Artificial Flavors Free Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and built entirely from real ingredients you can actually pronounce, this zucchini noodle salad is the kind of dish that makes you feel good from the first bite. Spiralized zucchini stands in for pasta, tossed in a bright homemade pesto made from scratch with fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil — nothing more, nothing less. That matters because store-bought pesto and pre-made dressings are notorious for sneaking in natural and artificial flavor additives that have no business being in something this simple. Salting the zucchini first and squeezing out the excess moisture is the small but crucial step that keeps everything from turning watery, so the pesto actually clings to every strand. Kalamata olives and crisp English cucumber round out the salad with briny, cool contrast that makes each forkful interesting. It comes together quickly, requires no cooking, and the pesto can be blended in under a minute — making this an easy go-to when you want something fresh and clean without any shortcuts that compromise your ingredients.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the zucchini noodles
- 4 medium zucchini (about 2 lb total)
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt, divided
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the salad
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1 cup thinly sliced english cucumber
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spiralize the zucchini into long noodles using a spiralizer, or cut into thin ribbons with a julienne peeler. Place the noodles in a colander set over the sink, toss with 1/2 tsp of the sea salt, and let stand for 10 minutes until the zucchini releases some of its moisture.
- 2
While the zucchini drains, combine the basil leaves, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp sea salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse 6–8 times until the herbs are roughly chopped.
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