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Zucchini Noodle Mac & Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

What to make with all that fresh summer zucchini? Mac and cheese, please!

If you’re like me, you want ALL the cheesy, comfort food you can find, like macaroni and cheese… but not the calories. I even want EXTRA cheese!

That’s is how this Zucchini Noodle Mac and Cheese idea was born. I’m not one of those people that can just ignore their cravings, so I found out a way to get my cheese fix, without getting packed down with carbs.

Fork dipping into Zucchini Noodle Mac & Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Spiralizing vegetables is a great way to make eating healthy veggies fun, so I also knew that little kitchen gadget needed to be thrown in the mix.

Zucchini is VERY low in carbs, which makes “zoodles” a great, nutritious alternative to standard grain-based pasta. Plus, it’s light in flavor so it REALLY lets the ooey-gooey-rich cheesy flavor shine. I added Greek yogurt to the sauce to pack in an extra punch of protein, too!

I pinky promise that you’re not even going to suspect that this bowl of super-creamy deliciousness is good for you!

Zucchini Noodle Mac and Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Photo of Zucchini Noodle Mac and Cheese with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 20 minutes
  • 5 minutes
  • 25 minutes
  • 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 large zucchinis or 6 Medium, spiralized with the 3mm blade (about 2 1/2 lbs zucchini pre-spiralizing, or 10 lightly-packed cups post-spiralizing)
  • Salt 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, lighted packed (5 oz)
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (2 oz)
  • 1/2 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes with Italian herbs (not packed in oil)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Pepper
  • Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Bring a LARGE pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Add in the zucchini noodles, breaking any really long noodles up as you add them to the pot (this makes it easier to mix with the cheese later,) and cook just until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Pour the noodles into a colander, making sure to get all of the water out of the pot. Place the pot back onto the stove and reduce the heat to medium-low.
  4. REALLY shake out the water from the zucchini noodles and then transfer them to a kitchen towel. Place another kitchen towel under (so you have a double-layer of towels) and squeeze the top of the zucchini noodles, trying to get as much water out as you can. The water is HOT, so don't directly grab the kitchen towel where the zucchini noodles are wrapped, as you could burn yourself.
  5. Then, transfer the zucchini noodles onto a layer of paper towel. Place another layer of paper towel on top and squeeze out any water, being careful not to burn yourself (you do need to work quickly, as the noodles need to stay hot.)  Repeat once more with another piece of paper towel, so that you've pressed the zucchini noodles out twice.
  6. Transfer the noodles back to the pot on medium low heat and stir in the cheese, a few handfuls at a time. Add more cheese once the previous addition is melted. It might be a little bit globby, but that's normal, and the Greek yogurt helps smooth it out.
  7. Once all the cheese is added and melted, stir in the Greek yogurt until well-combined. Finally, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and a pinch of pepper.
  8. Garnish with fresh basil (if desired) and devour IMMEDIATELY.

Notes: If your tomatoes are dry and tough, soak them in a small bowl of water to re-hydrate them. When squeezing your zucchini noodles, try to get as much water out as you can so you don't end up with soggy, watery mac and cheese!

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