Fish stir fry recipe consists of cod fillets chopped into bitesize pieces, coated in a herbaceous dry rub, before being stir fried with low carb vegetable zoodles and bell peppers. The perfect meal for aiding weight loss without compromising the flavour.
Fish stir fry with zoodles? What on earth is Charla talking about? Con't worry I will explain shortly. I'm so pleased to share this low carb, wheat free, keto friendly and paleo approved recipe with you all.
This is my go to along with my other low carb side recipe like my Guyanese Chow Mein when I'm looking for a meal that is delicious, yet not too heavy and caloric.
Years ago I went through a period where I ate copious amounts of pasta, noodles etc.. all made from wheat and often felt bloated shortly afterwards.
At the time, not being too concerned about diet and nutrition, ignored the symptoms which explained why I ate wheat in large quantities.
As the years went by I began to pay close attention to this bloated feeling, documenting what I ate as a means of identifying the cause. It soon became apparent that wheat was the culprit.
After this shock discovery I had to amend my diet because I clearly had some type of sensitivity to wheat.
Removing wheat from my diet was't easy, although I can tolerant small to moderate doses of wheat such as spelt flour.
For the most part, I try to keep it to a minimum where possible.
What are zoodles?
Zoodles are a North American term for vegetable noodles. The choice of vegetable used tends to be a zucchini which is known as a courgette in the UK.
The noodles are low in fat, wheat/gluten free and low in carbohydrates which make them suitable for those with a range of dietary requirements .ie gluten intolerant, weight loss etc
Zoodles maker - The most popular way of making zucchini noodles is with a spiraliser which I have and absolutely LOVE or alternatively, tools such as a vegetable peeler. grater or even a knife can be used to make them.
The good news is you only need 4 main ingredients to make this recipe - Herb/fish seasoning (as listed), mixed bell peppers, and zucchini/courgettes.
There are so many overly complicated fish stir fry recipes out there but this one is super duper easy and very tasty.
Eliminating the bitter after taste of zoodles
An interestingly thing about making noodles from zucchini, is the bitter after taste which may people complain about. Almost to the point where some never re-attempt to make zoodles again.
I had this problem when I whipped up a few recipes, just couldn't omit the bitterness....THEN... I read somewhere that adding some salt to the zoodles and setting aside for 10-15 minutes allows the bitterness to sweat away. If you're having the same problem then try this tip and problem solved.
What fish is best for stir fry
You need fish that is firm fleshed and won't fall apart too easily.
Such as -
- Halibut
- Cod
- Salmon
- Seabass
- Monkfish
I used 4 cod fillets which I sliced into small pieces to make my stir fry. Use fish that is fresh if possible because it is more firm and not water logged from thawing which breaks it down.
I made a homemade herbaceous seasoning which really, takes the taste up a notch!! Add this to the fish pieces and set aside.
Bell peppers - I used 3 different colour bell peppers - red, green and orange which are cooked before adding the fish and zoodles.
Cooking the fish - The fish takes a few minutes to cook because of the size of the pieces. Then the zucchini is folded in, just stir a few times, 3-4 times so the zoodles heat through and fold into the bell peppers.
Fish seasoning used
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon of dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
Reasons to make this recipe
- Low in fat and high in protein
- Great for those who are looking to loose weight
- It's deliciously nutritious
- It's quick, easy and great for busy weeknights
The steps
Start by adding the zucchini noodles to a colander with the himalayan pink salt. Sprinkle on and set aside for 10-15 minutes before rinsing the salt off.
Prepare the herb rub for the fish, coat the fish pieces and set aside.
Heat the coconut oil, then add the bell peppers first of all, cook them for 5-7 minutes until tender.
Add the fillet pieces and cook through until the meat is white in colour then fold in the zoodles, cook for a further 3-4 minutes then serve
Notes and tips
- Zucchinis are also known as courgettes
- If you don't have a spiralizer a julienne peeler will work just fine.
- Make sure to peel the zucchini/courgettes first of all
- If you don't want to use the fish seasoning provided then use this seasoning instead.
- Feel free to add additional vegetables i.e broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots, green beans etc.. to the stir fry
Other zoodles recipes you may like (and low carb meals)
- Avocado Zucchini Salad
- Beef Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry
- Cajun Chicken Breast with Zoodles
- Mango and Prawn Salad
- Seared Tuna Lettuce Wraps
- Cajun Shrimp with Zuchini Zoodles
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Vegetable Fish Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 4 large fish fillets chopped into pieces
- 3 mixed bell peppers sliced
- 2 large zucchini courgettes
- fish seasoning see post for ingredients
- 2 tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt for the zoodles
Instructions
- Start off by using the spiraliser to create vegetable noodles. To do this simply use a peeler to scrap the skin off the zucchini, it should come off quite easily. Then wedge the zucchini in between the spike and insert it into the protruding metal piece. Rotate the lever clockwise until the zoodles exit the other side, using a dish to catch the noodles.
- Put the veggie noodles into a colander, sprinkle with 1tsp off pink salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- After the given time you will notice the zoodles begin to sweat. At this stage rinse and drain the zoodles.
- Now season the fish with the seasoning mix as listed and set aside
- In a heavy duty pan (can use a wok) melt the coconut oil on medium heat and proceed to adding the bell peppers and cook them until tender. Roughly 5-7 minutes this should take.
- Once the peppers are tender, pan fry the fish. Ensure to toss and manoeuvre the fish to evenly seal the fish pieces. Do this for 3-4 minutes
- Finally add the vegetable noodles, folding no more than 4 times so they don;t become too fragile nor do the fish pieces break down and cook for a total of 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from stove and serve accordingly.
Notes
- Zucchinis are also known as courgettes
- If you don't have a spiralizer a julienne peeler will work just fine.
- Make sure to peel the zucchini/courgettes first of all
- If you don't want to use the fish seasoning provided then use this seasoning instead.
- Feel free to add additional vegetables i.e broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots, green beans etc.. to the stir fry
Alison
This recipe looks perfect for a weeknight dinner - quick, tasty and healthy. Thanks for the salt tip. Which spiralizer do you have? There are so many on the market, not all worth the $$$ so right now I just buy from the superM. but would love to do homemade.
Charla
Hi Alison, I use this spiralizer">this spiralizer to create vegetable noodles
Ken Halliday
The bitter aftertaste almost scared me off, so thank you for such a brilliant tip! Lovely recipe too!
Charla
Thanks Ken. I had the same unfortunate experience when I first started making zoodles. I couldn't keep this awesome tip a secret from my readers.
Yasmeen
Great recipe! I'm really getting into this pasta alternative plus it's a really good way to get your greens in!
Yasmeen xx
Charla
Hey Yasmeen, thank you. It's a great method for parents to get their kiddies to eat their greens too.
Joe
Just made it. A++++. I did add a little to it. Had to have some onions and garlic. You can never have enough garlic. As I live in SW Florida I used some fresh caught Sheep's Head. It was Killer. Thank you for sharing.
Charla
Glad you enjoyed the recipe and made adjustments to suit. You are most welcome Joe 🙂