Zucchini Noodle Bake with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Recently, I bought a vegetable spiral slicer and have been spiraling as many veggies as I can get my hands on. I use this slicer and it works great. So far my favorite type of veggie “noodle” is zucchini. Their neutral flavor is great for a wide variety of sauces and toppings, and their texture is truly reminiscent of a real noodle. After baking them with standard tomato and pesto sauce, I began scouring the internet for another option. I came across Pinch of Yum’s recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Sauce and knew it was the perfect match for my veggie noodles.

The cauliflower sauce is rich and flavorful. If you aren’t a fan of cauliflower, it honestly doesn’t taste like it at all. Instead, the flavor of garlic and parmesan cheese shine through to create an amazing substitute for alfredo sauce. If you don’t have a noodle slicer, you can make this dish with standard cut zucchini. Spaghetti squash would also work well. I added tomatoes and capers for another layer of flavor. If you’re a meat eater, you could easily add chicken or meatballs. Yum!

What You’ll Need:
3-4 Large zucchinis
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Capers
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tbs. Olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced

Cauliflower Sauce (Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
5-6 cups cauliflower florets
6-7 cups vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½ teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
½ cup milk (more to taste)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

ONE: First, create the cauliflower sauce (click here to see original recipe). Saute the minced garlic gloves in the butter on a skillet over low heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic, or it will taste bitter. Once the garlic has softened, pour the butter/garlic mixture directly into a blender or food processor.

TWO: Bring the water or broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower florets and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cauliflower to the blender or food processor. Add salt, pepper, milk and Parmesan cheese. Begin to blend the mixture until completely smooth. If you like a thinner sauce, add small amounts of the cauliflower cooking liquid to thin. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if you prefer. Set aside.

THREE: Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Using a vegetable spiral slicer (I use this one and love it!), cut your zucchinis into noodle shapes. Place the zucchini noodles in a skillet on medium heat. Cover lightly in olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add minced garlic, and cook for several minutes, until the zucchini has softened slightly. Don’t cook too long, you don’t want the zucchini to get mushy! Turn the skillet off and set aside.

FOUR: Add the cooked zucchini to a small casserole dish. Add grape or cherry tomatoes and capers and toss together. Add however much you’d like!

FIVE: Cover the zucchini in cauliflower sauce. You will have plenty of sauce leftover, I used about half. The leftover sauce is fantastic on a wide variety of dishes and freezes well. Toss the zucchini noodles in the sauce, and cover with a thin layer of parmesan cheese.

SIX: Place in preheated oven uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. Turn on the broiler for several minutes to achieve a nice golden top. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for several minutes and enjoy!

Have you tried veggie “noodles” before? They really satisfy my craving for a big bowl of pasta =)

4.0 from 1 reviews

Zucchini Noodle Bake with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: Soap Queen

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

• 3-4 Large zucchinis
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Capers
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 Tbs. Olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Cauliflower Sauce (Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum)

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5-6 cups cauliflower florets
• 6-7 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon pepper (more to taste)
• ½ cup milk (more to taste)
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. First, create the cauliflower sauce (click here to see original recipe). Saute the minced garlic gloves in the butter on a skillet over low heat. Be careful not to burn, or it will taste bitter. Once the garlic has softened, pour the butter/garlic mixture directly into a blender or food processor.
2. ring the water or broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower florets and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cauliflower to the blender or food processor. Add salt, pepper, milk and parmesan cheese. Begin to blend the mixture until completely smooth. If you like a thinner sauce, add small amounts of the cauliflower cooking liquid to thin. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if you prefer. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Using a vegetable spiral slicer (I use this one and love it!), cut your zucchinis into noodle shapes. Place the zucchini noodles in a skillet on medium heat. Cover lightly in olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add minced garlic, and cook for several minutes, until the zucchini has softened slightly. Don’t cook too long, you don’t want the zucchini to get mushy! Turn the skillet off and set aside.
4. Add the cooked zucchini to a small casserole dish. Add grape or cherry tomatoes and capers and toss together. Add however much you’d like!
5. Cover the zucchini in cauliflower sauce. You will have plenty of sauce leftover, I used about half. The leftover sauce is fantastic on a wide variety of dishes and freezes well. Toss the zucchini noodles in the sauce, and cover with a thin layer of parmesan cheese.
6. Place in preheated oven uncovered for about 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. Turn on the broiler for several minutes to achieve a nice golden top. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for several minutes and enjoy!

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