Zucchini Noodle Casserole

 

You know what my favorite kitchen contrivance is this summer?

A spiralizer, or a helical vegetable slicer. It's principally a lathe that lets you turn a spherical vegetable similar as zucchini or sweet potato into" polls", or in the case of zucchini," zoodles". I love pasta as much as anyone, but the verity is my body won't cooperate and let me eat as important pasta as I want without uninvited consequences. So, the idea of making polls with zucchini? Tempting, but could it conceivably be as good as pasta? Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby advertise that zucchini polls, at least cooked the way I have prepared them in this dish, are surprisingly good. This inelegant baked zucchini pate dish is like ignited spaghetti, but with zucchini polls rather of spaghetti. The flavor of zucchini is atrocious with the tomato, onion, garlic, link, and crapola . You can even rotation the" zoodles" on your chopstick! The pate shape nearly tricks your mouth into allowing you're eating spaghetti. But you aren't. This is gluten-free, low carb, and fully satisfying.

In this interpretation, we're adding sweet Italian link to the tomato sauce, but you could fluently make it submissive by using cubed eggplant or sliced mushrooms rather of the link.

How to Make This This Casserole Vegetarian :

We're using Italian link in thesauce.However, you can use either eggplant or mushrooms( or both), If you would like to make the saucevegetarian.However, cell the eggplant into 3/ 4- inch cells, swab it, If you use eggplant. also brown it in a teaspoon or two of olive oil painting in place of the link. still, slice them into 1/ 4- inch slices and dry sauté them( no added fat, just put the mushrooms into the hot visage) until they've released utmost of their humidity, If using mushrooms.

RECIPE :

Zucchini Noodle Casserole

PREPE TIME :                                             COOK TIME :                                   TOTAL TIME :

    20 mins                                                         50 mins                                              70 mins                              

    

SERVINGS :  6 Servings

NOTE : The amount of water content in zucchini can vary greatly depending on their size and age. If you’re using large or very fresh zucchini, let the noodles drain after salting for up to 2 hours.

INGREDIENTS :

• 3 pounds zucchini (about 5 to 6 good-sized zucchini, enough for 8 to 10 cups of salted zucchini noodles)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces Italian sausage (in bulk, out of casings)
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD :

1- Preheat the oven and prepare a dish :

Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a 9 x 13-inch or 8 x 12-inch casserole dish.

2-Spiralize the zucchini, toss with salt, and let drain :

Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles (zoodles) following the manufacturer's directions. You should have a generous 8 cups of zucchini noodles.

Place in a colander over a bowl. Snip the zucchini noodles with scissors here and there to keep them from tangling too much.

Toss the zoodles with 3 teaspoons of kosher salt. Let the zoodles drain of excess moisture while you make the sauce.

3- Lightly brown the sausage :

Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Break up the Italian sausage into small clumps in the pan. Heat on medium heat and gently cook the sausage until it is just cooked through and lightly browned. Remove to a bowl. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of rendered fat.

4- Brown the onions and garlic:

In the same pan, add the chopped onion. Cook until softened and lightly colored, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.

5- Add the tomatoes and cooked sausage, simmer, then add the basil:

Add the canned crushed tomatoes and cooked sausage to the pot with the onions. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 5 to 6 additional minutes.

Stir in the thinly sliced basil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

6- Combine the zoodles and the sauce:

Add the zucchini noodles to the pot with the tomato sausage sauce. Gently stir to combine so that all of the noodles are coated with sauce.

Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer.

7- Top with cheese, then bake:

Arrange the ricotta in clumps on the casserole. Press the ricotta into the zucchini noodles to penetrate the casserole a bit. Mix the grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese together and sprinkle over the top in an even layer.

Bake at 350°F, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Store leftover zucchini noodle casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or tightly wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

NUTRITION FACTS : (PER SERVING)

     424                                        27g                            23g                                      26g

CALORIES                                 FAT                         CARBS                             PROTEINS

Bon appetite !! 

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