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Spicy Asian Zucchini Noodles

Name: Spicy Asian Zucchini Noodles
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Paleo
Ingredients: 2 large zucchini, washed and ends trimmed – cut into ‘noodles’ using a spiral cutter or vegetable peeler; 1 large carrot, washed and ends trimmed – cut into ‘noodles’ using a spiral cutter or a julienne vegetable peeler; 1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, thinly sliced; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup creamy almond butter (without added sugar); 2 Tbsp avocado oil (may substitute olive oil); 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 clove garlic, finely minced; 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (may substitute 1/4 tsp dried ginger); Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste; 3 Tbsp coconut aminos; 1 Tbsp water; Juice of 1 lime; Lime wedges for serving

W Whole30 EF Egg-Free GF Gluten-free GR Grain-Free VG Vegetarian DF Dairy-Free V Vegan P Paleo

This chilled 'noodle' salad packed with crunchy veggies features a creamy almond butter dressing with a spicy kick. Serves 6 as a side dish or 4 as an entree with your protein of choice.

15 mins

4.6 /5

40 Comments

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By: Jessica Beacom Updated: 7/4/21

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The Hangry Cure: No-cook, Whole30-friendly Spicy Asian Zucchini Noodles with Almond Butter Sauce

Crush that peanut noodle craving without going off the rails with our Whole30-friendly Spicy Zucchini Noodles

You know that craving. The one for something creamy and noodle-y that you can twirl around a fork and shove into your hangry face when you’re eyeballs deep into a Whole30. When all you want is spicy peanut sauce-covered noodles but you’re a) on a Whole30 and no peanuts or noodles there, and b) you don’t feel like cooking.

Been there. That’s why this Spicy Zucchini Noodle dish with its creamy almond butter sauce is just what you need to crush that take out craving. Even if you’re not Whole30-ing.

Start with ‘Zoodles

I use the Inspiralizer vegetable spiralizer to cut the zucchini into long noodles or ‘zoodles’. It’s by far the BEST spiral cutter I’ve tried (and I’ve owned several if that means anything). It’s easy to use, has a variety of noodle shapes/thicknesses and it’s easy to clean.

Warning: Depending on how big your zucchini is, these can get really long so if you’re planning to dine with anyone other than your dog, you may want to cut them into smaller lengths – lest you experience that terribly awkward noodle slurping, face spattered with sauce moment.

Add some crunch factor

Though this is a recipe, there are no hard and fast rules as to what you can add for vegetables. I used shredded red cabbage, snow peas, green onion, and carrot – but you can easily substitute packaged broccoli slaw, sliced red pepper, broccoli florets or any other raw vegetable you’ve got knocking around in the crisper.

Don’t make it complicated – just choose a mix of colors and you’re on your way to a rock star meal in just 15 minutes.

Toss and serve

Pour that creamy almond butter sauce over the top of your big ol’ pile of vegetable loveliness and give it a good toss. Don’t worry if the sauce seems really thick – by the time you fetch a serving bowl, cut a few lime wedges and pick up your fork the zucchini will have started to give off a little moisture and you’ll be good to go.

There’s no time for cooking when all you want to do is eat

But if a warm bowl of creamy noodles with a kick is what your heart desires then by all means – lightly sauté the zucchini, carrot, cabbage, snow peas and green onions in large skillet with a tablespoon of coconut or avocado oil until just crisp-tender. Add the sauce, stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow everything to warm through. Top with your protein of choice – leftover chicken or fish or even rotisserie chicken works great. Sprinkle with cilantro and eat.

What’s your favorite way to serve vegetable ‘noodles’? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her husband and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time, she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, and camping out under the stars.