Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Asparagus and Shrimp
Try this Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Asparagus and Shrimp recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Asparagus and Shrimp recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- for the pesto
- olive oil cooking spray
- 2 packed cups of fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (or a large handful)
- 2 large cloves of garlic minced
- for the rest
- 8-10 medium sized shrimp
- 2 medium zucchinis spiralized
- 6 stalks of asparagus chopped into thirds
- Carbohydrate 0.50897 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 16.50532 g
- Fiber 0.0692999973297119 g
- Protein 0.1176 g
- Saturated Fat 2.279265 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (18g)
- Sodium 147.873145833334 mg
- Sugar 0.439670002670288 g
- Trans Fat 0.448429999999999 g
- Calories 148 calories
Step-by-step
- Put all of the ingredients for the pesto into the food processor and blend. Taste with your finger and add anymore of one ingredient to make to your taste (ie if it's too salty, add in more basil/pine nuts/olive oil). Set aside.
- Place a medium sized saucepan on medium-high heat and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. Once heated, add in the asparagus, spray with olive oil cooking spray and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir frequently until easily pierced with a fork.
- While asparagus is cooking, fill a large saucepan full of salted water. Once boiled, add in the zucchini pasta. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until (test it!) the zucchini is softened a bit. Pour out into a coriander, lay out on paper towels and pat dry.
- Place a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place in the shrimp, spray with cooking spray and season tops with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip over and cook another 2 minutes or until completely opaque.
- Add the zucchini pasta to a large bowl and add in the pesto, asparagus and shrimp and mix thoroughly to combine. I like to take a scissor and cut the long noodles in half so that they are easier to cute and share.
- Divide onto two plates and enjoy!
Vibrant green basil pesto coats tender spiralized squash, crisp asparagus stalks, and opaque pink shrimp in a dish defined by bright herbaceous notes and distinct textural contrasts. Raw zucchini possesses a water content exceeding ninety percent, presenting significant challenges for meal preparation and storage. When frozen, the cellular walls of the squash rupture, releasing excessive liquid upon thawing that dilutes the emulsion of the pine nut and olive oil sauce. Consequently, freezing this specific combination is counterproductive to maintaining structural integrity. Instead, prepare the homemade basil pesto up to three days in advance and store it in an airtight glass jar with a thin film of olive oil poured across the surface to prevent oxidation. Zucchini ribbons require immediate consumption after brief boiling, whereas blanched asparagus and cooked shrimp tolerate refrigeration for up to forty-eight hours when sealed separately. Adapting the dish for dietary modifications requires simple swaps, such as substituting toasted pumpkin seeds for pine nuts to accommodate seed allergies or using firm tofu cubes in place of seafood for plant-based preferences.
