Zucchini Noodles & Shrimp in Sweet Potato-Red Pepper Sauce
I am SO in love with the new spiralizer I got for Christmas! (It’s this fancy-pants Paderno 4-blade variety… kind of complicated to put together at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great.) I’m about to spiralize everything up in this kitchen. Well, within reason.
Obviously, one of the best things to do with a spiralizer is to make faux-noodles. I’ve been trolling Pinterest for some spiralizer inspiration and I happened upon this recipe from Shape. Instead of heavy dairy, it uses puréed sweet potatoes to make a creamy, thick sauce. (Thankfully I also received a shiny new Cuisinart food processor at Christmas this year!)
The original recipe also uses spiralized sweet potatoes to make the “noodles” and while I love me a sweet potato, this was a little too… overly sweet potatoey for my liking, so I subbed zucchini for that component. So technically you can call them “zoodles” but I haven’t fully given into that terminology yet. I also added some shrimp for protein, it went really well with the rest of the flavors and textures. If you’re trying to keep things vegetarian/vegan, you could omit the shrimp and add some firm tofu.
This meal was SO filling and satisfying while also managing to be extremely healthy and low calorie. Rob and I split this entire recipe, and I was wondering if it’s unhealthy/weird for adults to eat 1.5 zucchinis each in a single sitting, but I guess that’s just #spiralizerlife.
Sautéed Zucchini Noodles & Shrimp in Sweet Potato-Red Pepper Sauce
Modified from this Sweet Potato Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper “Cream” Sauce recipe from shape.com
SAUCE:
1 cup steamed sweet potato chunks
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips (you could also roast your own red pepper from scratch if you have time/desire)
chili flakes, sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
NOODLES:
3 large zucchini (zucchinis? why don’t I know the pluralization of this?)
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup chopped asparagus tips
3/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
More salt & pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: shrimp for protein! You’ll need about a half pound shrimp, deveined and shelled.
Combine sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more almond milk if sauce is too thick.
Spiralize your zucchini – you could also try a handheld julienne peeler – I have one similar to this and it works ok, but not as well as the spiralizer. Scoop coconut oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s melted, add asparagus and mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for a couple minutes, until just heated through but not mushy! Pour sauce over noodles and vegetables, and toss to coat well. Season with additional salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh basil!
If you’re adding shrimp (which I highly recommend if you are looking for a protein boost), sauté it in the coconut oil with the vegetables until it’s just pink, only about three minutes or so. It will continue to cook as you add the sauce and heat everything together. Delicious!
For more healthy recipes, cocktails, food travel, and restaurant reviews, check out ES Emily’s individual blog, A Time to Kale, or tweet her @emilyteachout.
I NEED A SPIRALIZER. Next up on my Kitchen Wish List for sure 🙂
YOU DO NEED ONE!!! It’s the best thing ever. Williams-Sonoma has a whole bunch.