Zucchini = great pasta substitute

Saith

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I was in an experimental mood this weekend and put together your typical tuna casserole, only instead of pasta I used zucchini and it turned out great. So I thought I'd share with you fatties who can't give up pasta, try substituting some zucchini into your pasta dishes and see if you like it. It has the same slimy, firm texture of pasta, as well as the same mild flavor, but only a small amount of calories. Plus you can use a bigger portion which will keep you fuller longer.

Anyway, just thought I'd share. Also, don't try mixing spinach or broccoli into the same dish as the flavors seem not to mix well. Make those into a side salad/dish if you want them in the same meal.
 
Very nice. I love zucchini, never thought of using it like that though.
 
Nice substitute.

Have you tried spaghetti squash? The gf made some lasagna the other night and replaced the pasta sheets with it. Fucking yum, and dare I say better that its starchy counterpart.
 
Nice substitute.

Have you tried spaghetti squash? The gf made some lasagna the other night and replaced the pasta sheets with it. Fucking yum, and dare I say better that its starchy counterpart.

I've been meaning to try spaghetti squash but it seems like a lot of effort to extract. I've been looking for it at restaurants to give it a shot but no dice so far. Maybe I should start looking into it again.
 
Sounds good Saith.
Did you slice the Zucchini in long strips like spaghetti or just chop it into small pieces?

I make this zucchini slice every so often..I add some crumbled fetta cheese and grated carrots. Apart from the flour, its a relatively healthy side dish.
 
Metaltov: I chopped it into roughly rotini-sized pieces. Basically I cut each zucchini into 4 piece, then cut those in half and split each half into 3-4 pieces.
 
As a kid I didn't like zucchini, but now being 19 years old I've start acquiring a taste for it and enjoy it from time to time.
 
ha i thought is i was the only one who cut zucchini into ribbons. it doesn't really replace pasta though.
 
Spaghetti squash FTW!

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Zucchini is great. I like making mini zucchini pizzas.
 
nice -- I need to try this.

My girl was raised a health-conscious vegetarian, and she introduced me to mashed cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes.

The texture is different but it works.
 
Metaltov: I chopped it into roughly rotini-sized pieces. Basically I cut each zucchini into 4 piece, then cut those in half and split each half into 3-4 pieces.

Cool. I'm going to try this soon
Perhaps a Zucchini Carbonara instead of the Tuna Casserole.
 
can you post your recipe/directions? i'm interested in trying this!

2 cans of peas (you don't have to use canned peas, I just love the Leseur pea brand)
2 cans of tuna, drained (I actually think I should've used 3-4)
4 whole zucchinis, chopped (cut off the ends though)
1 can cream of mushroom soup + 1 can of milk (actually that's a bit much milk, next time I'll probably try half a can)
Stir everything together in a bowl/pot, then pour into a large casserole dish
Sprinkle on a light layer of cayenne pepper
Layer on top with some cheese (I used cheddar cheese slices but really depends on your tastes)
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Stir when done to mix the cheese in while it's still hot.

I also threw in a huge handful of spinach at the end, but the spinach flavor did not mix well so I would recommend keeping that out of the main dish.
 
ha i thought is i was the only one who cut zucchini into ribbons. it doesn't really replace pasta though.

It doesn't, but I figure it's similar enough to fit well in those types of dishes. Hence why I called it a "substitute" rather than a replacement :icon_chee
 
Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for regular pasta. All I do is cut a squash in half then bake it for an hour or so. Then I just take a fork and pull the squash out like I'm shredding chicken. Be careful because I think spaghetti squash has a good bit of fiber in it. I made a huge bowl of it, and about two hours later I about shit my pants.
 
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