Make Ahead

Zuccaghetti

by:
June 28, 2010
5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

Like pasta, zucchini is a great carrier of other flavors and sauces. I recently got a julienne gizmo that is like a peeler but makes tiny little threads of zucchini, carrots, cukes or wherever you apply it. A mandoline or benringer with a julienne blade also works(but not as safe for fingers or as much fun to use). I make this recipe all summer long with a variety of dressings, but this is one of my favorites. It is healthy and light; a great side dish or a light lunch. - dymnyno —dymnyno

Test Kitchen Notes

Zucchini and summer squash, if sliced thinly enough, resemble spaghetti -- or, zuccaghetti! -- and make for a tender, refreshing salad. The notion of zucchini spaghetti has popped up here and there over the past couple of years. Sometimes the strands are dressed with oil and chilies, sometimes with a vinaigrette and herbs. Here dymnyno enrobes the thin, dewy zucchini in a tarragon vinaigrette rounded out with cream (add it to taste). This is a salad that gets even better with a little sitting. Dymnyno has you rinse the zucchini after salting -- we found that you can skip the rinsing. But don't skip the eating! - A&M
—The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8 small zucchini (about 2 lbs)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbs tarragon leaves
  • 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 1 cup cream(1/2 &1/2)
  • 3 tbs chives, minced
  • fresh ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Julienne the zucchini, place in a colander, sprinkle with the salt and drain for 1/2 hour. Then, rinse , and squeeze and towel out the excess moisture. A salad spinner can work.
  2. In a blender, put the olive oil, lemon juice, tarragon leaves and cream.
  3. Blend until creamy and all the ingredients are fully incorporated into a creamy dressing.
  4. Toss the zucchini with the sauce (amount determined by taste).
  5. Sprinkle with the chopped chives. Grind pepper over mixture to taste.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Teresa Wells
    Teresa Wells
  • borntobeworn
    borntobeworn
  • wssmom
    wssmom
  • QueenOfGreen
    QueenOfGreen
  • themissingingredient
    themissingingredient

74 Reviews

Ceege March 7, 2013
Could this be made in the morning for an evening presentation?
 
AnnieCate July 13, 2012
I made this recipe because I love all of the ingredients. I word to the wise...don't use nonfat yogurt in place of half & half. I made this mistake and the sourness of the yogurt didn't work well with the rest of the flavors.
 
justpicked June 18, 2012
Dymnyno -- do you use a special jullienne tool? My mandoline has a blade to do jullienne, but it's a pain in the neck to insert. Is there a simple, specialized tool out there that I can create the really fine and consistent jullienne strips you've acheived in your photo? PS: love the recipe!
 
Mary C. June 18, 2012
I bought a (German?) potato peeler a few months ago at Willams + Sonoma, the kind where the blade is horizontal not vertical. The other side is a julienne blade that works great. I use it to make carrot julienne for stir frys. Costs just a few dollars.
 
dymnyno June 19, 2012
I used a julienne tool from Kuhn ricon...it is a pricy little toy, but I love to use it on a lot of fruits and vegetables like carrots, cucumbers jicama, apples, and more. (ordered frm Amazon.com)
 
justpicked June 18, 2012
Dymnyno -- do you use a special jullienne tool? My mandoline has a blade to do jullienne, but it's a pain in the neck to insert. Is there a simple, specialized tool out there that I can create the really fine and consistent jullienne strips you've acheived in your photo? PS: love the recipe!
 
Teresa W. May 26, 2012
This has become a favorite in our home, I added carrots and parmesan instead of cream tonight because I needed to use them but this recipe is perfect all by itself. Thanks!
 
dymnyno May 26, 2012
Thanks, I am a great lover of recipe tecniques...when you find one that works, you have a key to indulge your own creativity.
 
borntobeworn July 17, 2011
I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious. I used fat-free half-n-half and added about a cup of roasted tomatoes to the sauce (went to a friend's farm last weekend and came back with many that were so ripe that I roasted them in the oven so they wouldn't go bad before we could eat them). I also added shredded parm and cooked, peeled shrimp on top. I've used julienned zucchini before on a salad but had never used it after salting and resting. I think it tastes better than pasta! Thanks!
 
dymnyno July 17, 2011
I am glad that you enjoyed it. I love all your additions, too.
 
wssmom June 30, 2011
I am so glad you entered this! (I am working on a zucchini pasta recipe even as we speak, inspired by this!)
 
FoodieAlex February 17, 2011
Awesome! Delicious!
 
QueenOfGreen August 14, 2010
Love it - thanks!
 
Brilliant!!! even with half as much sauce for fewer calories this is still very, very good. I could live on this all summer. I think that I will as you suggest, dump it on some pasta. You should have won this contest. I forgot to vote.
 
Aliwaks July 13, 2010
Made this for dinner tonight, delightful! Served it under fresh caught striped bass that was pan seared in bacon fat.....next to a handful of grape tomatoes
 
dymnyno July 13, 2010
Jessman, Jullienning (sp?) zucchini is not something that I invented, nor did I claim to do so. I observed a friend using it on carrots and used the same method to zucchini. I made up the sauce using my favorite ingredients...also nothing particularly inventive. But the combination of technique and dressing are entirely my own. I never read Martha Stewart but she does appeal to the populace.
 
jessman July 13, 2010
Ummm- this looks awfully familiar.

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/zucchini#slide_11

 
Aliwaks July 13, 2010
Actually I think Dymnyno's looks nicer and fresher and the tarragon changes the taste profile significantly. There are a lot of recipes out there that are similar to one another, I mean how many varieties of Caprese salad are there? The addition, omission of even a single ingredient or a variation on technique makes the recipe personal and unique to the chef.
 
thirschfeld July 13, 2010
If I had a dollar for every similar, and yet completely different recipe I would be a rich man. In a recipe like this, and I have seen lots of spaghetti made from squash, carrots and leeks,(if you don't believe me try me I can spout off twenty while writing this sentence) the differences may seem small but because of the dishes simplicity they are huge. The addition of black pepper, tarragon and olive oil make this so, so different. I am a huge fan of Patricia Wells, and from what I know of her, I think she would think dymnyno's recipe was amazing. She might even change the ingredients in hers to be more like this one.
 
thirschfeld July 13, 2010
By the way, I have this uncanny ability to insult while trying to compliment, I get it from my mother, so if I have done so take note. This is a great recipe and I just wish I had thought of it.
 
Aliwaks July 12, 2010
I'm turning this into a pasta salad for a BBQ party my father's throwing (and of course I'm cooking for) in a few weeks...do you think it would be good to toss in a few toasted walnuts?
 
dymnyno July 13, 2010
I think that you can tweek this recipe in many ways to suite your taste as long as you don't overpower the flavor of the zucchini.
 
slulibby July 11, 2010
simply beautiful
 
dymnyno July 11, 2010
Thanks...your recipes definitely enrich lives!
 
Kelsey B. July 11, 2010
This is fantastic! I do a lot of zucchini "noodles" with pesto, now I am going to try the tarragon cream.
 
cheese1227 July 11, 2010
Made this for a dinner party and it was adored. Thanks!
 
Lizthechef July 9, 2010
Your recipe is the kick in the pants I need post-vacation to get back in the kitchen...Thumbs up, big-time!
 
Lizthechef November 12, 2010
The eternal winner - wow!
 
dymnyno November 13, 2010
More like the matron of honor!
 
mrslarkin July 9, 2010
Wow, this is so delicious, dymnyno! Made it for dinner tonight - I didn't have tarragon so I used fresh mint instead. And I used yellow squash and zucchini, so I guess I went Paglia e Fieno with my version. Blender not necessary, if you like to see your herbs, which I do. I whisked liquid in measuring cup till creamy. So so good!
 
Lori L. July 8, 2010
I LOVE zucchini and when I discovered a similar dish in the Times two summers ago I couldn't stop cooking it. I can't wait to try this recipe. Good luck.
 
monkeymom July 8, 2010
Congrats dymnyno! Can't wait to make it now once the summer traveling settles down. It looks fantastic!
 
monkeymom July 9, 2010
Lucky me, kaykay made this for dinner tonight. It was so delicious! Can't wait to try variations. I loved the texture of the zukes. Great recipe!
 
mariaraynal July 8, 2010
Congratulations! This looks delicious and so versatile. Love the idea of serving it warm over pasta or cool with olive oil, too.
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
When I served it over pasta I didn't cook it...I just threw it on the hot pasta.
 
theicp July 8, 2010
I actually order something VERY similar to this at an Italian restaurant not too far from home, so I know this is delish - and definitely a formidable opponent! Congrats!
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
This recipe is really a case of "the medium is the massage"...once I used the julienne tool I had to invent a sauce! I don't get to Dallas very often...what is the name of the restaurant?
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
I meant "the medium is the message"
 
theicp July 8, 2010
They serve it at a restaurant called Villa O in Highland Park. It's all organic and mostly locally sourced foods, all cooked very traditionally. They tossed theirs in a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes, although I think they are missing a trick with the taragon and cream!
 
Congrats dymnyno!!!! I'm making it tonight. I got a new kitchen toy now to make the 'noodles'! Love those toys!
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
It's fun. Try it with carrots...great with a Ginger vinaigrette!
 
MyCommunalTable July 8, 2010
Congrats. I am going to make it tonight. Glad to see you are a finalist.
 
drbabs July 8, 2010
Congratulations on being a finalist! Great recipe!
 
Aliwaks July 8, 2010
Oh I love this! And I need that gizmo, I've used my veg peeler to make widish strips then cut them down ...but they never get the right shape...and I LOVE tarragon & cream!1
 
Dominique F. July 8, 2010
love the simplicity...I'll try it this weekend!
 
thirschfeld July 8, 2010
I am so glad to see this as a finalist. Simple, very well thought out and delicious. Congratulations.
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
Thank you!
 
cheese1227 July 8, 2010
Trying this for a weekend dinner party. Does it scale well? I need to serve 12.
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
Thanks! It should scale with no problem.
 
Sagegreen July 2, 2010
I wonder if a variation with the name and slight width of the zucchini could also model linguini...so, zucchatini? Love all the possibilities with your variations.
 
dymnyno July 8, 2010
Zucchatini sounds right, doesn't it? I made up a name that you have to figure out how to say it!
 
CreamPuff June 29, 2010
Love it!!! Looks like a very fun dish, too!
 
dymnyno July 2, 2010
Thanks!
 
Waverly June 29, 2010
"Zucchaghetti" is a great name - I had to find out what it was. The photograph makes it look delicious. What a perfect summertime meal. I will trying this.
Thank you!
 
dymnyno July 2, 2010
I made the name up...it looks better than it sounds.
 
gingerroot June 29, 2010
Yum...can't wait to try this - I have been enjoying the tarragon from my garden and this sounds delicious!
 
dymnyno July 2, 2010
Thanks...I love tarragon!
 
fiveandspice June 29, 2010
Wow! I love the sound of the sauce!
 
dymnyno June 29, 2010
Thanks, it is really very subtle...not too overpowering.
 
monkeymom June 29, 2010
Love this dymnyno! Do you ever do variations without cream?
 
dymnyno June 29, 2010
I have made this with a variety of sauces...some without cream....just olive oil and lemon and an herb...a little ginger works too.
 
TheWimpyVegetarian June 29, 2010
Great great recipe! I'm definitely making this in the next couple days but think I'll do the olive oil, lemon the herbs sans cream. And some shaved pecorino. The perfect summer lunch! And sign me up for that gizmo too! I'm going on Amazon next....
 
mrslarkin June 28, 2010
THIS is the zucchini recipe I've been dreaming about....and i gotta have that gizmo, too.
 
aargersi June 29, 2010
I got it from Amazon - 19.99, and if you get one more thing you qualify for free shipping!!!
 
aargersi June 28, 2010
found it! Ordering! http://kuhnrikon.com/products/tools/tools.php3?id=228
 
lastnightsdinner June 28, 2010
OXO makes a great julienne peeler as well - I bought one before Thanksgiving last year and I love it for making little ribbons. Great for shoestring potatoes, too!
 
dymnyno June 29, 2010
OXO makes great products and a lot less expensive too! Yes!!! shoestring potatoes are great with this gadget. A Benringer works too, especially with a large veggie like a potato.
 
lapadia June 28, 2010
This love thie dymnyno! I finely slice zucchini medallion style, season with herbs and a little olive, many ways to serve it; my favorite is to use it on grilled pizza and your spaghetti style would look so cool on the pizza. Oh, I am a gizmo person too!
 
lapadia June 28, 2010
I love this dymnyno! That is a correction from above, it happens sometimes!
 
dymnyno June 28, 2010
It is made by Kuhn Rikon of Switzerland. Works great on any kind of hard vegetable like jicama, carrots, cucumbers...
 
aargersi June 28, 2010
Looks really pretty, and sounds like it would be good hot or cold. I need the gizmo - I am a gadget girl!! What's it called and where do I get it?? (I have gizmo envy)
 
dymnyno June 30, 2010
I wasn't sure how it would taste hot, but last night I dumped some of the leftover in with some cooked pasta (big short tubes) and it tasted great.
 
Sagegreen June 28, 2010
I have always enjoyed spaghetti squash, but this looks even better.
 
TasteFood June 28, 2010
I just had something similar to this at a bbq party and loved it. Great recipe!