Pesto zucchini noodles, or zoodles, tossed with juicy sautéed shrimp are a simple, scrumptious low-carb dinner! Make this recipe in a single skillet with store-bought or selfmade basil pesto and tender spiralized zucchini.
Swap the shrimp on your favourite elements! I really like this pesto zucchini noodles recipe tossed with creamy Rooster Lazone, zesty Italian mushrooms, or extra veggies for a lightweight, flavor-packed meal.
Springtime Fridays are made for the coldest glass of chardonnay and straightforward dinners, like these tender, flavor-loaded pesto zucchini noodles. I handed a latest haul of zucchini by the spiralizer the opposite night time, then cooked some juicy shrimp and sautéed all the things along with recent basil pesto. It was scrumptious and so refreshing. Even my husband, who makes spaghetti at the least as soon as every week, devoured up these pesto zoodles and went again for seconds.
What Makes This Pesto Zoodles Recipe So Nice?
- Recent flavors. I’ve made this recipe with selfmade pesto and store-bought pesto (when time is of the essence) and it’s scrumptious each methods. The brilliant, zesty, basil and parmesan flavors do wonders for spiralized veggies!
- Filling protein. I toss my pesto zucchini noodles with juicy sautéed jumbo shrimp, however you should utilize any protein you like. Completely different seafood, rooster, steak bites… absolutely anything goes. You’ll be able to even make a vegetarian model with further greens or mushrooms.
- One pan. Cook dinner the protein and zucchini noodles in the identical pan, and add the pesto proper on the finish. It’s a quick and straightforward, one-skillet dinner that’s prepared in 20 minutes.
Components You’ll Want
With zucchini season approaching, I’m already dreaming of all of the fritters and salads on the horizon. Spiralizing these summer season veggies is only one extra strategy to take pleasure in them! I’ve included some fast recipe notes right here, and you’ll discover the printable recipe card and step-by-step instructions on the backside of the put up.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil, for sautéeing.
- Shrimp – I exploit pre-cooked jumbo shrimp. You need to use recent or frozen shrimp, ensuring to peel and devein them as wanted. Thaw frozen shrimp fully beforehand.
- Garlic – Freshly minced cloves, or you may substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
- Zucchini – I often funds 1 entire zucchini per individual every time I make this recipe. Select recent, ripe zucchini that’s agency and darkish inexperienced. There are just a few methods that you may flip zucchini into zoodles (see under).
- Pesto – Be at liberty to make use of your favourite jarred or selfmade basil pesto. I even have recipes for parsley pesto and spinach pesto that additionally go nice with zucchini noodles.
- Parmesan – End your pesto zoodles with freshly grated parmesan, pecorino, or any cheese you’d like. Goat cheese or feta would additionally style scrumptious.
The right way to Make Zucchini Noodles
There’s multiple strategy to zoodle – I really like my countertop spiralizer, however these are different instruments that you should utilize to make zucchini noodles at house:
- Spiralizer. I exploit my spiralizer to make curly zoodles that look just like spaghetti. You need to use a countertop spiralizer, or a KitchenAid spiralizer attachment.
- Julienne. Use a handheld julienne peeler to make thinner “angel hair” zucchini noodles. These will want hardly any cooking time.
- Mandoline. Use a mandoline to slice the zucchini into planks, after which slice the planks into lengthy strips, just like fettuccine.
- Vegetable peeler. Use a regular veggie peeler to make lengthy and large, pappardelle-style zucchini ribbons.
What Else Can I Add to Zoodles?
I’m at all times altering up this zucchini noodles recipe with seasonal elements. I’ll add grilled shrimp in the summertime, or swap shrimp for one more protein altogether. These are some concepts to attempt year-round:
- Seafood. As an alternative of shrimp, make this recipe with seared scallops, or nestle a salmon filet over high earlier than serving.
- Rooster. Strive slicing up rooster breast or parmesan crusted rooster. Or, toss these zoodles with crispy rooster spiedini.
- Veggies. Add much more greens like pan-fried oyster mushrooms, burst cherry tomatoes, roasted asparagus, and steamed broccoli.
- Beef. High a mattress of pesto zoodles with sliced New York strip steak or grilled steak.
- Nuts and seeds. Pine nuts, crushed pecans, walnuts, slivered almonds, and pepitas (or pumpkin seeds) are tasty methods so as to add crunch to those zucchini noodles with pesto.
- Spicy. Add crushed purple pepper flakes or chopped recent chilies, like poblanos or jalapeños.
- Creamy. Add a splash of heavy cream, half-and-half, or stir in a spoonful of cream cheese for creamy pesto zucchini noodles.
Serving Solutions
These one-pan pesto zucchini noodles with shrimp are a meal-in-one, so if I’ve one thing on the aspect, it’s often some charred vine tomatoes, recent heirloom tomato salad, or Mediterranean salad, and perhaps some comfortable garlic breadsticks for the desk. Since we’re loading up on scrumptious veggies for dinner, it’s solely truthful to comply with it up with a thick slice of pumpkin spice cake for dessert. Increase your glass(es) of chardonnay and luxuriate in!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Zucchini noodles are finest served recent. Cooked zucchini tends to develop into a bit soggy as soon as it’s saved within the sauce. That being stated, you may retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for a day or two. Zucchini isn’t a fantastic candidate for freezing.
- Reheat. Heat the zoodles gently in a skillet or the microwave. They’ll develop into softer as they reheat.
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Cook dinner the shrimp. Warmth 1 tablespoon olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and add them to the skillet. Sauté for two to three minutes, or till pink and cooked by. Take away from the skillet and put aside in a bowl.
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Sauté. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet, then add garlic and cook dinner for 15 seconds, or till aromatic.
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Cook dinner the zucchini noodles. Add the spiralized zucchini to the skillet and proceed to cook dinner for 7 minutes or till tender, stirring ceaselessly.
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Put all of it collectively. Add the shrimp again to skillet, stir within the pesto, and cook dinner simply till all the things is heated by, about 1 minute.
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Serve. Switch the zoodles to a serving bowl, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve!
Serving: 1.5cups | Energy: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fats: 19g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1040IU | Vitamin C: 35.6mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might range in response to the elements and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
The right way to Make Pesto Zucchini Noodles (With Shrimp)
My #1 recommendation when cooking zucchini noodles is: Don’t overcook. Zoodles want solely a fast flash within the pan to warmth by and develop into al dente. On this recipe, the nice and cozy pesto is sufficient to soften them. Observe the steps under:
- Sauté the shrimp. First, season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then sauté them in a big skillet with oil for 2-3 minutes. Set the shrimp apart for now.
- Cook dinner the zoodles. Subsequent, add garlic to the pan, and as soon as that’s aromatic, add the zucchini noodles. Cook dinner for 5-7 minutes till the zucchini is tender.
- Put all of it collectively. Add the shrimp again to the skillet, stir within the pesto, and let all the things warmth by earlier than serving. Sprinkle over recent parmesan, and dig in.
