Looking for a fantastic Sauce for Zucchini Noodles to turn any simple zoodles into a fantastic dinner? This homemade sauce is healthy, delicious, and SO flavorful.
The zoodles and sauce are perfect for a warm spring or summer day and don’t require turning on that oven! Plus, zoodles are a nutritional substitute for classic carb-heavy pasta, and when added, chipotle lime shrimp contributes the perfect zing of heat.
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🩵 About This Recipe
Super easy to make, this homemade zoodles sauce is a surefire way to turn plain zucchini noodles into a fantastic dish!
Whether you're serving them as a side or topping with a protein like shrimp, this is a much lighter and healthier alternative to traditional pasta. You can also use this avocado sauce on regular pasta or with other dishes!
If you have avocado left over or just can't get enough, you should also check out my Avocado Mango Salad or these simple but delicious Baked Avocados! And for some helpful tips, check out this article on What Does Avocado Taste Like for more info.
What readers are saying...
Made this previously and love it - now recommending it to others!
- Mary
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- avocados - provides the creamy base and rich texture for the sauce.
- Greek yogurt - gives the sauce a tangy flavor and nice creamy texture.
- lime juice - helps balance out the richness of the avocado with some bright citrus.
- garlic - fresh minced garlic is going to give you the best flavor, but jarred garlic or garlic paste also works fine.
- salt and pepper - add seasoning to taste.
- basil - contributes a fresh, aromatic, slightly sweet herbaceous flavor that pairs wonderfully with avocado.
🔪 Let's Make Sauce for Zucchini Noodles!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Prepare Avocados
Cut your avocados in half and remove the pits. Then remove the peel from each half.
Combine Ingredients
Add avocado, seasonings, Greek yogurt, basil, lemon juice, and garlic to a food processor.
Pulse
Blend everything together until it's combined and smooth, then set aside.
Prepare Zoodles
In a separate bowl, use a spiralizer or food processor to slice your zucchini into ribbons.
Add Sauce
Pour sauce over the zoodles and mix until well coated.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- If your sauce is a bit too thick, add a splash of water or milk, or more lime juice if you don't mind a stronger citrus flavor.
- For topping ideas, add pine nuts, sliced cherry tomatoes, or some fresh lemon zest.
- Use this avocado sauce as an appetizer dipping sauce served with fresh veggies like broccoli, carrots, or cucumber slices.
❔ FAQs
I recommend cutting it in half, removing the pit, and then using a large spoon to scoop between the skin and the fruit. If you're careful, you can get the entire thing out without even breaking it!
Absolutely! If you have a vegetable peeler, you can run that along the zucchini instead. You'll end up with wider noodles, but it will taste exactly the same.
Avocado is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and various vitamins and antioxidants. Zucchini noodles are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Basil provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, along with vitamins K and A.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- For even more refreshing citrus flavor, add some lime or lemon zest.
- Add a spicy kick with red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Instead of or in addition to basil, you can use fresh cilantro or parsley.
- Give the sauce a nice cheesy flavor by adding Parmesan or nutritional yeast.
- Instead of zoodles, you can use the same process to make noodles out of other veggies like carrots or sweet potatoes.
Kristin’s Kitchen Tip
Many grocery stores sell pre-sliced zoodles, so look for those if you want to save some time on prep!
🥡 Storage
If you have sauce leftover, keep it in the fridge for a day or two. I recommend using some plastic wrap and pressing it directly to the surface of the sauce to prevent it from browning.
You can also freeze this sauce for zucchini noodles for up to a month. It might separate in the freezer, so just give it a good stir once you've thawed it.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this sauce for zucchini noodles recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This can be served as a main course with a light salad or nice crusty bread to round out the meal! A Cucumber Salad or Kale Caesar Salad works nicely, and you can even add a Homemade Cheddar Bacon Bread or this Crock Pot Garlic Parmesan Bread.
Another great idea is to top your avocado zoodles with chipotle shrimp! See the recipe card below for instructions on how to whip up a quick batch of those.
😋 More Avocado Recipes You'll Love
- Grilled Avocado Sauerkraut Sandwich - This unique and savory sandwich is perfect for a healthy and satisfying meal.
- Quinoa Cucumber Tomato Salad - You'll love this light side dish with nutritious fresh ingredients and an avocado topping!
- Air Fryer Avocado Grilled Cheese - Upgrade your plain grilled cheese with this avocado version.
- Avocado Brownies - Chocolate lovers will adore this slightly lightened up brownie recipe from Well Plated by Erin!
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Zucchini Avocado Pasta
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📋 Recipe Card
Creamy Avocado Sauce for Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 avocados (peeled)
- ½ cup fat free Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- small handful basil leaves (I used about 25 leaves)
- 3 medium zucchinis
Instructions
- Scoop the flesh from the avocados.2 avocados
- In a food processor, pulse the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil leaves until smooth. Set aside.½ cup fat free Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, small handful basil leaves
- Use a spiralizer, food processor, or julienne slicer to cut the zucchini noodles to your desired thickness.3 medium zucchinis
- In a large bowl, toss the zoodles with the sauce until they are coated.
Notes
- To save time, you can purchase pre-spiralized zucchini noodles available in many grocery stores.
- For tips on scooping the flesh from avocados, see this post: https://dizzybusyandhungry.com/what-does-avocado-taste-like/
- If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of water, milk, or more lime juice to reach your preferred consistency.
- Grate some lime or lemon zest into the sauce for an extra burst of freshness.
- Serve topped with cherry tomatoes, roasted pine nuts, or freshly grated lemon zest for added texture and color.
- This recipe is delicious with a side of crusty bread or a light side salad to round out the meal.
- You can skip the zoodles and instead serve the avocado sauce as a dipping sauce with fresh veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or bell pepper strips.
- Store any leftover sauce in the refrigerator for 1-2 days in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent browning.
- The sauce can be frozen for up to 1 month, but it may separate slightly when thawed. Stir vigorously or blend again before serving.
- Leftover coated zucchini noodles can be stored for 1-2 days in the refrigerator, but note that the texture may decline. Freezing is not recommended.
Some suggested variations:
- Mix in grilled chicken, chickpeas, or shrimp to make it a complete meal. (See the recipe below to make chipotle shrimp.)
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick.
- Substitute basil with cilantro or parsley if desired.
- Top with shredded Parmesan or nutritional yeast for extra flavor, or sprinkle toasted almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds over the dish for added texture and a nutty flavor.
- Swap zucchini noodles for other veggie noodles like carrot or sweet potato spirals.
For the optional chipotle shrimp:
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder (use more if you like things spicy!)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 16 ounces medium shrimp (raw)
- In a medium bowl, combine the chipotle powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
- Add the shrimp and toss until coated.Spray a skillet with nonstick spray, and heat over medium.
- Add the shrimp and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the shrimp is opaque.
- Serve by placing the zoodles on each plate and topping with a few shrimp.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2015, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in February 2025.
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Happy cooking!
Mary McNeill says
made this previously and love it - now recommending it to others!
Kristin says
That's great to hear, I'm so happy you like it! And thanks for recommending it! 🙂
Jamie says
Yumm! I'm bringing back my Monday link party @ DIY Home Sweet Home (first one will be Oct. 16th) and I would love for you to stop by and link up your recipe! http://diyhshp.blogspot.com
Miz Helen says
We will love your Zoodles with Chipotle Lime Shrimp! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen