High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Fresh zucchini noodles tossed in a vibrant, herb-forward pesto with briny Kalamata olives and cool cucumber slices — this salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort. Every ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means you can skip the label-reading anxiety that comes with jarred sauces and store-bought dressings that so often sneak in unwanted sweeteners. The pesto is blended from scratch using fresh basil, parsley, garlic, lemon, and good olive oil, so you know exactly what's going into it. Salting the zucchini noodles first and squeezing out the excess moisture is the key step that keeps everything from turning watery — it's a small move that makes a big difference in texture. The result is a bright, garlicky, lemon-kissed bowl that feels light but genuinely satisfying. A final drizzle of olive oil and a handful of torn basil over the top takes it from weeknight easy to dinner-party worthy.
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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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