French Onion Zoodle Bake

French Onion Zoodle Bake has all the flavors of the classic French soup, but with a healthy, hearty twist! If you’re searching for a zucchini noodle recipe that’s the perfect blend of comfort food and health food, this zoodle casserole is for you.

Well, February flew by like a fart in the wind.

Am I right?

Even with the whole Leap Year day addition… ya, know what? I just realized today is actually Leap Year Day. Can we talk about this for 2.2 seconds? What is the actual reason for Leap Years? Did someone lose a calendar bet back when the Mayans were around? It seems about as loopy as a zoodle. (See what I did there?)

If you have a bit of Leap Year Day knowledge in your ol’ head, drop me a comment below. I want to know. In the meantime, let’s talk zoodles. 

Zoodles are spiralized zucchini noodles. And these days, it’s become a catch-all phrase for just about every spiral-shaped veggie. You can’t walk down a grocery aisle without seeing signs for “zoodled” sweet potatoes, squash, turnips, parsnips, and zucchini.

I think it’s great that people are finding more ways to enjoy vegetables because I do believe in balance. Now, if we could only zoodle some fried chicken. Just kidding. Maybe. 

Speaking of balance, this French Onion Zoodle Bake is the perfect yin and yang when it comes to comfort-healthy food. 

How do you make zoodles not watery?

Zucchinis are over 90% water by weight. Baked zucchini noodles can sometimes be watery, but since this is a casserole recipe and not a stir-fry, the water gets incorporated into the sauce. It’s still a good idea to follow a couple rules for making zoodles less watery:

• After spiralizing, pat your zoodles dry with paper towels.
• Do not overcook the zoodles. 
• Use less water in your zoodles recipe.

French Onion Zoodle Bake Recipe

I adore, in fact, crave French onion soup. It’s my second favorite soup (tomato is my first, in case you were dying to know). So that’s where the inspiration for this recipe came from. 

I thought incorporating the flavors of French onion soup into a pasta bake, but subbing said pasta for zoodles would be a complete life win-win. Here’s how you can “leap” into a bowl tonight. (To celebrate Leap Year Day. Get it? Too much?)

In a skillet preheated to medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add salt, pepper, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes. 

Add beef broth and cook until onions are golden brown – about 12 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to keep the onions from burning.

Next, spray a 5×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine zucchini noodles and the French onion mixture. Pour the French onion zoodle mixture into the dish and top with Fontina cheese. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired. 

There is a probability that water from the zucchini will appear. If so, just drain it off carefully with a spoon before serving. Enjoy!