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Vegan Pesto Zoodle Noodle Salad

Sick of cooking under quarantine? This super simple vegan pesto zucchini noodle salad will make your mouth smile - promise! Option to make them vegan or with cheese.

Course lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword pesto, salad, vegan pesto, zoodles, zucchini recipe, zucchini salad
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Lindsay Navama

Ingredients

Pesto Sauce

  • 1 1/2 cups stemmed & loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cups stemmed & loosely packed fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (any pumpkin seed or nut will do)
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil (any neutral oil will do)
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or 1/3 cup grated hard cheese of choice)
  • 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt (any salt will do)
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey or agave or sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (freshly ground if available)

Zucchini Noodles

  • 4 large zucchini

Optional Garnish

  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Pepitas

Instructions

Make the Pesto Sauce

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, starting

    with the basil and ending with the pepper, in a blender or food processor

    fit with the blade attachment. Pulse until well combined but not completely

    smooth, about 1 minute.

Make the Zucchini Noodles

  1. Cut off the ends of the zucchini. Use a spiralizer

    tool or mandoline with a julienne blade to make zucchini noodles about the

    size of spaghetti.

Let's Eat!

  1. Place the zucchini noodles in a medium bowl and drizzle about

    1⁄2 cup of the pesto over the top. Use a large spoon and fork or tongs to gently

    toss to coat. Sample a bite and decide if you’d like to add more pesto. Garnish

    with the lemon zest, fresh basil leaves, and pepitas. Enjoy immediately, or

    store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you store, zucchini contains

    a good amount of water—so make sure to drain any excess liquid before

    serving.

    The remaining pesto can be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for 3 to

    5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

EASY INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS 

NO BASIL AND/OR SPINACH?  THESE CAN BE REPLACED BY 3 CUPS KALE OR OTHER GREEN SUCH AS CHARD OR ARUGULA.

NO BASIL? REPLACE WITH SPINACH OR ANOTHER NEUTRAL GREEN AND TRY TO ADD 2 TABLESPOONS OF ANOTHER FRESH HERB, LIKE SAGE, TO REPLACE THE HERBACEOUS (LOVE THAT WORD) BASIL FLAVOR. IT WILL TASTE DIFFERENT, BUT STILL DELICIOUS!

NO GARLIC? USE 1 PIECE OF SHALLOT SIMILAR IN SIZEW TO 1 CLOVE GARLIC OR 1 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED ONION (YELLOW, WHITE OR RED)

HAVE AN INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTION QUESTION? LEAVE A COMMENT OR DM ME ON INSTAGRAM @THIRDCOASTKITCHEN