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Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs & Fried Capers

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

August 10, 2023

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5 from 3 votes

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Half & Half Linguini uses half “real” noodles and half zucchini noodles for a tasty treat with less calories. Plenty of fresh herbs – mint, dill, and parsley – brighten things up along with the briny capers which are fried until crispy.

Overhead shot of dish of zucchini noodles with fresh herbs on a black plate.

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This recipe for Half & Half Linguini grew out of my love to eat a massive bowl of pasta and my need to make myself feel not so guilty for piling it all in there. I mean, my bowls of pasta are never petite… Massive is more the word for them.

And while the title for this recipe may be deceiving, there is not actually and half & half in this recipe. Instead, this recipe combines half “real” pasta and half zucchini (which has been cut to resemble pasta strands). Meaning that this recipe is only half loaded with carbs – the other half is straight up veggies. Genius, right? If I do my math correctly, that means I can have double the size pasta bowl I normally have…

This yummy pasta goodness is dressed simply.

I tossed the linguini and zucchini noodles with plenty of fresh herbs (dill, mint and parsley), some fresh grated parmesan and some quick, crispy fried capers. The herbs brighten everything up while the parmesan gives a nutty quality and those crispy capers finish it all off with a salty, briny quality.

Be sure to save some of the starchy cooking liquid from your pasta pot. It will help add body to the dish and will help to steam the zucchini noodles. Stir it all together with a bit of butter and let it get nice and creamy with the parmesan.

I think you’ll be obsessed.

Bonus that this recipe takes less than 30-minutes from start to finish.

This is one of the first recipes that I wrote for this blog and I have friends that still tell me they make these half & half zucchini noodles over and over again…

How do you Make Zucchini Noodles?

There are three options for making zucchini noodles:

  1. Use a julienne tool. For quite a while this was my preferred method. The tool is about the size of a potato peeler and works in a similar fashion.
  2. Use a knife. Just thin slice slices horizontally and then slice those slices into long thin strips.
  3. Use a spiralizer. This is my new preferred method. I just got this spiralizer attachment for my KitchenAid as a wedding gift and I’m totally obsessed with it. I can spiralize three zucchini in less than 2 minutes. If you don’t have a KitchenAid, there’s also this spiralizer that gets great reviews.
Skillet of zucchini noodles next to fresh herbs and parmesan.

How do you Cook Zucchini Noodles?

  • I prefer to quick-saute zucchini noodles for just a few minutes. In this recipe, I saute them in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Then I add in the “real” pasta and a splash of the cooking water which helps them steam a bit further. This can be a personal choice too. You may prefer your zucchini noodles al dente, which would only take about 1 minute, or you may like them on the creamier side, which would be about 3 minutes. I tend to like them on the rawer side, plus they reheat better this way too.
Two plates of zucchini noodles

Can I use all Zucchini Noodles in this recipe?

  • Sure! If you prefer to leave the carbs out completely, you can use all zucchini noodles. I would add in four more zucchini to make up for the “real” pasta in this recipe. I would also add in about ¼ – ½ cup of water as the zucchini sautes to help it steam a bit.

Pasta Recipes:

  • 30-Minute BLT Pasta
  • Gnocchi with Blue Cheese and Frizzled Prosciutto
  • Instant Pot Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy

Wine Pairings for Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs:

  • Try pairing this dish with a creamy, buttery Chardonnay.
  • Prosecco is also a great match with this dish. Its effervescence pairs nicely with the salty capers and creamy parmesan.

If you loved these zucchini noodles with fresh herbs I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings & Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

PS – Be sure to check out these 10+ Sauces for Zucchini Noodles and 35+ Zoodle Recipes too!

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Overhead shot of dish of zucchini noodles with fresh herbs on a black plate.

Full Recipe

Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs & Fried Capers

This Half and Half Linguini uses half “real” noodles and half zucchini noodles for a tasty treat with less calories. Plenty of fresh herbs – mint, dill, and parsley – brighten things up along with the briny capers which are fried until crisp.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin
Serves 4 servings
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 3 medium Divine Flavor zucchini (julienned or spiralized)
  • 8 ounces linguine (1/2 package)
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup capers (drained, rinsed and dried)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • A pinch red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons butter (diced)
  • 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Julienne your zucchini using your preferred method.
  • Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to the package instructions, then drain in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the capers, and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to cool.
  • Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan, and cook the zucchini, garlic, and pepper flakes, until just tender, 1-3 minutes.
  • Toss the zucchini with the drained pasta, along with the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Add the butter, 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, and half the cheese and mix well. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining cheese and fried capers.

Nutrition

Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 894mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 27.2mg | Calcium: 415mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This recipe was originally published in January 2015. It was updated in August 2018 to update the photographs and content. The recipe remains the same. 

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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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21 responses

  1. Maryanne @ the little epicurean
    January 28, 2015

    You got me with the title! I was intrigued.. what’s half and half linguini? What a great idea! I’ll gladly take a bowl and watch Real Housewives with you… depending on what city 😉

    Reply
    1. Erin
      January 29, 2015

      I have a bit of an addiction to this dish and to RH!

      Reply
  2. Melissa@TheHappierHomemaker
    June 9, 2015

    This looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 9, 2015

      Thanks Melissa – My favorite part is that you can eat a whole bunch and not feel like you’re in a “food coma” afterwards!

      Reply
  3. Kelly @ TastingPage
    June 10, 2015

    So many great ideas in here. I love the half and half fettuccine and zucchini noodles and then fried capers is truly the icing on top!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 10, 2015

      Kelly – Those fried capers… SO good. I have to keep myself from eating them all before they actually make it onto the pasta!

      Reply
  4. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)
    June 10, 2015

    This is fantastic! I have had a hard time with the zoodles trend so I’m loving that you did half and half. i think I can definitely get on board with that!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 10, 2015

      Thanks Kim! It’s a great way to get the texture of “real” carbs, but sneak some veggies in there as well!

      Reply
  5. Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life
    August 2, 2018

    5 stars
    Yes! I LOVE pasta – too much, I think 😉 and one of my favorite take-out dishes is a seafood dish with half pasta noodles and half zoodles. Such a great recipe, Erin! Loving the combo of herbs you used too – so flavorful!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 4, 2018

      Thanks Marlynn!

      Reply
  6. Waz
    August 2, 2018

    Such a great idea to do half pasta, half zoodles! It’s the perfect balance between food coma and not quite satisfying enough. Also, I love fried capers — yum!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 4, 2018

      Love that Waz!

      Reply
  7. Jay
    August 2, 2018

    This sounds really tasty!! I’d be very interested in trying this sometime. I made zucchini noodles once but I wasn’t super impressed because it just didn’t hit the spot. Never thought to do a half & half version.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 4, 2018

      It’s a great way to sneak in some extra veggies Jay!

      Reply
  8. Jenni LeBaron
    August 4, 2018

    5 stars
    How brilliant to make this dish half-and-half! It looks super tasty and its a great way to cut some calories and get some extra green veggies!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 4, 2018

      Thanks Jenni!

      Reply
  9. Hillary @ Crumb Kisses
    August 6, 2018

    I love that you mixed 1/2 and 1/2! I’ve never thought of that, but will definitely do that next time!

    Reply
  10. Tina
    August 17, 2018

    Yum! I want a massive bowl of this half and half noodle too!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 19, 2018

      I’m all about a HUGE bowl of noodles Tina!

      Reply
  11. 10 Recipes Using Your New Spiralizer
    January 26, 2019

    […] Half and Half: Linguini with Zucchini Noodles, Herbs and Fried Capers Half and Half Linguini uses half “real” noodles and half zucchini noodles for a tasty treat with less calories. Plenty of fresh herbs – mint, dill, and parsley – brighten things up along with the briny capers which are fried until crispy. See the recipe. […]

    Reply
  12. Zucchini Pasta Salad – Platings + Pairings – finance-strategies.online
    July 25, 2024

    […] salad actually reminds me a LOT of my recipe for Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs & Fried Capers. It has so many of the same ingredients. However, that recipe is served warm, and half of the […]

    Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

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