An Honest Review of the Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Cutter
Is this the perfect vegetable cutter?
What do you think about the As Seen on TV products? I’ve been watching them for years, wondering who falls for that aggressive, in-your-face style of salesmanship. It must work, they are always being aired. And gizmos, gadgets, and doodads DO sell. OK, I admit it. Even though I own and use a variety of vegetable cutting tools, I was curious when I saw the Veggetti advertised. Nothing I owned cut vegetables in fun, curly spirals.
I wanted a small handheld spiralizer. The price was reasonable. Shipping wasn’t included. Of course, there was the added bonus…AND IF YOU ACT NOW WE WILL DOUBLE THE OFFER!!!
There is no doubt that the best things in life are free, philosophically. But I hold to a “you get what you pay for” consumer mentality.
I had wanted a vegetable spiralizer but was reluctant to pay the asking price for some of the top-of-the-line models.
Buying the cheap version just to have it last a year and throw it away is not a good option. I researched some middle-of-the-road gadgets that had a variety of blades, but I already own a mandoline and some of the products would just be redundant.
Hello, what’s this?
Among of bunch of other cool stuff, there was a Veggetti in my stocking last Christmas.
I found out after Christmas that in addition to being much cheaper than any of the models I had considered, it was on a super-duper sale on kitchen gadgets at Kroger. (My husband snagged it to go in my Christmas stocking. Well done, sweetie. We have to be creative in order to keep our Christmas budget in the $$$ range we have established).
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Here’s what I like about the Veggetti
It’s low maintenance
I like that it’s small, hand-held. The small Veggetti takes up no counter space and very little gadget-drawer space.
It doesn’t have to be plugged in. It requires no electricity. You could take it camping. Or to the beach. You could use it during a power outage.
It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and the blades are super-sharp. As in “be very careful” sharp.
The instruction booklet that is included gives you the information needed to use it effectively. There are a handful of simple recipes. Of course, you have to actually read it.
It does say that it is top-shelf dishwasher safe, but I don’t put stainless steel OR sharp blades in the dishwasher.
Handle very carefully when handwashing and use a small brush to clean the blades if any food particles have gotten lodged. That happens, but it’s really easy to clean the debris away.
Cooking is more fun with the veggetti
Zoodles, poodles, squoodles, canoodles. Zucchini, potatoes, squash, carrots, and cucumbers.
Even apples, I don’t know what to call apple noodles. It works like a charm on the small, firmer fruits and vegetables
Vegetable noodles are versatile. Use them as a substitute for pasta, in salads, stir-fries, casseroles, or one-pot meals. They are quick and easy to make.
They cook quickly, you can toss extra veggies into so many dishes at the last minute. Get creative. Boost the flavor and nutritional content without added cooking time.
Spiralize carrots and cucumbers in your salads. No more chasing carrots around on the plate. Spiralize potatoes to make mounds of hash brown potatoes.
It’s OK to have fun with your food.
Here’s my favorite zoodles recipe. This recipe works great for yellow squash, too. Prep time for zucchini is a bit longer, but allowing them to “sweat” will prevent soggy zoodles. After they have been rinsed pat them dry or place them in a salad spinner (if you have one). That will remove excess water very quickly.
Garlic Parmesan Zoodles
Ingredients
- 4 whole zucchini
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbps olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, romano, or Asiago-grated
Instructions
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Spiralize zucchini, put in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. This pulls water out of the zucchini so that it doesn’t get soggy. RINSE WELL and pat dry.
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Saute minced garlic and olive oil for 30 seconds.
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Add zucchini noodles. Saute for 4-5 minutes on a medium heat.
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Remove from heat and add grated cheese.
Recipe Notes
Use firm, unpeeled zucchini for best results.
The price is right
Most of the retail or online sources I’ve researched price the Veggetti at between $9.88 and $14.99. Only buy it online if you can avoid shipping costs.
Amazon -$9.99 but offers a $10.00 bonus if you reload a $100.00 gift card, so that makes it pretty much free. The catch is that it is a filler item, it has to be purchased with other items to qualify for free shipping. You’ll make short work of that if you are a Prime member.
Bed Bath and Beyond-$9.99 or for Beyond+ members $7.99.
Wayfair.com-$11.99-free shipping with a $35.00 purchase.
The Veggetti is easy to use
There are blades on either end, thick cuts on one side, thin cuts on the other. It also has a safety holder that grips the vegetable and keeps your fingers away from the sharp blades. You really want to keep your fingers away from those super-sharp blades.
To use the Veggetti hold it by the metal handles. Put your choice of veggies, peeled or unpeeled, into the cone-shaped opening. Remember, one side is for thick cuts, the other for thin cuts. Holding it over a bowl or cutting board start turning the vegetable clockwise while pushing it forward. When it gets too small to hold, when the veggie is almost completely inside the cone, press the safety handle into the end of the veggie and continue turning. Keep your hands outside of the cone.
The little piece that is left reminds me of an old-fashioned spinning top. But don’t play with your food, slice it up and toss it in with the noodles.
A crisp, fresh veggie will produce long, spaghetti-like strands. You can snip them at intervals if you are trying for a julienne cut for a stir-fry or salad. Or use a knife to cut through the pile for a more manageable spaghetti length.
You will get the best results if you are working with the freshest veggies. I’ve gotten these never-ending strands of zucchini that must have been 7 or 8 feet long. Maybe not that long. But l-o-o-n-n-g.
Love the Health Benefits of using a Veggetti
Adding extra vegetables to your diet every day is so easy to do.
Zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, and yellow squash are a perfect fit for the Veggetti.
You may have to slice large potatoes or eggplant length-wise in order to fit the cone.
I found that potatoes, squashes, and cucumbers work best if they are unpeeled. I prefer to use unpeeled russet potatoes. The long slender shape is easier to work with.
You would definitely want to peel sweet potatoes and eggplant.
More rounded or oval veggies like beets, turnips, or some varieties of potatoes need to be peeled and cut to fit the cone.
A little more work, but worth it.
What I’m not wild about
It is small, so there are limitations to what will work. Larger veggies can be cut down, adding another step. Large, dense veggies won’t work at all. Jackfruit is way too big. Rutabagas require the kitchen chainsaw, so the Veggetti doesn’t work very well on those, either.
It’s not a time-saver if you have to go through a lot of extra steps prepping the veggies to fit. The food is still good, but this may not be a good option for a quick weeknight meal. Spend time on the weekend to make the beets.
It does not do a good job of veggies that have gotten a little spongy. They tend to break apart with or without the safety handle.
Some odd corkscrew-shaped pieces will gather below the blade you are using. And if the particular piece of produce is especially seedy the seeds will collect at the bottom of the cone and gum up the works. Give it a tap on a cutting board and the debris will dislodge. Anything I don’t want to eat can go to the chickens so it’s no loss. You can certainly discard the seeds if you prefer.
Overall, the Veggetti is a keeper
Replacing pasta with veggies noodles is a win-win. It’s fun and easy with this little gadget. I have to admit though, a couple of guilty pleasures are hash browns and potato pancakes. Prepping potatoes for either dish with this tool is super-easy. I’m sold on it anyway, but that added benefit really clinches the deal.
Oh, yeah. It provides a pretty good workout for your arms. It could replace part of your workout routine if you use it often enough. Or put your teenage boys to work. It’s a workout for them, it’s helping with dinner, and there’s an element of danger.
If you have a big family, go ahead AND ACT NOW AND DOUBLE YOUR ORDER!!!