Enjoy the flavors of summer with these zucchini noodles with pesto made with a homemade pesto dressing, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect for picnics or barbecues!
The sun is shining and summer squash season is in full swing, which means zucchini noodles are on heavy rotation at my house at the moment.
While I certainly make good use of my spiralizer and julienne peeler year-round, there’s something about the summer months that has me in a zoodle kind of mood. These zucchini noodles with pesto combine thin strands of zucchini with ribbons of kale and flecks of chopped sundried tomatoes in an easy pesto sauce for an effortless summer side or lunch that’s perfect for those days it’s too hot out to even think about turning on the oven.
Whether you’re planning a picnic, or headed to a barbecue this season, chances are you’ll probably need a dish to bring along that packs up easily and keeps well in the heat. While most lettuce based salads can’t be dressed ahead of time and wilt in the heat, these zucchini noodles with pesto come to the rescue. Both zucchini noodles and hearty kale stand up to being dressed ahead of time making them an ideal option for a make-ahead meal.
What I particularly love about this salad is its three layers of glorious green. The first layer is the pesto-like dressing made with loads of fresh basil and parsley. The second layer of green is the kale. Thinly slicing it is the key to keeping the salad light and fresh, as is giving it a good massage until tender and silky. And the last layer is the zucchini made into noodles you can twirl around your fork. (Making your own zucchini noodles is quick and easy but you can also easily find pre-made noodles in most grocery stores as well.)
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Herbs – You’ll need basil and flat leaf parsley for the pesto.
- Garlic – Use 1 small clove of garlic.
- Nuts – You can use pistachios or walnuts.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh squeezed lemon juice.
- Kale - Use lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale
- Zucchini – You can make the zucchini noodles with a spiralizer or buy pre-spiralized noodles.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Use either oil-packed or re-hydrated with water.
- Seeds – Use a combination of pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds.
How to Make Zucchini Noodles with Pesto:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- To make the pesto combine the basil, parsley, garlic and nuts in a mini food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth adding more olive oil as needed to loosen dressing.
- To make the salad, strip the kale leaves from stems and thinly slice them into ribbons. Place the kale in a large bowl and add half the dressing and firmly massage the leaves to work in the dressing and tenderize the leaves.
- Using a spiralizer or a julienne vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into noodles and gently toss the zucchini noodles with the kale, sundried tomatoes and the rest of the pesto.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin and hemp seeds and serve!
What you end up with is a vividly green salad with lots of vibrant flavors and textures that will surely become a summer (and year-round) favorite.
More Zucchini Noodle Recipes:
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Enjoy the flavors of summer with these zucchini noodles with pesto made with a homemade pesto dressing, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect for picnics or barbecues!
Ingredients
For the pesto:
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, stems removed
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 2 Tablespoons/17g pistachios or walnuts
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra virgin olive oil (plus more if needed to thin out dressing)
- 2 teaspoons/ 10ml lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the salad:
- One bunch lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale
- 2 medium sized zucchini
- 5 soft sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons/ 14g pumpkin seeds
- 1 Tablespoon/ 10g hemp seeds
Instructions
Make the pesto:
- Combine basil, parsley, garlic, pistachios, and salt in a mini food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth (adding more olive oil as needed to loosen dressing). Set aside.
Make the salad:
- Strip kale leaves from stems (discard stems). Roll leaves and thinly slice. Place in a large bowl and add half the dressing. With clean hands, firmly massage the leaves to work in the dressing and tenderize the leaves. The kale should look darker and feel softer and silkier. Set aside.
- Using a spiralizer or a julienne vegetable peeler, cut zucchini into noodles.
- Gently toss the zucchini with the kale, sundried tomatoes and the rest of the pesto.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin and hemp seeds and serve.
Notes
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Paleo
Recommended Products
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Sun-Dried Tomatoes Organic - Soft & Juicy Sun-Dried Tomato Halves Healthy Fruit & Veggie Snacks – Organic Tomatoes for Pasta, Salads, Soups & More- Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Vegan (3 Packs - 5 oz. each) -
Go Raw Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt, Sprouted & Organic, 14 oz. Bag | Keto | Vegan | Gluten Free Snacks | Superfood -
Nutiva Organic Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 141mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Bernadette Morrissey says
Yum!!!! This is delicious! The blend of flavours ... the crunchiness ... the pesto!! I am adding to my Favorites file for sure!!!!Yum!!!! This is delicious! The blend of flavours ... the crunchiness ... the pesto!! I am adding to my Favorites file for sure!!!!
Cathy says
Thank you for a salad that keeps and transports well! The dried tomatoes must add an excellent hit of flavour. Even though summer has passed, I'm Pinning this to try!