Oil-Free Walnut Pesto Zucchini Noodles
Try this Oil-Free Walnut Pesto Zucchini Noodles recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Oil-Free Walnut Pesto Zucchini Noodles recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- for the rest:
- pesto
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves tightly packed
- 1/2 cup raw walnut halves
- 4 to 6 large zucchini blade c or d
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)
- raw pine nuts for garnish (optional)
- Carbohydrate 3.63888749968119 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.161090000057349 g
- Fiber 0.725850017285216 g
- Protein 0.929175000257769 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0181135000036739 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -6 (75g)
- Sodium 221.606500000795 mg
- Sugar 2.91303748239597 g
- Trans Fat 0.0401995000109321 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare the pesto: Combine all of the pesto ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. For a chunkier texture, instead use the pulse function on your blender or food processor to gently mix the ingredients together.
- Use a spiralizer or vegetable peeler to create “noodles” out of the peeled zucchini.
- For a warm dish, melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the zucchini “noodles” and tomatoes until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the pesto and stir quickly, just enough to warm the sauce, about 1 minute.
- Serve warm, with a sprinkle of pine nuts.
- For a cold dish, simply toss the raw zucchini “noodles” with the prepared pesto and top with the tomatoes and pine nuts.
Bright green basil paste coats glossy strands of raw or lightly sautéed squash, releasing a sharp scent of garlic and toasted nuts the moment the sauce hits the pan. Making this dish requires careful management of moisture, since zucchini releases a high volume of water when heated.
Managing Moisture and Texture
Raw zucchini noodles contain roughly ninety-five percent water. Salting the strands thirty minutes before processing and draining them in a colander prevents the sauce from pooling at the bottom of the bowl. When applying heat, maintain a medium-high flame in a wide skillet to evaporate surface liquid quickly within eight to ten minutes. Process the walnuts in a high-speed blender until entirely smooth to mimic the richness normally provided by olive oil.
- If the sauce appears too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until reaching a pourable consistency.
- Pulse the ingredients rather than continuous blending if a coarser, rustic texture is preferred.
- Consume immediately after mixing, as raw zucchini continues to shed moisture over time.
