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These creamy zucchini noodles (aka zoodles!) are tossed in a rich, garlicky ricotta sauce for a quick and easy vegetarian dinner. Light, flavorful, and ready in minutes. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re craving something cozy but nutritious and low-carb.
5 Star Review
“My all time favorite zoodle recipe, have passed it along many times. I’m lazy so i garlic salt my zoodles and put them in a colander to drain overnight in the frig. Thanks for a great recipe!” – Cecelia
Okay, I have a guilty pleasure to confess: this weekend, I waited until everyone went to bed, and I binge-watched The People’s Couch for 4 hours! I know, I know. I’m cracking up at other people watching TV. Honestly, their reactions are sometimes better than the shows themselves, and I regret nothing.
Anyway! After that very intense evening of sitting and snacking, I felt like I needed something light-but-satisfying to kick off the week, and that’s where these creamy zucchini noodles come in. They’re quick, cozy, and covered in a garlicky ricotta sauce that I could eat with a spoon.
Why I Love This Creamy Zoodles Recipe
- It’s light but satisfying. You get all the creamy, cozy pasta vibes without the carb crash. Perfect for when you want comfort food that won’t weigh you down.
- It comes together in minutes. Like, truly. Zoodles cook fast, and the ricotta sauce is basically stir-and-serve. Weeknight gold.
- It’s a veggie-loaded dream. Between the zucchini, garlic, and fresh herbs, it’s packed with flavor and a sneaky way to get those greens in. You could even take inspiration from these pesto zucchini noodles and add shrimp, too!
Ingredients For This Creamy Zucchini Noodles Recipe
I mean… let’s be honest. Real fettuccine would probably steal the spotlight here. But all I’m trying to do is help this underarm jiggle situation find its way back to where it came from. So we’re keeping things light with zoodles and feeling very proud of it.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it happen:
- Zucchini – Spiralized into noodles to make zoodles.
- Olive Oil – Used to sauté the zucchini noodles, garlic, and tomatoes. Avocado oil or any other cooking oil works too.
- Chopped Fresh Herbs – A little rosemary or thyme works great, but use what you have, or swap in Italian seasoning.
- Salt & Black Pepper – Keep it simple and season to taste! The zucchini needs a little salt to shine, as does the ricotta.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is best here, but you can also use about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Ricotta Cheese – Use whole milk ricotta for extra richness or part-skim if you prefer a lighter taste.
- Skim Milk – The milk loosens up the ricotta into a pourable sauce. Any milk will work, so use what you have on hand.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Halved and blistered in a pan for juicy bursts of flavor. Grape tomatoes work too!
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese – Totally optional, but highly recommended.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve served this creamy zucchini noodles recipe in every which way: as a cold salad, a side dish to balsamic chicken caprese and air fryer steak bites and mushrooms, and even as a light main course. However you decide to plate it up, it just works. The ricotta adds a good boost of protein, so it’s satisfying without being heavy. Toss those garlicky zoodles with blistered cherry tomatoes, grab a fork, and don’t feel bad about going back for seconds.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Transfer the zoodles and sauce to an airtight container. Keep the blistered tomatoes separate if you can because they’ll hold up better that way. Pop everything in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days. Zucchini releases water as it sits, so its texture will soften.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, just until heated through.
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Creamy Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
FOR THE ZUCCHINI NOODLES
- 4 to 6 medium-sized zucchini, washed, spiralized, and dried*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh herbs, I either reach for rosemary or thyme, but use whatever you have on hand, or use your favorite. Dried herbs also work.
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE RICOTTA SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup milk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (season it well)
FOR THE TOMATOES
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt, to taste
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Sauté the zucchini. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add the spiralized zucchini; season with herbs, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for 7 minutes, or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove the zoodles from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the creamy cheese sauce. Return the skillet to the burner and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Stir in the ricotta cheese and milk; season with salt and pepper and continue to stir until the cheese is completely melted and everything is well combined. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer and cook for 3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Combine the zucchini and cheese sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the previously prepared zucchini; taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Set aside.
- Sauté the tomatoes. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, and let cook for 2 minutes, or until they start to blister. Stir and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Finish and serve. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve the tomatoes over the creamy zucchini, sprinkling with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Equipment
Notes
- *Remove as much excess water as possible from the spiralized zucchini before cooking.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Creamy Zucchini Noodles
Make no mistake, zoodles are where it’s at. I’ve made a lot of zucchini noodle meals over the years, and honestly? There’ve been plenty of times my little family thought they were eating real spaghetti. It’s all in the sauce… and how you cook them! I doubt anyone will turn up their nose at this creamy situation. Here’s how it’s done.
- Sauté – Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add your spiralized zucchini, season with herbs, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring often, until just tender. Then remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce – In the same skillet, heat more olive oil and sauté the garlic until it’s nice and fragrant—about a minute.
- Stir – Add in the ricotta and milk, then season it well with salt and pepper. Keep stirring until the cheese melts and everything’s creamy and smooth.
- Simmer – Let the sauce bubble gently for about 3 minutes so it thickens just enough.
- Combine – Add the zucchini noodles back into the skillet with the sauce. Stir it all together and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Blister the Tomatoes – In a separate skillet, heat a little olive oil and add the halved cherry tomatoes. Let them sit untouched for a couple of minutes to get that gorgeous blistered look, then stir and cook a couple minutes more. Sprinkle with salt and remove from heat.
- Serve – Spoon the creamy zoodles onto plates, top with those sweet blistered tomatoes, and finish with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan if you’re feelin’ fancy.
This is a great recipe for summer as it is light & delicious.
Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Delicious! I used half and half and added some fresh ground nutmeg to the sauce.
My all time favorite zoodle recipe, have passed it along many times. I’m lazy so i garlic salt my zoodles and put them in a colander to drain overnight in the frig. Thanks for a great recipe!
SO happy to hear that! 😊Thank you very much!