Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Pine Nuts
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Peel zucchini into wide ribbons that mimic pappardelle pasta, then toss them with pesto for a taste of summer.
With its tender flesh and delicate flavor, zucchini is nothing if not versatile — you can grill it, sauté it, fry it, and even bake into breads. However, its mild flavor can be a bit bland, so when my garden bursts with zucchini every summer, I’m always looking for new ways to spice it up. Peeling the zucchini into wide ribbons and discarding the seeds makes it less watery and creates more surface area for the sauce to coat, almost like pappardelle pasta. Pesto sauce loaded with garlic and basil adds vibrant flavor.
What You’ll Need To Make Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Step-by-Step Instructions
Using a vegetable peeler, press firmly and peel zucchini into long, wide ribbons. Work your way around the zucchini and stop when you get to the seeds.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini “noodles” to the pan. It will seem like a lot. Don’t worry; they’ll cook down.
Cook the zucchini noodles, stirring gently with tongs, for about 2 minutes, until just softened. Do not overcook.
Add the pesto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, toasted nuts, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary (be sure to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors).
Transfer the zucchini noodles to a serving bowl and top with more cheese, if desired. Serve warm or room temperature.
You May Also Like
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Pine Nuts
Peel zucchini into wide ribbons that mimic pappardelle pasta, then toss them with pesto for a taste of summer.
Ingredients
- 3 (about 2½ lbs) large zucchini (larger zucchini make for nicer, wider noodles)
- 3 tablespoons store bought or homemade pesto, best quality
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted until golden*
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peeler, press firmly and peel zucchini into long, wide ribbons. Work your way around the zucchini and stop when you get to the seeds.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini "noodles" to the pan and cook, stirring gently with tongs, for about 2 minutes, until just softened. Do not overcook.
- Add the pesto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, toasted nuts, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary (be sure to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors). Transfer the zucchini noodles to a serving bowl and top with more cheese, if desired. Serve warm or room temperature.
- *To toast the nuts, put them in a dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden in spots, about 3 minutes.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 197
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 351 mg
- Cholesterol: 4 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
My husband absolutely loved this, and he is not a “vegetable lover.” Shaving the vegetables did not take as much time as I thought. I used walnuts instead of pine nuts. They were good, but I think pine nuts would be even better. I printed this off and will definitely make it again.
I tried this and it was fantastic. Even was able to get my child to eat it and he liked it.
Zucchini are growing like mad! Knew you would have a “new & different” idea to use them up!
Zucchini in the garden are about 5″ long – won’t be long before I try this…. and anything else I can find to use it up!!
This was delicious! The pesto and pine nuts were perfect. My only problem was that the strips tended to stick together. Next time I will separate them as I add them to the pan. But this is an amazingly quick dish. I served with rice, garlic bread and sliced tomatoes for a meatless meal. Yum.
This looks so good! Can’t wait to try it.
We are always looking for things to do with zucchini in the summer. I will try this one soon.
Delicious and a great way to use zucchini in the summer!
I will definitely be using this recipe. With the pine nuts for crunch, even my hubby will eat this for Meatless Monday!
Vickie, thanks for the hint.
Yum and healthy! Sometimes zucchini can be too watery for me, but when you give this a minute to simmer, you lose the water and can drain the “noodles”. The nuts are a must for the texture, and I also needed more salt and pepper.