Teriyaki Beef Zoodles {Zucchini Noodles} is an easy one pan meal perfect for busy weeknights. Made with tender steak, juicy pineapples and spiralized zucchini noodles. It can be made lower carb or gluten free with paleo-friendly options. Takes only 30 minutes to make. It’s an easy meal that comes together in about 30 minutes – perfect for those busy weeknights and a great way to sneak in some extra green.

The homemade teriyaki sauce is the same one I use for this Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Shrimp recipe and is super simple to make. I am a huge pineapple fan and always love adding it to teriyaki sauce. It gives it that additional layer of tangy sweetness to the teriyaki sauce.

The zoodles are tossed into the pan near the end for no more than 2 minutes. They soften up slightly with a nice bite. You can also serve the zoodles raw as a salad if you’d like with the beef and pineapples over top. Either way, it’s a fun way to get more oodles of zoodles into your life.

Prep Time

    •    Prep time: 18 minutes
    •    Cook time: 10 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 3-4

Ingredients

    •   Sauce
    •   1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce gluten free tamari or coconut aminos for a paleo version
    •   2-3 tbsps honey coconut sugar or low calorie sweetener of your choice (adjust amount according to your preference)
    •   3 tbsps rice vinegar
    •   2 garlic cloves minced
    •   1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
    •   1 tbsp corn starch or use arrowroot powder or tapioca starch for a paleo version
    •   2 tbsps water plus more as needed (to thin out sauce)
version
    •   For the zoodles
    •   8 ounces flank steak sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices
    •   1 tbsp sesame oil
    •   Salt and black pepper to taste
    •   5-6 medium zucchini cut into noodles using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler (blotting with a paper towel helps to absorb excess moisture)
    •   3 tbsps olive oil divided (coconut oil for paleo)
    •   1 cup pineapple chunks [fresh frozen or canned (drained) - I used fresh - leave out for lower cal option]
    •   Salt black pepper and red chili flakes to taste, optional)

Optional:

    •   Sesame Seeds
    •   Lunch containers for meal prep

Method

1. For the sauce: Combine all the ingredients (except for the water) for the sauce into a medium bowl.
2. In a separate large bowl, combine steak with salt, pepper, sesame oil and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of sauce over top. Allow to marinate while you spiralize the zucchini noodles.
3. Spiralize the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler.

For the zoodles:

1. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium high heat until pan starts to get smoky. Add beef and allow to sear and brown on both sides (about 1 minute). Transfer onto a plate.
2. Return pan to heat. Heat the remaining oil and add pineapples and cook until softened, around 1 minute. Stir in the beef and sauce, and turn heat to high. Allow sauce to bubble and thicken up. Add reserved water (only as needed) little by little, to thin out the sauce.
3. *If cooking the zucchini noodles, add into pan and use tongs to toss and coat with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes until zucchini is just tender but still firm. Be careful not to overcook.
4. Serve immediately and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
5. For meal prep - divide evenly into lunch containers. Store in fridge for up to four days.

NOTES: *Be careful not to overcook zucchini noodles - leave them in the pan no more than 1-2 minutes as they continue to soften once they cook.

MAKE AHEAD-TIPS for this One Pot Teriyaki Beef Zoodles:

    •   Spiralize the zucchini before hand and store in an zip-top freezer bag in the fridge or the freezer
    •   Cut pineapples and store in the fridge the day before in an airtight container

This great family recipe is thanks to Life Made Sweeter. Recipes at https://lifemadesweeter.com/teriyaki-beef-zoodles/