Healthy Easy Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry (Print Version)

Vibrant stir-fry with spiralized zucchini noodles and creamy peanut sauce, perfect for a light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized (approximately 6 cups)
02 - 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 large carrot, julienned or spiralized
04 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed and halved
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Peanut Sauce

07 - 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
08 - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
12 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
15 - 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water
16 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
18 - Additional cilantro or green onions

# How to Prepare:

01 - Spiralize zucchinis and carrots. Slice bell pepper thinly, trim and halve snap peas, and slice green onions. Chop cilantro and set all vegetables aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Add 2 tablespoons warm water and whisk until smooth. Gradually add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce reaches desired consistency. Stir in red pepper flakes if desired.
03 - Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add a splash of sesame oil if desired for enhanced flavor.
04 - Add bell pepper, carrot, and snap peas to the hot skillet. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp with slight firmness remaining.
05 - Add spiralized zucchini noodles to the skillet and toss gently with other vegetables. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are heated through. Avoid prolonged cooking to prevent moisture release and softness.
06 - Pour prepared peanut sauce over vegetables and noodles. Toss continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until all components are evenly coated and warmed through.
07 - Remove from heat immediately. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Serve at once.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can actually make it on a Tuesday night without losing your mind.
  • The peanut sauce is so creamy and tangy that it makes simple vegetables feel like an indulgence, not a sacrifice.
  • Your leftovers actually taste better the next day once the flavors marry, making meal prep genuinely doable.
02 -
  • Do not cook your zucchini noodles in advance and let them sit, because water will weep out and your whole dish becomes watery no matter how good your sauce is.
  • The sauce thickens slightly as it cools, so if it seems a hair thin when you're cooking, that's actually correct because it will tighten up by the time you're eating.
  • If you're making this for someone with a nut allergy, sunflower seed butter works beautifully and tastes almost identical, which I discovered by accident when a friend couldn't eat peanuts.
03 -
  • A spiralizer is honestly worth the counter space if you find yourself making vegetable noodles more than once or twice; mine paid for itself in convenience alone.
  • Toasted sesame oil has a short shelf life, so store it in a cool, dark place or even the fridge, and replace it every year or so because rancid sesame oil tastes like nothing.
Return