parmesan zucchini noodles dish fits the bill! You’ll get a serving of produce plus healthy fats from the butter and cheese, and they pair well with a lean protein.

Spaghetti squash is another pasta alternative. Learn how to cook it in the Instant Pot here!

EASY ZUCCHINI NOODLES FAQS

MORE RECIPES USING ZUCCHINI

Chances are, if you have plenty of zucchini for zoodles, you also have more summer produce. Try one of these recipes using zucchini and other summer produce to enjoy the fresh flavors of summer!

High Protein Recipes on Repeat

Download the top 15+ recipes that are on repeat in my house, making it easy to feed my family AND meet my protein goals!

Butter Parmesan Zoodles

Tiffany

Make no-cook butter parmesan zucchini noodles for a quick and easy low-carb side dish perfect for pairing with lean protein. Fresh, light, and cheesy, you’ll want to scoop more onto your plate!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Meals

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 39 kcal

Ingredients  

1x2x3x4x

• 1-2 large zucchini (340g)
• 1 Tbsp butter melted and cooled (14g)
• 1 Tbsp shredded Parmesan (8g)
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

• Using manufacturer instructions, spiralize the zucchini.

• Spread the zucchini on a kitchen towel and cover with a second towel. Roll up gently from the end and allow the zucchini to sit for 10 minutes.

• Unroll the zucchini and place in a bowl.

• Add the cooled, melted butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper!

Notes

Are zucchini high in carbs?
Let’s compare:

• 2 cups of wheat pasta have 480 calories, 90 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fiber.
• 2 cups of zucchini zoodles have 66 calories, 12 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of fiber.

If you’re working on tracking your macros and you need a way to lower your carbohydrates but still have plenty of volume on your plate, this butter parmesan zucchini dish fits the bill! You’ll get a serving of produce plus healthy fats from the butter and cheese, and they pair well with a lean protein.

Nutrition

Serving: 3ozCalories: 39kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 48mgPotassium: 131mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.2mg

Keyword courgette noodles, noodles with zucchini, spiralized zucchini, Zoodles, zucchini noodles