Pesto Zoodles Salad Recipe

This pesto zoodles salad can be served on its own as a light meal, but it's also delicious served alongside grilled meat, fish or other vegetables. It's crunchy, refreshing and ready in under 15 minutes!

This pesto zoodles salad is a delicious and healthy low-carb meal idea, which comes together in minutes.  It's refreshing, full of veggie goodness as well as satisfying, thanks to the addition of protein-rich beans.  This salad is made using raw zucchinis so it's crunchy, never soggy!

Ingredients and substitutions

• Zucchini: Pick firm zucchinis to ensure your zoodles are as crunchy as possible.
• Basil: Use primarily the leaves avoiding tough stems.
• Oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil and combining it with water so your pesto is a little lighter (there is quite a bit of it in this recipe).
• Garlic.
• Parmesan: Adjust the amount to your taste (in addition to including it in the pesto sauce you can also sprinkle some over the salad).
• Pine nuts: I added these separately for crunch, but you can puree them along with the other pesto ingredients if you prefer. Sunflower seeds make a good substitute.
• Cherry tomatoes: Zoodles with pesto are delicious, but a handful of added toppings, including tomatoes, makes them even better! Use any small tomato variety (the sweeter the better).
• Edamame beans: They cook in only 3-4 minutes, have a lovely crunch and lively green colour, which goes exceptionally well with the pesto zoodles, but you can use other bean types (such as broad beans, for example) or even cooked lentils (I recommend black beluga or puy lentils).
• Salt and pepper: Important in bringing all the flavours together.

How to prepare the zucchini

To guarantee 100% success it is important to prepare the zucchini the right way.  

• The zucchini should be used raw.
• Spiralise it just before assembling the salad.
• Use a spiralizer or food processor (with a grating disc) to make the zucchini noodles. Box graters tend not to work as well as they produce thinner vegetable strands, which can quickly become soggy when combined with other ingredients.

Top tip

I recommend using small or medium zucchinis as they tend to be tastier than very large ones.

How to make pesto zoodles salad

1.Start by chopping the tomatoes and preparing the beans. Place the frozen edamame beans in a small saucepan, add a little water, bring to the boil then simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, rinse under cold water and set aside.  (This can be done ahead).

To make the pesto place the basil, garlic, parmesan, oil, water and the lemon juice in a food processor and puree.  Season to taste and set aside.

2. Lightly toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes stirring all the time, then remove from the pan (or they'll continue cooking and can become too brown) and set aside.

3. Spiralise the zucchinis and combine with the pesto.

4. Gently stir in the beans (I used 2 forks to do this). Adjust the seasoning if needed.

5. Top with chopped tomatoes and toasted pine nuts and enjoy your pesto zucchini noodles salad!

Serving suggestions

This pesto zoodles salad is delicious on its own, with garlic bread, fried or baked tofu, grilled halloumi or vegetables, both grilled or roasted (such as peppers or sweet potato). Delicious with potato wedges, broccoli patties or spinach stuffed sweet potatoes.

For a non-vegetarian meal idea try serving it with grilled chicken or shrimp.

Can I serve this recipe hot

I don't recommend it.  It is very important that the zucchini stays crunchy and the best way of ensuring this is by using it raw and serving it as a cold salad.  This, however, is my personal view, and if you prefer to serve this dish hot immerse the zoodles in hot water for 30 seconds then combine with the pesto as quickly as possible and serve immediately.

Top tips 

• You can make the pesto a few hours ahead (keep it covered, refrigerated) and combine with the zoodles just before serving.
• You can roughly chop the zoodles if they are very long (easier to combine with the other ingredients).
• Ensure the parmesan cheese is vegetarian (if required).
• Adjust the amount and ratio of water/oil to your taste.
• I recommend making the pesto and preparing the tomatoes and beans before spiralising the zucchinis so that you can assemble the salad as soon as the zoodles are ready.
• You will find frozen edamame beans in most good supermarkets. You can boil the beans ahead, rinse under cold water and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Best served immediately. 
• Not suitable for freezing.

Related recipes

• Blueberry Salad with Walnuts and Feta
• Chicken Zoodle Soup with Pasta

Keep in touch!

If you make this pesto zucchini noodles recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you serve it with other dishes? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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