Will it Zoodle? These Veggies Pass the Test

To spiralize or not to spiralize?

Author:: Janet Taylor McCracken
Publish date:: Apr 3, 2018
Updated on: Apr 2, 2018

When I was working on the recipe for our Curly, Swirly Veggie Tart (you may have seen it on the cover of Rachael Ray Every Day's February 2018 issue!), I got a crash course in spiralized veggies. At this point, you could call me an expert!

Since you’re probably seeing corkscrewed carrots, butternut squash, and beets in your grocery store—look for them in the frozen food aisle or the refrigerated produce section—you may feel like experimenting at home with other stuff. So let me save you some guesswork and let you in on a secret: whether or not a fruit or veggie will "zoodle" all comes down to one main thing.

Here’s my #1, hard-and-fast rule about what to zoodle: Start with produce that’s large and firm. Squash is your friend here—save those soft, ripe mangoes for your smoothie. For the final veggie tart recipe, we landed on carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and beets.

spiralized veggie zoodles — Photography by Johnny Miller

Want to get zucchini or carrot noodles but don't have a spiralizer? Try cutting ribbons with a vegetable peeler, then cutting those peels into long strips. They won't be quite as curly, but they'll get the job done!

Finally, it’s all about color, so mix it up. Anything fresh and bright will serve you well. My faves are candy cane beets and watermelon radishes; if you see some at the market, grab ’em and start cranking!