Zucchini Noodles With Pesto (Printable)

Fresh zucchini spirals with homemade basil pesto create a light Italian-inspired dish ready in 20 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Zucchini Noodles

01 - 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Pinch of salt

→ Pesto

04 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
07 - 1 garlic clove
08 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Extra grated Parmesan
12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Combine basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
02 - With processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Spiralize the zucchinis into noodles using a spiralizer or julienne peeler.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini noodles and pinch of salt. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until just tender but not mushy.
05 - Remove from heat and toss zucchini noodles with desired amount of pesto, starting with half and adding more to taste.
06 - Divide between plates. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • This comes together in under 20 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something fresh but do not have hours to spend cooking
  • The pesto makes everything taste luxurious and rich, yet each serving is light enough that you will feel energized instead of heavy afterward
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that overcooking zucchini noodles turns them into a watery mess, so watch them closely
  • Mix the pesto with the noodles off the heat because the residual warmth is enough and protects the fresh flavors
03 -
  • Salt your zucchini noodles as soon as they hit the pan, it draws out excess water and concentrates the flavor
  • Always reserve a little extra pasta water or in this case, a splash of olive oil, to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick
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