I know, I know. The vegetable peeler is not the most glamorous tool in the kitchen. It just peels vegetables.
…or so I thought.
If your family’s kitchen is like mine, the vegetable peeler is probably the tool that gets jammed in the back of the drawer.
It only comes out when you have to peel potatoes or carrots…. and you probably try to avoid cooking those at times just because you don’t want to peel them.
(I honestly stopped peeling them, and just wash them really well before cutting them. There are nutrients in the skin)
So, what’s so cool about the vegetable peeler?
You probably don’t how this simple gadget can create new dishes for you and make your dishes look 10x prettier.
I also thought it was just a functional gadget. But, now it’s one of my favorite tools in the kitchen.
Get ready to be mind blown. One of the most humble tools in the kitchen is about to become your favorite.
Below are three new ways to use your old vegetable peeler. Get a comfortable one and have more fun using it.
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3 New Ways to Use Your Old Vegetable Peeler
1. Zoodles (veggie noodles)
This is one of the coolest uses, especially as I find myself making more and more low-carb, keto recipes. Instant noodles with just a peeler!
Carrots, asparagus, zucchini or butternut squash make create zoodles.
How-to: First, peel the skin from the vegetables. Lay the vegetable flat, lengthwise on the cutting board. Hold one end of the vegetable tightly and then drag the peeler across the veg to make noodles. Press the peeler down for thicker noodles and hold lighter for thinner noodles.
The best part is that these noodles will cook very fast. Zucchini noodles can be stir fried with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil in just 2 minutes. Don’t over cook them, because they will become watery.
My favorite use: making carrot ribbons to top my salads. My grandma taught me this one and it always makes the most beautiful, enticing salads.
Or hello carrot bacon! (because that’s my business)
recipe. Veggie No-Meat Balls with Zoodles
2. Cheese shaver
You think you need a fancy cheese shaver to get that restaurant finish look?
Think again.
Use your vegetable peeler to peel hard cheeses like Parmesan and Pecorino. They make flavorful and artsy toppings for minestrone soup, salads, and pastas.
When you shave them this way, they also have a nice crunchy texture. And because the cheese shavings are so thin, they melt in your mouth when you eat them.
3. Chocolate shaver
This one makes any dessert instantly prettier. If you thought you needed some fancy tool to make fancy chocolate shavings, you don’t.
A plain old vegetable peeler makes it easy to make chocolate shavings that will wow your family, and even yourself. The key thing to note is to do the chocolate shavings at the last minute because the chocolate will melt once its shaved.
recipe: Dairy-free Chocolate Mousse
Summary
You probably already have a vegetable peeler in your drawer, so why not try out some new uses for it?
When I figured out these new uses, I stopped stuffing it in the back drawer. Now, it makes my dishes look prettier.
Cooking your vegetables with some more creativity will make it more fun to eat vegetables.
If you start using your vegetable peeler in new ways, or have another use, share with me @chefjoannas
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