Pesto Zoodles Recipe: Zucchini Noodles With Pesto

This meal is about as easy as it gets. This zucchini noodles with pesto recipe can be ready in less than 10 minutes, seriously! That’s what I mean when I say easy!  Literally, all you have to do is whirl up some of this creamy, tangy, and basil packed pesto for 2.2 seconds, blister a few cherry tomatoes until they’re ready to POP (which takes about 3 minutes), and toss with some fresh zucchini noodles. It’s easy enough enjoy this pesto zoodles recipe any old time. This is the life!

I chose to keep the zucchini noodles raw because I wanted this dish to resemble a fresh summer salad instead of a heavy pasta. It’s similar to a cold pasta salad like this one, but made with veggies. It feels a lot like a zucchini noodle salad.

And let me tell you, it was the right decision. You still get a little warmth from the blistered tomatoes, but the cool crisp zucchini topped wtih the creamy walnut pesto just screams summer. I see plenty of picnic baskets stuffed with jars of this pasta in your future.

PLUS, since you’re not cooking the zucchini noodles, you don’t have to worry about them watering down the sauce. Score.

The pesto is a tangy blend of basil, walnuts, olive oil, lemon, salt, and ghee. Yes, ghee! It makes the pesto creamy and less oily, which in turn makes a better sauce for sticking to the zucchini noodles. You’ve got to try this variation of pesto.

What Is Pesto?

Pesto is a sauce that comes from Italy. Traditionally, cheese and pine nuts are the main ingredients, along with basil and oil. You can purchase it store-bought, but you can easily make it at home.

My paleo pesto is made with walnuts, ghee, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Pesto goes beautifully with pasta, especially my zucchini noodles recipe.

How To Make Pesto Zoodles

This cool refreshing zucchini pasta is perfect for summer, or anytime you are craving something fresh to eat. Makes a wonderful lunch or side dish.

Here are the easy steps to get you started on these easy zucchini noodles with pesto:

• Spiralize the zucchini noodles.

• Blend pesto ingredients together. Pulse basil, olive oil, walnuts, salt, garlic, lemon juice, and ghee in a blender until smooth and creamy.

• Blister the cherry tomatoes. Use a skillet and heat them until they are hot and popping.

• Mix zucchini noodles with pesto. Toss in the blistered tomatoes and serve.

OPTIONAL TIP: If you would prefer this to be a hot dish, you can cook the pesto and zucchini noodles for about 3 minutes in the skillet. Find a full guide on how to make zucchini noodles here if you prefer to cook them.

Do Zoodles Really Taste Like Pasta?

Yes, they are similar to pasta, though of course not identical in texture. Pasta in itself doesn’t have a lot of flavors and is typically the canvas to go with whatever sauce you are using.

And it’s just the same with the spiralized zucchini recipes. The zoodles themselves aren’t super flavorful; it’s the other ingredients that go with them that enhance their flavors.

Are Zoodles Healthy?

Yes, this entire zucchini noodles with pesto recipe is incredibly good for you. Here is a breakdown of some of the vitamins and minerals you get when you eat this zucchini noodle pasta:

• Walnuts – Not only do they taste great, but they are also filled with iron, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids, and calcium.
• Basil – It has potassium, magnesium, calcium, fiber, vitamin K, and zinc.
• Ghee – There is plenty of healthy fat in ghee as well as vitamin E and vitamin A.
• Garlic – You can add a punch of flavor to almost any dish with a little bit of garlic. And, you get vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, copper, selenium, and iron.
• Tomatoes – These beautiful fruits are packed with folate, vitamin K, lycopene, and vitamin C.
• Zucchini – This low carb veggie packs potassium, folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, and manganese. And zucchini pesto pasta just might be the best way to enjoy it!

How To Store This Pesto Noodles Recipe

You can store the ingredients together in an airtight container and serve cold. Or you can store the pesto, noodles, and tomatoes all separately, and mix together when you are ready to eat.

Here is how to store the ingredients separately:

• Pesto can be stored in a glass jar for up to a week in the refrigerator. Or if you prefer, you can freeze the pesto too. Either freeze it into cubes by placing it in an ice cube tray then popping them out when they are frozen or place it in a freezer container — thaw in the fridge before serving.
• Zucchini noodles can be stored in a container with a paper towel. The paper towel will help absorb moisture, so they don’t become soggy. They will last 2-3 days in the fridge.
• Tomatoes can be stored right on the counter, or in the fridge.

What To Serve With Pesto Zoodles

You can eat this easy zoodle recipe all by itself for lunch or a light dinner.

But when you want a bit more protein, try some of these entrees to go with my healthy zucchini noodle recipe:

• The Best Easy Paleo Meatloaf – This is so good and the Italian flavors work well together.
• The Best Easy Chicken Piccata – Tangy and packed full of flavor.
• Beef Chuck Eye Steak – So thick and juicy, plus these are perfect if you’re on a budget.

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4.91 from 11 votes

Pesto Zoodles Recipe: Zucchini Noodles With Pesto

Spiralized zucchini noodles with pesto are delicious! This healthy summer pesto zoodles recipe is simple, healthy, low carb, and ready in just 10 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword pesto zoodles, zoodles recipe, zucchini noodles with pesto

Calories 326 kcal

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Author Maya Krampf from WickedSpatula.com

Servings 4 servings

★ Review Print

Ingredients

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• 1 lb Zucchini noodles

Pesto

• 1 cup Fresh basil (tightly packed)
• 6 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Walnuts
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 small clove Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• Sea salt (to taste)

Burst Tomatoes

• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• Sea salt

Click to convert between US & metric measurements:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!

1. Spiralize the zucchini and set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor blend all of the pesto ingredients together until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

3. In a medium-size skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the tomatoes and a generous pinch of quality salt. Toss for 3 minutes or until starting to blister and pop.

4. Toss the zucchini noodles with the pesto and the tomatoes and serve.

Recipe Notes

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 326

Fat 33g

Protein 3g

Total Carbs 6g

Net Carbs 5g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 4g

Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.

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