Rice Free Basil-Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad
Bright, herby, and impossibly fresh, this zucchini noodle salad is the kind of dish that makes you forget you ever needed a grain on the plate. Spiralized zucchini stands in beautifully for any starchy base, soaking up a vivid homemade pesto built from fresh basil, parsley, garlic, and a generous hit of lemon juice and zest. The trick of salting and squeezing the noodles before dressing them is what keeps everything from turning watery — it's a small step that makes a big difference in texture. Kalamata olives and crisp English cucumber round out the salad with briny, cool contrast that plays perfectly against the rich olive oil pesto. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, so there's no second-guessing labels or hunting for specialty swaps. Finish it with torn basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and it looks genuinely stunning on the table. It's the kind of recipe that works just as well for a casual weeknight as it does for impressing guests.
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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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