Candida Diet Friendly Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Bright, herby, and refreshingly light, this zucchini noodle salad is the kind of dish that feels indulgent without a single ingredient that would set back your progress. The pesto is made entirely from scratch — fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon, and good olive oil — so there's no guessing about hidden sugars or additives that sneak into jarred versions. Spiralized zucchini stands in beautifully for pasta, giving you that satisfying tangle of noodles without any of the starchy grains that can be so tricky to avoid. Salting the noodles first and squeezing out the excess moisture is a small but crucial step that keeps the pesto clinging to every strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Kalamata olives and crisp cucumber round things out with briny, cool contrast that makes each bite feel complete. It comes together in one bowl with minimal cooking, which is a genuine relief on days when you're already thinking hard about what you can and can't eat. Finish it with torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil and it looks like something you'd order at a restaurant — no one needs to know how easy it actually was.
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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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