Creamy Zucchini Pesto Noodles with Fresh Basil and Parmesan
Light and luscious spiralized zucchini noodles tossed in a vibrant homemade basil pesto and finished with a silky cream sauce. This spring-inspired Italian dish celebrates fresh seasonal produce while delivering comforting, restaurant-quality flavors in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini (about 800g), spiralized into noodles
- 50g fresh basil leaves, packed
- 40g pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
- 80ml extra virgin olive oil
- 120ml heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the pesto by adding the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Pat the spiralized zucchini noodles dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps prevent a watery sauce.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just tender but still slightly crisp.
Reduce heat to low and add the heavy cream to the skillet, stirring gently to coat the zucchini noodles evenly.
Add 3 tablespoons of the prepared pesto to the pan and toss everything together until the noodles are well coated in the creamy pesto sauce.
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Divide the creamy zucchini pesto noodles among four serving plates. Top with halved cherry tomatoes, extra grated Parmesan, and fresh basil leaves.
Serve immediately while warm. Store any remaining pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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