Zucchini Noodles with Pesto

Zucchini noodles are tossed with ribbons of kale, sun-dried  tomatoes and a pesto dressing for a simple but sturdy summertime salad.

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.

This pesto kale salad combines thin strands of zucchini with ribbons of kale and flecks of chopped sun-dried tomatoes for an easy and 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, this hearty salad comes to the rescue with its staying power.

How to make zucchini noodles with pesto:

What I particularly love about this salad is its three layers of green. 

1. The first layer is the pesto-like dressing made with loads of fresh basil and parsley. 
2. 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.
3. 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 these days.)
4. All you need to finish are a few finely chopped, chewy and intensely flavored sun-dried tomatoes and a handful of nutty pumpkin and hemp seeds for a bit of nuttiness and crunch. 

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 to try:

• Zucchini Noodle Primavera
• Watermelon and Zucchini Noodle Salad
• Zucchini Noodles with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 Servings

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Zucchini noodles are tossed with ribbons of kale, sun-dried tomatoes and a pesto dressing for a simple but sturdy summertime salad.

Print

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup basil leaves
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, stems removed
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 2 Tablespoons/17g pistachios 
• 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 dressing:

1. 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:

1. 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.
2. Using a spiralizer or a julienne vegetable peeler, cut zucchini into noodles.
3. Gently toss the zucchini with the kale, sundried tomatoes and the rest of the pesto.
4. Sprinkle with pumpkin and hemp seeds and serve.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  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:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount 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.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate it, leave a comment below, or Pin it for later.

(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Find out what that means for you here.)

Sylvie

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.