Raw Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes and Pesto
Raw Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes and Pesto
As much as I look forward to the Fall, I’m not quite ready for summer to be over. Having fresh herbs at my fingertips is what I’ll miss the most, so I’m taking all my basil and making skinny pesto with it to freeze and use throughout the year.
I’m also going to miss eating zucchini 4 days a week, although I’m not putting my spiralizer away just yet!! (btw, love my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer – the easiest way to make zucchini noodles, sweet potato spirals, carrot ribbons and more!)
And let’s not forget to mention summer tomatoes, this is the best time to eat them!! One thing I should note if you’re making this for one, I would make the whole batch of pesto, but only spiralize 1 small zucchini and add 1/4 of the pesto. This needs to be eaten right away, if it sits too long it will get watery.
Raw Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes and Pesto
Ingredients
For the Pesto:
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the zoodles:
- 21 oz 3 medium or 4 small zucchinis
- 1 cup heirloom grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing. Set aside.
- Spiralize the zucchini, cut it into smaller strands if they are too long and place them in a work bowl.
- Toss with the pesto and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper as needed.
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Pushing zucchini through a spiral cutter doesn’t transform it into anything else. It is not pasta. It’s just raw zucchini with tomatoes. Nothing more. It’s cold, watery and not very appetizing Yes, it’s colorful, but it’s very, very dull to eat.
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Hi Gina,
You recipe indicates that it needs to be eaten right away or it gets watery. what causes it to get watery? Is it just due to the fact that the zucchini is spiralized or does the pesto break it down? I’m looking to spiral the zucchini in advance to take in my lunch for a healthy alternative. I have the KitchenAid slicer and spiralizer so taking that to work isn’t an option.
It’s the zucchini that releases lots of water as it sits.
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I am COMPLETELY addicted to the spiralizer and zucchini noodles now! My hubby wasn't on board with the raw zucchini noodles, so I sauteed them like you do for your lemon garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles – sauteed in garlic olive oil with S&P and then tossed with pesto. My husband is a pesto fanatic, so I made the skinny chicken pesto bake to go on top of the noodles. Low carb HIT!!
Is there something I can sub for the tomatoes, I'm just not a big fan of them.
How about roasted red peppers?
Gina,
Do you know if there is a difference between your spiralizer you posted and the "Spirooli"? I am waiting to invest in one but the Spirooli is a little bit cheaper but gets worse reviews. BUT, they look exactly the same?! Anyone own either of these and can comment on them? Thank you!
Spirooli is the original from the same company. They are almost identical. Found the info online
I blogged about this one as well. I added a cup of peas to the pesto and had wonderful results.
Didn't catch it when I bought it, but I ended up with a bunch of Thai basil. This is fabulous with Thai basil pesto!
My spiralizer arrived yesterday and last night I made this! It was so easy and just absolutely delicious! Gina, you rock!!
I don't usually eat my zucchini raw so mixed all this up, sauteed w/ a little olive oil for about 2 min, topped it with a few slices of avocado and served with leftover chicken. Dinner was done in about 15 min and kept me from caving into "Pizza Friday" after a long week and ruining my progress. Thanks for sharing, it was amazing!
I love my spiralizer and have a ton of tomatoes and zucchini in my kitchen right now. And pesto in the freezer from last summer… Pinned to make tomorrow night!
I have made the zoodles with my vegetti and love it. But I made your pesto and it was very thick…like paste. I had to add two more T evoo to get it pourable. Are you on those measurements? But it was tasty! And I used lemon basil…mmmmm.
I am positive on the measurements, but it's pretty thick so I used a spatula to incorporate it, and after a minute or 2 the liquid from the zucchini releases and helps mix it all together.
My veggetti spiralizer just arrived! only $12 on amazon and doesn't take up much space. Just sauteed some zoodles- came out great. excited to try this!
Thank you for giving your recommendation on a spiralizer/slicer! I've been wanting to purchase one for weeks but I'm always so overwhelmed when I hit 'search' on google with all the results that pop up!
This picture pushed me to order my spiralizer, which I have been putting off. I cannot wait to make this!
great! I wish I had stock in the company : )
I really need to pull out my spiralizer more often! Your zoodle dishes always look so good.
I use the. Spirooli spiralizer from Bed Bath and Beyond. It works great for me!
I use my old fashion apple peeler. Works well, also. Marsha