Paleo Zucchini Noodle Primavera
Bright, garden-fresh, and genuinely satisfying, this spiralized zucchini primavera proves you don't need a single grain or legume to pull off a bowl that feels like a full meal. The trick is in the prep — salting the zoodles and patting them dry before they ever hit the pan means you get tender, slightly toothsome noodles instead of a watery mess, which is the detail that separates a great zucchini noodle dish from a disappointing one. Asparagus, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and sliced zucchini all get a quick turn in the skillet until just blistered and bright, keeping their color and a little crunch. Garlic bloomed in olive oil ties everything together, and a finish of fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, torn basil, and parsley lifts the whole dish with an herby, citrusy punch. Optional toasted pine nuts add a buttery richness that makes each bowl feel a little more special. Everything in this recipe is whole-food and unprocessed, so there's no label-reading or ingredient-swapping required — it just works. Serves four, and it comes together fast enough for a weeknight but looks impressive enough to put in front of guests.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the zoodles
- 4 medium zucchini (about 2 lb total)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, for drawing out moisture
For the vegetables
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
For serving
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spiralize the 4 trimmed zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer or julienne peeler. Place the zoodles in a colander set over the sink, toss with 1 tsp kosher salt, and let stand for 10 minutes until moisture begins to bead on the surface. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels — the drier the zoodles, the less watery the finished dish.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the asparagus and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender and bright, about 3–4 minutes.
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