Zucchini cut into wide, silky pappardelle-style “noodles” makes a fresh and vibrant twist on traditional pasta. Tossed with a bright, tangy pesto, they’re so satisfying you may not even miss the grains. Instead of pulling out the spiralizer, I shaved the zucchini into elegant ribbons using a vegetable peeler (a mandolin works perfectly, too). To keep them from getting watery, sprinkle lightly with salt and let them rest in a colander for about 15 minutes. From there, a drizzle of olive oil and a gentle roast in the oven—or a quick sauté on the stove—transforms them into a tender, flavorful base ready to carry any sauce you love.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Zucchini Noodles
- 4 large yellow (or green) zucchini
- Kosher salt for salting the zucchini
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Spinach Basil Pesto
- 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves tightly packed
- 3/4 cups fresh basil leaves tightly packed
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted (optional)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon about 1 tablespoon
- Garnish with grated lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using a wide peeler or a mandolin, slice the zucchini in long 1/8 inch-thick strips. Place the zucchini noodles in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to withdraw the moisture. Drizzle the zucchini with the olive oil and toss to coat the noodles. Spread the noodles on a sheet tray or roasting pan in a single layer. Bake the noodles for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to soften and release more water. Remove the tray from the oven.
- While the zucchini is baking make the pesto. Combine the spinach, basil, garlic and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the motor running, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow and steady stream. Scrape down the bowl and add the parmesan cheese, pulse again to combine. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice, stirring to combine. Toss the zucchini slices with the pesto and garnish with lemon zest, more lemon juice and parmesan cheese.*Pesto freezes well, just hold off on adding the cheese until you’re ready to use it. For individual servings, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays. Pesto will keep frozen for up to 3 months.
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