Calling all fans of pesto, this summery recipe for Zoodles with Basil Almond Pesto might just be your new favorite healthy “pasta” recipe. It’s raw, vegan, and a breeze to make when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
What are “zoodles” you ask? Zucchini that are cut into noodle shape.
You start with fresh zucchini that you shred on a mandolin such as this OXO. Or you can use a spiralizer. Or, to save time, you can buy pre-spiraled squash noodles at the market in the produce section. But, being the fresh fanatic I am, I highly recommend “zoodling” your own zucchini for best taste!
While great raw, you can also sauté zoodles or mix with traditional spaghetti pasta to sneak in an extra serving of veg — er, fruit…
By the way, did you know that zucchini is actually a fruit and not a vegetable!? It’s also high in vitamin A and antioxidants.
Herby almond pesto is also great on traditional pasta
For this pesto I went with mostly basil, but then added in a handful of other fresh herbs ~ parsley and mint. But you can keep it 100% basil if preferred.
And rather than going with traditional pine nuts, I used almonds. What can I say, I was feeling nutty and decided to go off the rails! Seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower would also work very well in this recipe if there is a nut allergy in your home.
Important note: use sliced almonds such as these, because using whole almonds would make the pesto too chunky.
This dish is great just with the zucchini & pesto
I like to keep this dish rather simple and somewhat monochromatic, but if you want to add some extra flair feel free to add other ingredients.
You can also add:
- olives
- capers
- roasted chickpeas
- roasted almonds
- charred grape tomatoes
- halved cherry tomatoes
- your favorite grilled protein
Add cherry tomatoes for a pop of color
Lastly, to top the zoodles I like to use Kite Hill vegan almond milk ricotta, which is a great dairy-free sub for traditional cheese. And that’s it! The recipe takes all of 20 minutes to make and is great as a side or main dish.
If you try out my Zoodles with Basil Almond Pesto be sure to leave a comment below. Or tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful pics!
Like this recipe? Try these, too…
Penne Pasta with Pistachio Pesto (vegan, GF)
Farfalle with Herbed Ricotta (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 0 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 4 medium size zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil
- 1/2 cup other mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley & mint or you can omit and just use all basil
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup crumbled almond ricotta see blog post for notes
Ingredients
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- on a mandolin or with a spiralizer, make zucchini into “noodles” (about as thin as spaghetti), place in a large mixing bowl
- make pesto by combining garlic through olive oil in a food processor or blender, whiz a few times until smooth, then season to taste with salt
- add desired amount of pesto to zoodles, then top with almond ricotta
Recipe serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com