Spring

Zucchini Pasta Marinara

by:
July  9, 2014
4
5 Ratings
Zucchini Pasta Marinara
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This is one of the simplest way to eat zucchini noodles, and one of the best. The marinara sauce is raw -- nothing more than blended tomatoes and some seasoning -- but in spite of that it manages to taste rich and complex. —Gena Hamshaw

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 cups vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (you can use tomatoes that are oil-packed and drained, or tomatoes that are dried and have been rehydrated in boiling water, then drained)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus a few extra tablespoons for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 small zucchini, spiralized, peeled, or grated into noodles (see instructions)
Directions
  1. Blend the tomatoes, pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, maple syrup, sea salt, black pepper, thyme, and basil in a blender or a food processor till relatively smooth. Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor of the machine running, and keep blending till the sauce is smooth. Season to taste, and set the sauce aside.
  2. Use a spiralizer, a vegetable peeler, or a box grater to cut your zucchini into noodle shapes. Divide the zucchini onto four plates, and top each with about half a cup of the marinara sauce. Garnish each plate with a tablespoon of chopped basil, and serve.
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  • Cheryl
    Cheryl
  • Jannell McConnell
    Jannell McConnell
  • LittleMissMuffin
    LittleMissMuffin
  • SuzChef
    SuzChef
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10 Reviews

Stephanie G.
Stephanie G. July 21, 2022
This was delicious. I didn't need the maple syrup- the veggies were sweet without it.
 
Cheryl
Cheryl September 3, 2017
Loved this and I don't like sun-dried tomatoes. I did gently heat the sauce and zucchini and added a dollop of Kite Hill's vegan ricotta made from almonds. Zucchini was spiralized in a kind of thick-ish julienne. Will try a julienne grater next time. Delicious and filling.
 
Jannell M.
Jannell M. August 11, 2015
Hm. Is the sauce served warm or cold? (I'd happily try it cold, just don't think I've ever done that before!)
 
LittleMissMuffin
LittleMissMuffin July 22, 2015
Does the sauce freeze well?
 
SuzChef
SuzChef July 1, 2015
This marinara sauce is five stars!
 
Ana
Ana October 5, 2014
How long will the sauce keep?
 
Jill
Jill July 23, 2014
Are the zucchini noodles par-boiled?
 
Patti C.
Patti C. August 10, 2014
nope… and they are so yummy, you won't believe it… I often let them sit for a few minutes in the sauce to soften them a bit, but it isn't necessary. I also use a mandolin on the thinnest setting for wide noodles.
 
Erik
Erik July 17, 2014
You don't need to cook the zucchini?
 
Emily |.
Emily |. July 16, 2014
This was fantastic! I could practically drink the marinara sauce.