Preserving Zoodles

Simmie Sinow

Preserving zoodles -- this was a thorn in my side for the last year, until I decided to apply the process I use on leafy green vegetables to zoodles!

I've tried blanching the zoodles and then freezing them -- yuckityuckity, mushy zoodles is not my cup of tea unless I'm deliberately overcooking (almost to the point of burned) so they have that caramelied onion familiarity to them.

So the following is how I get them to last over 10 days in the refrigerator.  I'm so jazzed about this.

Basically you're going to wrap your zoodles like a Christmas gift (no open ends!), then put them in a ziploc bag, squish the air out and put them in your refrigerator.

When you take them out, they will seem very dry.  Don't concern yourself with that -- once you saute them, they will absorb just enough moisture to be perfect!

FIRST: Julienne/zoodle-ize your zucchini (and this can be done with butternut squash, potatoes, etc.).  I use a julienne tool, as I have yet to find any other tool that works as well.  For this use, I didn't want curly zoodles, so I just whipped them out straight; when I want curly ones, I go around the zucchini instead of down.

THEN take enough paper towels (still connected to each other) to accommodate your zoodles and spread them on the paper towels. For one fairly good sized zucchini, I use 3 regular sized paper towels.

THEN....you're going to wrap this like a Christmas present (no open sides/ends), so I first fold up the sides, then just LOOSELY roll it all up. Leave on the counter for 5-10 minutes to allow the first layer of paper towels to absorb some of the moisture.

After that is done, wrap it again in another paper towel.

NOW: move it into a ziploc bag, squish the air out and store in the veggie bin in your refrigerator.