This creamy pesto zucchini noodles recipe swaps the usual basil-and-pine-nut pesto for a fluffy, rich blend of avocado, broccoli, and mushrooms - no oil, nuts, or cheese required. The texture is genuinely something special: light and creamy all at once, and it clings beautifully to spiralized zucchini noodles. A sprinkle of hemp seeds on top adds a little crunch and a boost of plant protein.
Not a fan of broccoli in your pesto? Leave it out and use fresh chopped basil instead for a more traditional flavor - the avocado and mushroom base works beautifully either way. With just a handful of ingredients and a blender, this comes together in well under 20 minutes, making it an easy weeknight dinner or a light lunch.
Excerpted from Cook Lively! 100 Quick and Easy Plant-Based Recipes for High Energy, Glowing Skin, and Vibrant Living-Using 10 Ingredients or Less. Recipes and photos by Laura-Jane Koers. Copyright © 2017. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Zucchini - spiralized into noodles, this is the base of the dish. A vegetable peeler works fine if you don't have a spiralizer; just make wide, flat ribbons instead of long strands.
- Broccoli - chopped and blended right into the pesto, it gives the sauce its green color and a subtle earthy flavor. Swap in fresh basil for a more classic pesto taste if you prefer.
- Mushrooms - these add an umami depth to the sauce and help give it that fluffy, rich texture without any oil or cheese.
- Avocado - the creamy backbone of the sauce, adding richness and body in place of the usual olive oil or parmesan.
- Hemp seeds - sprinkled on top for garnish, they add a pleasant crunch and a boost of plant-based protein and healthy fats.
Helpful Tips
- Peel the zucchini first if you prefer noodles without the skin, though leaving it on adds color and nutrients.
- Zucchini noodles release water as they sit, so pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towels right before tossing with the sauce to keep it from turning watery.
- Blend the pesto until it's completely smooth and creamy - a high-speed blender makes quick work of this, but a regular blender works too with a little extra blending time.
- Toss the noodles and sauce together gently with tongs or two forks so the delicate zucchini strands don't break apart.
Variations
Swap in your favorite noodles, cooked pasta, or even cooked spaghetti squash if you'd rather skip the spiralizing. Use fresh basil in place of the broccoli for a more traditional pesto flavor, or do a mix of both for something in between. A squeeze of extra lemon juice brightens the sauce nicely if you like a little more tang.
Serving Ideas
This dish is light enough to serve on its own for lunch, but it also pairs nicely with a simple side salad or some crusty bread for a fuller dinner. It's a great way to work more vegetables into a pasta-night rotation without missing out on the comfort of a creamy sauce.
Storing & Freezing
This dish is best enjoyed immediately, since zucchini noodles release water and soften the longer they sit. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day, though the texture will be softer than fresh. The pesto sauce on its own keeps a bit longer, up to 3 days refrigerated, so it can be made ahead and tossed with fresh noodles just before serving. This dish isn't a good candidate for freezing.
Recipe
Creamy Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Broccoli & Avocado
Ingredients
Noodles
- 3 medium zucchini or 3 servings of your favorite noodles
Creamy broccoli pesto
- 1 cup chopped broccoli or fresh basil
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 avocado
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup water for blending
Instructions
- Peel the zucchini if desired. Turn the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. Set aside.
- To make the pesto, place all the pesto ingredients and the water in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Dry off the zucchini noodles if they have released any water.
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles and sauce. Using tongs or 2 forks, toss gently until the sauce is well distributed over the noodles. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the zucchini noodles ahead of time?
You can spiralize the zucchini a few hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator, but zucchini noodles do release water as they sit, so pat them dry well before tossing with the sauce. For the best texture, it's still worth spiralizing them as close to serving time as you can.
Can I use a different vegetable for the pesto instead of broccoli?
Yes - fresh basil is the classic swap and gives a more traditional pesto flavor, but baby spinach or arugula also work well blended into the avocado base if that's what you have on hand.
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Jan says
Wonderful recipe! Such a clever idea. The zucchini noodles really did have the mouth-feel of pasta. I made the noodles with my y-peeler (vegetable peeler.) Next time I will figure out the a less messy way to dry them. This time I just squeezed then noodles in bunches with a clean dish towel, dripping the water right onto the floor. I used both basil and broccoli as both are bountiful right now. The onion powder/lemon combination is key, I end up doubling it. This recipe is a delicious way to mask both zucchini and broccoli Yes, it that time of year. Thanks, Nava.
Anne says
What can I substitute for the mushrooms since I have an intolerance to them?
Nava says
Anne, since there's only a cup of chopped mushrooms, you can simply omit them, but if you want to add something that would provide a bit of moistness in place of the mushrooms, I'd recommend an equivalent amount of diced tomato.