Pecan Free Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Bright, herby, and refreshingly light, this zucchini noodle salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a trendy café but comes together entirely in your own kitchen. The pesto is made from scratch using fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and lemon — no store-bought jar needed, which means you have full control over every single ingredient that goes into it. Tree nut concerns can make traditional pesto a minefield, since pine nuts and walnuts show up constantly in both homemade and packaged versions, but this recipe skips nuts altogether without sacrificing any of that vibrant, garlicky flavor. Salting the zucchini noodles first and squeezing out the excess moisture is the key step that keeps everything from turning watery, so the pesto actually clings to each strand. Kalamata olives and crisp cucumber add a briny, cool contrast that makes this feel like a complete dish rather than just a side. Finish it with torn basil and a drizzle of good olive oil and it's genuinely stunning on the plate.
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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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