Pesto Zoodles
Spiralized zucchini noodles quickly sautéed with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh parsley — then tossed off the heat with vibrant pesto to keep every bit of that fresh herb flavor. A light, bright, ten-minute side dish that pairs with almost any protein in this collection or stands on its own as a quick lunch.
- 2 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 3 tbsp pesto
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- — protein of choice, to serve (grilled chicken, shrimp, or turkey meatballs)
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1
Spiralize the zucchini
Use a spiralizer or a mandoline with a julienne blade to cut the zucchini into long noodle-like strands. Set aside on a paper towel — patting them lightly dry removes some surface moisture and prevents the finished dish from becoming watery.
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2
Sauté the garlic & sun-dried tomatoes
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and golden. Don't rush this step — the garlic and tomatoes build the flavor base for the whole dish.
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3
Cook the zoodles
Add the zucchini noodles to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss with tongs and cook for 3–4 minutes until just slightly softened — you want them tender but still with a little bite. Don't overcook — zucchini noodles release a lot of water and go mushy quickly past the 4-minute mark.
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4
Add pesto off the heat
Remove the skillet from heat. Add the pesto and fresh parsley and toss gently to coat every strand — adding the pesto off the heat preserves its bright, vibrant green color and fresh herb flavor, which cook off quickly when exposed to direct heat. Serve immediately topped with your protein of choice.
- Pesto goes in off the heat: Pesto is a fresh, oil-based sauce — its vibrant color and bright herb flavor cook off almost immediately in a hot pan. Always add it after removing from the heat and toss to distribute. Same rule as sesame oil throughout this collection.
- Don't overcook the zoodles: Zucchini noodles go from perfectly tender to mushy and waterlogged faster than you'd expect — 3–4 minutes is the window. Pull them while they still have a slight bite and they'll continue to soften slightly off the heat.
- Pat the zucchini dry: A quick blot with a paper towel after spiralizing removes surface moisture that would otherwise make the finished dish watery — a small step that makes a real difference in texture.
- Great protein pairings: These zoodles are a natural base for our Grilled Bruschetta Chicken, Italian Turkey Cutlets, Basil Parmesan Baked Salmon, or Ranch Turkey Meatballs in Marinara — any Italian-leaning protein in the collection lands beautifully on pesto zoodles.
- No spiralizer? A vegetable peeler makes wide, flat zucchini ribbons that work just as well — run it down the length of the zucchini and stop when you hit the seedy core. A slightly different shape but the same great flavor.