Zucchini Noodle Bowls (or Zoodle Bowls) are fresh, crisp and delicious with raw zucchini noodles, crunchy chickpeas and a spicy jalapeño vinaigrette! These vegetarian noodle bowls can be prepped ahead for easy lunches and dinners.
When you need a quick lunch, dinner or side dish, these zucchini noodle bowls are a filling option. They’re made with fresh and crisp veggies, plant-based protein and a flavourful homemade jalapeño lime salad dressing.
Why you’ll love these zoodle bowls
- These zucchini noodle bowls can be made in advance so they’re a great option for meal prepping.
- The noodle bowls stay fresh and crisp, even when made ahead of time. So, you don’t need to worry about watery or soggy zucchini noodles.
- It’s a versatile recipe! The noodle bowls are filling enough for lunch or dinner but light enough to be served as a side dish.
Details on the ingredients
Zucchini – You’ll need two large zucchini to make the noodles, or about 8 cups of noodles. Choose zucchini that are firm, with no blemishes on the skin and a vibrant dark green colour.
Yellow squash – To top the zoodle bowls, I sliced up a small yellow zucchini to add a pop of colour. If you can’t find yellow zucchini, you can leave it out or use more of another veggie.
Cucumber – English cucumber is our favourite option as it is sweeter than other varieties with a thin skin. You’ll want to slice or cube them for the bowls.
Radishes – Some radish slices add a peppery flavour and additional crunch.
Chickpeas – To add some plant-based protein to these vegetarian noodle bowls, I like to add some chickpeas (canned or crispy). I normally use these crispy air fryer chickpeas, but I’ve also included a recipe for oven roasted chickpeas in the recipe card below.
Vinaigrette – While you can top your zoodle bowl with your favourite salad dressing, I like to use a homemade jalapeño vinaigrette, which is spicy, sweet and tangy. The light texture adds flavour to the zoodles without overpowering the fresh vegetables. I’ve included a link to this recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make crispy chickpeas in the oven
Preheat your oven to 425F degrees. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry and gently rub the chickpeas between two clean dish towels until the skins loosen. Pick out the skins and discard them.
Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and coat with oil and seasonings. Spread the chickpeas out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crispy. Stir the chickpeas every 10 minutes to ensure they don’t burn.
How to make zucchini noodle bowls
Start by making the vinaigrette, cutting the veggies and preparing the chickpeas. (This can all be done in advance).
Make the zucchini noodles by using a spiralizer, vegetable peeler or julienne peeler.
Add the zoodles to a large bowl and toss with half of the vinaigrette.
Divide the noodles into 4 bowls and top with veggies and chickpeas.
Drizzle more vinaigrette over the top and serve.
Storage instructions
You can store assembled noodle bowls (minus the crispy chickpeas) in the fridge in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
The crispy chickpeas should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within a day of roasting, but will keep for 2-3 days if stored properly.
Frequently asked questions
Zoodles are noodles made from raw zucchini. The easiest way to make them is with a spiralizer but you can also use a vegetable peeler or julienne peeler. This pasta alternative is normally served raw or lightly sautéed, and can be topped in many of the same ways you would top pasta. (I often enjoy zoodles with this homemade marinara sauce!)
No, the skin on zucchini is thin, so you don’t need to peel it before making noodles with it. Just make sure to choose zucchini without any dents or scratches on the skin, and wash well to remove any dirt.
While the spiralized shape is a great alternative to pasta noodles, they don’t really taste like pasta.
Yes! You can prepare all of the ingredients a day or two in advance and assemble the bowls when ready to eat. You can also assemble the bowls a day or two in advance and store them in the fridge. I wouldn’t add the crispy chickpeas as they’ll get soggy, but everything else will stay fresh and crisp mixed together with the vinaigrette.
Key recipe tips
- While I made my own crispy air fryer chickpeas, you can also roast them in the oven, use store-bought crispy chickpeas or just use canned chickpeas (without roasting them).
- If you’re using a vegetable or julienne peeler, the zucchini noodles will be short. If you’re using a spiralizer, the noodles will be long. I normally use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut the long noodles into shorter strands.
Recipe variations
- Instead of chickpeas, use another plant-based protein like white beans or tofu.
- If you don’t need these zucchini noodle bowls to be vegetarian, feel free to add shredded chicken, turkey meatballs or salmon.
- Serving these bowls with salmon cakes or crab cakes on top would also be delicious!
- Add other types of veggies like diced peppers, shredded carrots, red onion, broccoli florets or cherry tomatoes.
- Top with cheese like feta or parmesan (if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free).
- Use a different salad dressing like the lemon thyme vinaigrette in this spring salad, or go for a creamier dressing like this jalapeño dip (just stir in a little water to thin it out).
More zucchini recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Zucchini Noodle Bowls
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 bowls
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Spiralized
- Cuisine: Canadian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Zucchini Noodle Bowls (or Zoodle Bowls) are fresh, crisp and delicious with raw zucchini noodles, crunchy chickpeas and a spicy jalapeño vinaigrette!
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini, spiralized (about 8 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups crispy air fryer chickpeas (or use recipe below to make them in the oven)
- 1 cup jalapeño vinaigrette
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup sliced yellow zucchini
- 1/2 cup sliced radishes
For the chickpeas:
- 1 can (540 ml) no salt added chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Start by making the vinaigrette, cutting the veggies and preparing the chickpeas (see below).
- Make the zucchini noodles by using a spiralizer, vegetable peeler or julienne peeler.
- Add the noodles to a large bowl and toss with half of the vinaigrette.
- Divide the noodles into 4 smaller bowls and top with veggies and chickpeas.
- Drizzle more vinaigrette over the top and serve.
For the chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry and gently rub the chickpeas between two clean dish towels until the skins loosen. Pick out the skins and discard them.
- Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and coat with olive oil and seasonings. Spread the chickpeas out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crispy. Stir the chickpeas every 10 minutes to ensure they don’t burn.
Notes
- If you don’t want to make crispy chickpeas, you can use store-bought crispy chickpeas or just use canned chickpeas (without roasting them).
- If using a vegetable or julienne peeler, the noodles will be short. If using a spiralizer, the noodles will be long. I normally use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut the long noodles into shorter strands.
- Feel free to use your favourite salad dressing, add different veggies or add another type of protein.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
I love this and can’t wait for summer when I have zucchini and jalapenos in my garden. I’m always trying to find new ways to use them, and this bowl is perfect!
Isn’t Zucchini so good when it’s fresh, in season in the summer? This salad looks delicious and I LOVE the sound of that jalapeño dressing.
Thanks Natalie! Totally agree. I buy zucchini year round, but nothing beats the in-season zucchini from the farmers market! Take care!
Ahhh I can’t stop salivating over this! I’m a huge texture person and love anything creamy, so you can just imagine how I must feel looking at that creamy green goodness right now. I’m so excited for summer after reading this and can’t wait to take armloads of produce home from the farmers market and make tasty bowls like this! 🙂
Thanks Nicole! This bowl makes me long for summer too! And the creamy jalapeño dressing is definitely my favourite part! Take care!
Your jalapeño dressing is amazing! A perfect way to dress up zoodles!
Thanks Elaine! The jalapeño dressing adds a nice kick to the zoodles!!
I always have zucchini growing like crazy in my backyard and I am always looking for salad recipes with zucchini. This salad bowl looks amazing especially with the chick peas. Can’t wait to try it this summer. Thanks for sharing ♥
Thanks Maria! I hope you like it! I’ll be dropping by your backyard this summer for some zucchini!