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20-Minute Pesto Zucchini Noodles – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

20-Minute Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Whip up these vibrant, flavor-packed Pesto Zucchini Noodles in just 20 minutes! A light, healthy, and guilt-free meal bursting with the freshness of homemade basil pesto, perfect for a busy weeknight.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 serving
Calories: 422
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • For the Pesto
  • 2 cups (40 g / 1.41 oz) fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/3 cup (45 g / 1.59 oz) pine nuts
  • 3 tbsp (22 g / 0.78 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • For the Zoodles
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized into noodles
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
  • Red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)
  • For a deeper, nuttier flavor, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant before adding them to the food processor.
  • To prevent watery zoodles, don't overcook them. Sauté just until they are tender-crisp. You can also lightly salt the spiralized zucchini and let it sit in a colander for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry before cooking.
  • Customize your pesto by swapping pine nuts for walnuts or almonds. For a dairy-free version, replace the Parmesan with a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
  • Store extra pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top to prevent it from browning.

Method
 

  1. Directions
  2. Prepare the Pesto: Combine the fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, and grated Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the are coarsely chopped.
  3. Emulsify the Oil: With the processor running on low, slowly stream in the 1/3 cup (720 ml) of olive oil.
  4. Continue to blend until the pesto is smooth and creamy.
  5. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  6. Sauté the Aromatics and Zoodles: Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 0.5 fl oz) of olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.
  7. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook until softened and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
  8. Add the zucchini noodles to the pan and sauté for another 4-5 minutes, until tender-crisp.
  9. Combine with Pesto: Remove the skillet from the heat.
  10. Add your desired amount of fresh pesto to the zoodles and toss gently until every noodle is well-coated.
  11. Serve Immediately: Plate the pesto zoodles while warm.
  12. Garnish generously with shaved Parmesan and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 24.4gProtein: 6.5gFat: 36.3g

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