This salad of zucchini and pesto from Italy is the ideal refreshing summer dish. This salad can be prepared in ten minutes and is topped with a three-ingredient pesto vinaigrette. It’s simple to modify this recipe to produce warm pesto zoodles.

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RECIPES FOR ZOODLES

I’ve been having zoodle salads for lunch almost every day for months.

Zoodles are made from zucchini and can be prepared in the following ways:

Using a spiralizer, also known as the finest zoodle maker, is the simplest, fastest, and best way to manufacture zoodles! I own one and heartily endorse the OXO Spiralizer.

Peel with a julienne tool. I’ve done this before, but it takes a while, and I think a lot of the zucchini is wasted.

For strands more akin to “fettucine,” try using a vegetable peeler. I make this frequently, and even though it has a distinct texture, it looks lovely in a salad. This Artichoke Millet Power Salad is quite tasty.

For this salad, I spiralize carrots as well. Spiraling so many vegetables is a great idea. Although a zucchini is the best shape, big, plump carrots and cucumbers also work well.

English cucumbers are the least soggy and crispest, so that’s why I use them. In addition, I adore spiralizing butternut squash for roasting and beets for salads.

Essentials for the Pesto-Zoom Dal Salad

Once your carrots and zucchini have been spiralized, it’s time to add some colorful toppings!

I adore putting pesto on salads. It’s incredibly simple to make: just combine your preferred pesto (store-bought or homemade) with equal amounts of white wine vinegar and lemon juice.

The addition of roasted red peppers to this salad is fantastic. The zucchini and carrots are the only veggies you’ll need to prepare if you purchase them.

It will require a few extra steps to create my basic roasted peppers, but the results will be far better and much less expensive. Use raw peppers if you want to avoid using your oven throughout the summer.

I also added sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and marinated artichoke hearts. Making this salad only takes a few minutes because none of those items required to be prepared.

PESTO ZOODLES

Raw zoodles are my fave, and this salad is one of my favorites. However, warm pesto zoodles make a delicious side dish as well.

Simply use pesto instead of pesto vinaigrette if you want to make this into a hot dish. Zoodles should ideally be prepared as soon as you’re ready to eat because they don’t stay hot for very long after cooking.

Prepare your cooked zoodles just before the peppers are going to come out of the oven, and feel free to toss the artichoke hearts and olives on the roasting pan with them. Add the pesto once everything is done, then serve.

Use very high heat when cooking zoodles to prevent them from becoming soggy. I heat up a large wok on high heat and lightly mist the pan with olive oil.

Add the zoodles and cook for only 4–5 minutes, or until they are heated through but still firm. It is important that they maintain their hard texture and do not start to lose water.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR OWN PESTO ZOODLE SALAD

Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: In this dish, I used a vegan pesto. I skipped the cheese and substituted this lighter version of basil walnut pesto.

Make it Paleo/Whole30: If a vegan pesto is used, this recipe is compliant with the Whole30 diet.

Boost the Protein: Chickapeas or hard boiled eggs would also make excellent vegetarian alternatives. This is a terrific side for grilled meats.

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