Fresh Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Pesto
A quick and healthy dinner featuring spiralized zucchini noodles tossed in a creamy pesto sauce with cherry tomatoes. This low-carb, gluten-free dish is fresh, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup cream cheese or cottage cheese
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the zucchini, then spiralize into long, thin noodles about 1/8-inch thick. Place noodles in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt to draw out excess moisture. Let sit for 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out any liquid with a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a food processor, combine fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, cream cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a teaspoon of water or more olive oil if the pesto is too thick.
- In a large bowl, toss the spiralized zucchini noodles with the creamy pesto until all noodles are lightly coated. Add half of the cherry tomatoes and toss gently.
- Plate the zucchini noodles topped with the remaining halved cherry tomatoes. Optionally, drizzle extra olive oil and sprinkle additional Parmesan and pine nuts for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
To prevent soggy noodles, salt and drain zucchini noodles for 10 minutes and gently squeeze out excess moisture. Serve immediately after tossing with pesto. Toast pine nuts carefully to avoid burning. For softer noodles, blanch zucchini noodles for 1 minute in boiling water but raw is preferred for crunch. Pesto can be warmed slightly to soften cream cheese if needed. Store noodles and pesto separately if making ahead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1.5 cups per s
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 7
Keywords: zucchini noodles, creamy pesto, healthy dinner, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, quick recipe