The Crucial Seasoning Tip You Need To Know For Perfect Zucchini Noodles
It is no secret that the popularity of zucchini noodles has skyrocketed throughout the 21st century, especially in the 2010s. The hype around the green spaghetti strands reached a point where the American chain restaurant Noodles & Company started offering them on menus in 2018 in dishes like Zucchini Thai Green Curry with Shrimp. What may have started as a vegetable-based alternative to traditional wheat-based spaghetti has become a beloved dish in its own right.
While the concept of zucchini noodles may seem simple — spiralized zucchini cooked until tender and seasoned to your liking — it is essential to take certain steps to ensure they cook perfectly. A haphazard preparation process can lead to noodles that are too soggy or too stiff.
The key step in ensuring perfectly cooked zucchini noodles comes down to the timing of your salting. Specifically, not salting the noodles during the cooking process will help guarantee perfect zucchini noodles every time.
The effect of salting zucchini while cooking
Perfect zucchini noodles are not challenging to achieve as long as you know how seasoning with salt will impact the final product. Salt draws out water, which can make it an advantageous tool in the cooking process, depending on when you wield it. For firm, "al dente" zucchini noodles, you can salt them in between spiralizing and cooking. The salt will make the zucchini "sweat" out its moisture, which you can then wring out for dryer, firmer noodles ready for cooking.
However, salting zucchini noodles during the cooking process yields a different result. After the salt draws out water, the noodles then sit in that water, making them overly soft and wet.. For flavoring purposes, it is better to garnish the noodles with salt along with other seasonings after you finish cooking them. Waiting to salt the noodles will help ensure they deliver on both flavor and texture.
What's the best way to prep zucchini noodles?
The actual cooking strategy for zucchini noodles is the dealer's choice. There are multiple ways to go about it, depending on your available time and cooking equipment. It can be as simple as popping the noodles in the microwave for a few minutes and tossing them in salt and spices, or sautéeing the noodles by tossing them around in an oiled skillet. You can even give the air fryer a spin. Or, if you are looking for a refreshing alternative, you can refrain from cooking at all and opt for a cold zucchini noodle salad.
Like traditional wheat noodles, zucchini noodles are easy to prepare and a versatile base for any dish you desire, which is likely why they have captured the hearts of so many cooks and diners. If you take caution when seasoning them with salt, you can easily cultivate the zucchini noodle dish of your dreams.