Italian Baked Zoodles

A classic baked Italian dish with melted mozzarella gets lightened up with chicken sausage and zucchini noodles.

I’m all about the kitchen gadgets and trying out new products in the kitchen. So, I was shocking even myself when I didn’t have a vegetable spiralizer until a few months ago. One of the reasons I was delaying on buying one was because of space. The kitchen in our apartment is awfully tiny and after our recent influx of kitchen appliances and supplies post wedding, things were feeling pretty cramped in there. When I saw this super small spiralizer at Sur La Table, I knew I had to have it! Now I could get in on the spiralizing and zucchini noodle trend without taking up extra space in our kitchen.

Since getting the GEFU Spirelli Spiral Slicer, I’ve been making zoodles (zucchini noodles) a lot! I love trying new recipes with them, whether it is as a replacement for pasta with meatballs or as a side for dinner. Today’s recipe was inspired by using the zoodles as a pasta replacement in a classic baked Italian dish. My Italian Baked Zoodles bring all those delicious flavors you love into a lighter meal with zoodles, tomatoes, chicken sausage and mozzarella. I hope you love it!

Have you ever made zoodles? What’s your favorite way to prepare zoodles?

xoxo, Jenna

You’ll Need:

Makes two servings

• 3 chicken sausages, removed from casing and crumbled
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  15- ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 cups zucchini noodles (typically from one large zucchini)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt to taste

To Make:

Pre-heat oven to 375 Degrees F and prepare a baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove sausage from casing.

Over medium heat, in a small to medium sized sauce pan, heat up one teaspoon of olive oil.

Add sausage and garlic to sauce pan and brown.

Once sausage is browned, gradually add in the can of diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes,basil and salt to taste.

Stir well to combine, bring to a boil and then reduce sausage-sauce mixture to a simmer.

Using your spiralizer, make your zoodles.

In a saute pan, add the other teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat.

Place zoodles into saute pan and saute for a few minutes until slightly tender. Remove from heat.

Place zoodles into prepared baking dish. Pour sausage-sauce mixture over top and stir to coat the zoodles.

Stir in half of the shredded cheese into mixture in baking dish.

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove dish from oven and top with additional shredded cheese.

Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted nicely.

Serve immediately, on its’ own or with a side salad for a delicious, light Italian-inspired meal.