Description
A fresh and vibrant Avocado Pesto Zoodles recipe featuring spiralized zucchini noodles tossed with a creamy avocado-basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and toasted pine nuts. This light and healthy dish is perfect for a gluten-free, low-calorie meal with bold flavors and a satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Zoodles & Toppings
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 4 medium zucchini squash, spiralized
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Avocado Pesto
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Avocado Pesto: Add the avocado, lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, and sea salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more lemon juice, garlic, or sea salt if desired.
- Make the Zoodles: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spiralized zucchini noodles and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add Spinach and Finish Cooking: Add the baby spinach to the skillet, cover with a lid, and cook for about 2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove the lid and continue cooking the zucchini noodles until they reach your preferred level of doneness, ideally al dente.
- Combine and Serve: Stir the prepared avocado pesto into the skillet with the cooked zoodles until well combined and coated. Serve the zoodles garnished with lemon wedges and the toasted pine nuts for added crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Use ripe avocado for the creamiest pesto texture.
- Adjust the lemon juice and salt in the pesto for your preferred acidity and seasoning balance.
- To toast pine nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Spiralize the zucchini just before cooking to prevent excess moisture making the dish soggy.
- This dish is best served immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and flavors.
- The nutritional yeast is optional but adds a savory, cheesy flavor for a vegan boost.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
