Fructose Free Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Bright, herby, and refreshingly light, this zucchini noodle salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort. The pesto is made entirely from scratch using fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil — no store-bought shortcuts that might sneak in unwanted additives or high-fructose ingredients. Spiralized zucchini stands in for pasta beautifully, and the salting-and-squeezing step is the secret to noodles that stay firm rather than watery once dressed. Kalamata olives and thinly sliced English cucumber round out the salad with briny, cool contrast that makes every bite interesting. Because the ingredient list sticks to whole vegetables, fresh herbs, and simple pantry staples, it naturally sidesteps the fructose pitfalls that make so many sauces and dressings off-limits. A finishing drizzle of olive oil and torn basil leaves take it from weeknight easy to genuinely beautiful on the plate. It's the kind of recipe you'll want to keep on rotation all summer long.
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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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