This dish is healthy, filling and delicious – perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. Zucchini noodles are tossed with a creamy avocado pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts. It’s a simple dish that can be on the table in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchini, spiralized into noodles
- 1/2 bunch of fresh basil, leaves only
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup (30 g) sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
- 1/4 cup (30 g) toasted pine nuts
Method
1. In a food processor, combine the basil, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Process until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini noodles with the pesto. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts and toss again.
3. Serve immediately.
Potential changes & improvements
– If you’re not a fan of zucchini noodles, you could use spiralized cucumber or even regular pasta.
– For a bit of extra protein, you could add some cooked chickpeas or white beans to the dish.
– This dish is also delicious served cold, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
What other food it works well with
This dish goes well with a simple green salad and some crusty bread.
Common Mistakes
– Not spiralizing the zucchini noodles properly. Be sure to use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to get the noodles nice and thin.
– Over-processing the pesto. The pesto should be smooth, but not too thick. If it’s too thick, add a bit more olive oil or lemon juice.
– Not toasting the pine nuts. This step is important as it brings out the flavour of the pine nuts. Simply place them in a dry pan over medium heat and cook until golden brown.
Nutritional Information
This dish is high in vitamins A and C, and is a good source of healthy fats and fibre.
Allergens
This dish contains tree nuts (pine nuts).