How do you cook zucchini in Chinese style?

The key to cooking zucchini in Chinese style is high heat and fast cooking. For this Chinese Zucchini Noodles Recipe, you avoid overcooking by draining the zoodles beforehand and tossing them in a bold uncooked sauce with garlic, sesame oil, chili oil, and coconut aminos. This keeps the texture firm while delivering deep flavor instantly.

How do you stir-fry zucchini so it’s not soggy?

To prevent sogginess, salt your zucchini noodles and let them drain for 30 minutes. This pulls out excess moisture. Then, gently squeeze them with a towel. For traditional stir-fry, cook quickly over high heat for no more than 2–3 minutes. In this Chinese Zucchini Noodles Recipe, the zoodles aren’t stir-fried—they’re tossed raw with a punchy sauce, which keeps them crisp.

What is the difference between zucchini and Korean zucchini?

Regular zucchini is firmer with a slightly grassy flavor, while Korean zucchini (aehobak) is softer and has a lighter, more delicate taste. In the Chinese Zucchini Noodles Recipe, both work well, but you may want to shorten the salting time for Korean zucchini to maintain its texture.

How do you cook zucchini so they are not soggy?

The number one trick is to salt and drain the zucchini before cooking or mixing. This method is essential in the Chinese Zucchini Noodles Recipe. It removes excess water and prevents your final dish from turning watery. Also, avoid overcooking—quick prep or no-cook methods like in this recipe work best.

Chinese Zucchini Noodles Recipe – Spicy Garlic Zoodles in 20 Minutes

Ingredients

Scale

4 zucchinis/courgettes, cut into noodles (zoodles)

1 teaspoon salt

Sauce:

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons coconut aminos

2 tablespoons tahini or peanut/almond butter

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2–3 teaspoons medium or mild chili powder (adjust to taste)

2 teaspoons chili oil

2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup (optional)

Optional garnishes:

Toasted sesame seeds

Green onions

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Instructions

1. Make your zoodles: Spiralize zucchini using a spiralizer or mandoline slicer.

2. Cut noodles shorter using scissors for easier mixing and eating.

3. Toss zoodles with salt and place in a colander over a sink or towel for 30 minutes.

4. In a bowl, mix garlic, coconut aminos, tahini, sesame oil, chili powder, chili oil, and honey or maple syrup to create sauce.

5. After 30 minutes, gently squeeze excess water from the zoodles using a towel.

6. Add drained zoodles to the sauce and toss well until fully coated.

7. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.

8. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use almond butter or peanut butter as a tahini substitute.

If using Korean zucchini, reduce salting time to avoid over-softening.

Add tofu, shrimp, or cooked chicken for extra protein.

Keep sauce and zoodles separate for better storage.

Author: EmilyFrost
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 180
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 420mg
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 0mg