Zucchini Noodles With Buttery Beef Gluten Free Gravy

Ground beef and zoodles are a match made in heaven in this cozy skillet dinner. Fresh zucchini noodles make a delicious pasta substitute, tossed with savory ground beef and a rich buttery gluten free gravy.

This summer I’ve been reaping quite a big harvest of zucchini from my vegetable garden. Now what better way to make use of all those zucchinis than by making zoodles!

If your counters are overflowing with squash too, my roundup What to Do With Too Much Zucchini (17 Easy Recipes to Use It Up) is packed with simple ideas for busy nights.

My friend Tristin’s Air Fryer Squash and Zucchini is another easy side dish worth saving when dinner needs to feel effortless.

These zoodles are cooked until tender and subtly crunchy, and then tossed with chunky ground beef in the butteriest gravy.

This dish is similar to one of our favorite dinner recipes, quick and tasty Skillet Beef And Gluten Free Noodles, but it’s made with zoodles! 

If ground beef meals are a favorite in your house too, you’ll love my exclusive Collection of 28 Ground Beef Recipes filled with easy family meals that don’t feel complicated or restrictive.

Today I’m going to show you just how easy this dish is to make.

It’s really quite simple.

How to make zoodles not watery

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This is the fun part: making the zoodles. For the easiest way to make zoodles, I recommend using a spiralizer like mine from Paderno World Cuisine.

As I’ve noted in other zoodle recipes, we usually find that medium long and fat zucchini make the best zoodles because they’re firm and less seedy than oversized garden zucchini. And it’s also important to keep the zucchini centered inside the spiralizer when slicing them.  

Tip: To make sure your zoodles don’t end up soggy, place them in a colander and toss with salt until coated. Then put the colander in a shallow bowl for 20 – 30 minutes while the zoodles release their moisture, after which pat dry with paper towels.

Ingredients

For Zoodles:

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 medium zucchinis
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic

For Buttery Beef Gravy:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon onion minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups gluten-free beef stock homemade or store bought
• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions:

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Once you have cut and prepared your zoodles so that they won’t be watery, you’re ready to start cooking.

First, heat extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a skillet, and then add some chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. Next, toss in the zoodles and cook for about three minutes.

Then, transfer your zoodles back to the bowl and let them sit for a few minutes to allow any excess water to be released. Drain them again, and they’ll be ready to serve with your gravy.

Now wipe out the skillet and add beef with onion to the skillet and season with salt. Brown in the pan. Transfer your cooked beef to another large bowl.

Drain the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter plus 2 tablespoons of gluten free flour. This will be our roux to thicken our gravy.

How to make a roux

Our roux is a mixture of butter and flour cooked up to make a paste, which serves as the base to thicken our gravy. Cook the flour for about three – five minutes.

The roux will develop a rich nutty aroma as it cooks. This is to avoid a raw flour taste.

Then add your stock and cooked beef mixture. Stir and simmer until it thickens. Toss your beef gravy with your zoodles.

Serving suggestions

This is one of those easy dinners that already feels complete on its own, but I love pairing it with something warm and comforting on the side when I’m feeding family or stretching the meal a little further. My creamy spoon bread is especially good here because it soaks up every bit of that rich gluten free gravy.

Pro tips and recipe notes

• What if I don’t have a spiralizer? If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can also make the zoodles by hand with a julienne peeler. Either way, they’re fun to make and very fun to eat too.
• Can I make this recipe ahead? The beef and gravy reheat well, so you can make that portion ahead of time for easier dinners during the week. I recommend cooking the zoodles fresh right before serving for the best texture.

Ground beef and zoodles are one of those simple combinations that never dissapoint, especially when you want something comforting without a lot of fuss. The buttery gluten free gravy brings everything together in a way that feels cozy and satisfying, while still keeping things light enough for an easy weeknight dinner.

If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you.

Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy week.

P.S. Love how easy this meal feels? I have a simple way to turn everyday meat or fish into comforting, flavorful meals even on busy nights. Here’s an easy way to make dinner taste better any night of the week.

More fun zucchini recipes for you

Zucchini Lasagna Recipe That Really Rocks – Think lasagna with zucchini instead of noodles. Everyone in my family loves this dish, and I’m sure you will too. Each mouthful keeps you salivating for the next bite.

Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups – Rolling up grilled zucchini with bolognese sauce and fresh parmesan really takes grilled zucchini to the next level. Wow! These little roll ups make an amazing appetizer.

Bacon. Corn, And Zucchini Sauté – This easy bacon, corn, and zucchini sauté is a delicious side where the veggies really sing. 

Stuffed Zucchini Boats – This recipe features beautiful sticks of zucchini hollowed into cute, little boats and filled with sausage and Gruyere cheese. So incredibly tasty and so fun to eat too!

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5 from 1 vote

Zucchini Noodles With Buttery Beef Gluten Free Gravy

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These zoodles (zucchini noodles) are cooked until tender and subtly crunchy, and then tossed with chunky ground beef in the butteriest gravy.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 339kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

For Zoodles:

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 medium zucchinis
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic

For Buttery Beef Gravy:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon onion minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups gluten-free beef stock homemade or store bought
• 2 tablespoons All Purpose gluten free flour here
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Prepare Zucchini (Zoodles):

• Cut zucchini into zoodles using a spiralizer. Snip the zoodles with scissors or a knife to about 5 inches long as they are much easier to eat this way.
  6 medium zucchinis
• To make sure your zoodles don’t end up soggy, place them in a colander and toss with salt until coated. Then put the colander in a shallow bowl for 20 – 30 minutes while the zoodles release their moisture, after which pat dry with paper towels.
  ½ teaspoon salt

Cook Zucchini (Zoodles):

• Heat extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a skillet, and then add some chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Next, toss in the zoodles and cook for about three minutes. Then, transfer your zoodles back to the bowl and let them sit for a few minutes to allow any excess water to be released. Drain them again, and they'll be ready to serve with your gravy.

For Buttery Beef Gravy:

• Now wipe out the skillet and add beef with onion to the skillet and season with salt. Brown your beef in the pan. Transfer your cooked beef to another large bowl.
  1 pound ground beef, 1 tablespoon onion, ½ teaspoon salt
• Drain the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter plus 2 tablespoons of gluten free flour. This will be our roux to thicken our gravy.
  2 tablespoons All Purpose gluten free flour, 2 tablespoons butter
• Our roux is a mixture of butter and flour cooked up to make a paste, which serves as the base to thicken our gravy. Cook the flour for about three – five minutes. The roux will develop a rich nutty aroma as it cooks. This is to avoid a raw flour taste.

  Then add your stock and cooked beef mixture. Stir and simmer until it thickens. Season with salt to taste.
  2 cups gluten-free beef stock
• Pour your buttery beef gravy over drained zoodles and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the easiest way to make zoodles, I recommend using a spiralizer like mine from Paderno World Cuisine.

Medium long and fat zucchini make the best zoodles, and it's also important to keep the zucchini centered inside the spiralizer when slicing them.

To make sure your zoodles don’t end up soggy, place them in a colander and toss with salt until coated. Then put the colander in a shallow bowl for 20 - 30 minutes while the zoodles release their moisture, after which pat dry with paper towels.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can also make the zoodles by hand with a julienne peeler. Either way, they're fun to make and very fun to eat too.

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcal

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