Photo: Jenna Hamra / Pexels
Dinner
Zucchini Noodles with Meat Sauce
Classic meat sauce over zoodles — comfort food with a fraction of the pasta carbs.
- Net carbs
- ~9g
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
Why this meal fits low carb
Zucchini noodles replace pasta while meat sauce supplies protein and fat. Spiralize just before serving so noodles do not turn watery. Jarred sauce can add sugar — read the label or make a quick crushed-tomato simmer.
Swaps
Ground beef, turkey, or Italian sausage all work. Add mushrooms for bulk without many carbs.
Meal prep
Sauce freezes well. Spiralize zucchini the day you eat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 1 cup marinara (no sugar added)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Parmesan for serving
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brown meat with garlic; drain if needed. Stir in marinara and seasoning; simmer 10 minutes.
- Sauté zoodles in olive oil 2–3 minutes — do not overcook or they get watery.
- Plate zoodles, top with sauce and parmesan.
Tips
Salt zoodles lightly and pat dry if very wet. Read marinara labels — many brands hide sugar.
Check the numbers
This recipe is about ~9g net carbs per serving and ~24g protein. Verify packaged ingredients and set your daily budget:
- Net carb calculator — label math for sauces, yogurt, sausages
- Keto macro calculator — daily protein / fat / carb targets
- More recipes under 10g net carbs
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Net carb and protein values are working estimates intended for the listed quantities and stated servings; they are not laboratory analyses or medical advice. Brands and substitutions can change the result. Verify packaged foods with our net carb calculator. https://metaboliclowcarb.com