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The main dish, Light and fresh

Zucchini noodles with pesto

Zucchini noodles with pesto are a warm vegetarian dish for 6 people that takes about 40 minutes of active work. The pesto is made the day before and the zucchini is prepped in the morning, leaving only a quick stovetop finish once guests arrive. It's easy to make, costs about €2.90 per person, and the trick is cooking the zucchini for just two minutes so it stays firm.

Long green zucchini ribbons, a homemade pesto that smells like summer, and everyone eats their fill without feeling weighed down.

Zucchini noodles with pesto
For
6 people
Work
40 min
Total time
1 h 10
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
430 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

There's no pasta here, just long ribbons of zucchini that hold their own. Homemade pesto, basil, pine nuts, parmesan, brings all the richness and fragrance that would otherwise be missing, and cherry tomatoes add a sweet, tangy note. The result is fresh, green, fragrant, and never heavy on the plate.

This is a dish for a spring or summer dinner, when you want to host without spending the whole evening at the stove or weighing down the meal. It works just as well as a generous starter or a vegetarian main, served with a salad or some grilled bread. Kids like it as much as adults do, thanks to the mild taste of zucchini and pesto.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 1 step, 10 min
  2. The same day 2 steps, 30 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 5 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 3 min

The day before, make the pesto and keep it chilled under a thin layer of oil. In the morning, cut the zucchini into noodles, salt them to draw out water, then store them chilled under plastic wrap. Just before guests arrive, halve the cherry tomatoes and toast the remaining pine nuts. At serving time, sauté the zucchini for just two minutes, toss with pesto off the heat, and plate right away.

The ingredients

6 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Medium zucchini 6
  • Fresh basil 2 bunch
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Cherry tomatoes 400 g

Pantry

  • Pine nuts 100 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 12 tbsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Parmesan 70 g

Allergens Lactose, Tree nuts

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Blend the stemmed basil with sixty grams of the pine nuts, the grated parmesan, the peeled and degermed garlic, the olive oil, salt and pepper until you get a thick pesto. 10 min

    Top the pesto with a thin layer of oil in its jar, it keeps its bright green color until the next day.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cut the zucchini into long noodles with a peeler or a spiralizer, sprinkle with coarse salt, and let them drain in a colander. 30 min

    The salt draws out the water, so your noodles will stay firm on the plate afterward.

  2. Rinse the zucchini very quickly, pat them dry in a clean kitchen towel, then store them chilled under plastic wrap.

    Press them gently between two towels, just a little extra water is enough to thin out the pesto.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Halve the cherry tomatoes and dry toast the remaining pine nuts in a skillet. 5 min

    The pine nuts brown within a minute, keep shaking the pan constantly.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet, add the zucchini noodles, and stir over high heat for just two minutes. 3 min

    Cook them in two batches if your skillet is small, otherwise they'll steam instead of sauté.

  2. Off the heat, toss the zucchini with the pesto, arrange it in nests with the cherry tomatoes, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

    Add the pesto off the heat, strong heat would make it split and lose its color.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, medium zucchini rather than large ones, they release less water and are easier to cut into long, even ribbons.
  • Drain the zucchini well after salting, extra water would thin out the pesto and dilute the flavors.
  • Always keep a few fresh basil leaves aside for the finish, they add a brighter note than the pesto alone.

The variations

  • Swap the pine nuts for walnuts or slivered almonds, lightly toasted, the pesto keeps its crunch for less money.
  • For a lactose free version, use nutritional yeast or a grated plant based cheese instead of parmesan in the pesto.
  • For kids in a hurry, mix part of the zucchini with real pasta, the pesto and tomatoes stay exactly the same.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony arugula salad
  • Garlic toasted bread
  • A dry, fruity white wine

Storage

The pesto keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar, topped with a thin layer of oil. Prepped raw zucchini keeps for one day chilled under plastic wrap. Once assembled, the dish is best eaten right away, it doesn't freeze well and doesn't reheat well either.

Questions about this recipe

Can I cut the zucchini another way instead of a peeler?

Yes, a julienne peeler or mandoline gives more even noodles and is faster to use. A regular vegetable peeler works fine too, it just takes a bit more patience.

How do I keep the zucchini from releasing too much water while cooking?

Salting the zucchini for thirty minutes is the key step, it draws out water before cooking. Pat the strands dry in a kitchen towel and cook them over high heat for no more than two minutes.

Can this dish be served cold, like a pasta salad?

Yes, the salted raw zucchini can be tossed directly with the pesto without cooking for a very fresh version. Add the cherry tomatoes and pine nuts at the last moment to keep their texture.

Is homemade pesto really worth it over store bought?

Homemade pesto keeps a brighter green color and a much stronger fresh basil scent than a store bought jar. It also lets you adjust the garlic and salt to suit your guests' tastes.

Can zucchini noodles with pesto be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 40 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 1 step, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make zucchini noodles with pesto?

Allow 1 h 10 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 40 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in zucchini noodles with pesto?

About 430 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does zucchini noodles with pesto cost?

About €2.90 per person, that's €17.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, tree nuts. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Lemon granita The dessert

Light and fresh

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  • 20 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Very easy, €0.90 per person

150 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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