Go Back
Cold Zucchini Noodles with Silky Avocado Pesto Sauce

Cold Zucchini Noodles with Silky Avocado Pesto Sauce

Pasta night in the middle of summer sounds great until you remember boiling water means turning your kitchen into a sauna. These cold zucchini noodles with silky avocado pesto sauce solve that problem completely. No pot of boiling water, no steamed-up windows, just a creamy, garlicky, herby noodle bowl that's ready in five minutes flat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: DINNER, healthy dinner, Summer Meal
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 to 4 medium zucchinis
  • 2 avocados
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds or pine nuts
  • Sea salt and red pepper flakes to taste
  • That's it just seven ingredients (well, technically eight if you count salt and pepper flakes separately). No dairy, no oil needed, and no cooking whatsoever.

Equipment

  • A food processor - for blending the pesto into a smooth, creamy sauce
  • A spiralizer - for turning zucchini into noodles (a julienne peeler works in a pinch)
  • A large bowl - for tossing the noodles with the pesto
  • That's the entire equipment list. If you don't own a spiralizer, don't panic, a julienne peeler or even a regular vegetable peeler (cutting long ribbons instead of true noodles) gets the job done too.
  • Why Avocado Pesto Beats the Classic Version
  • Traditional pesto relies on olive oil and often parmesan for its richness. This version swaps in avocado instead, and the payoff is a pesto that's noticeably creamier and silkier in texture. IMO, once you taste how smooth this version turns out, it's hard to go back to the oilier classic.

Method
 

  1. How to Make Cold Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto
  2. This process breaks down into two dead-simple steps.
  3. Spiralize the zucchinis. Turn them into noodles using a spiralizer, then cut or break the strands into smaller, more manageable lengths. Place them in a large bowl and set aside.
  4. Blend the pesto. Add the avocados, basil, garlic, lemon juice, hemp seeds (or pine nuts), salt, and red pepper flakes to a food processor. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  5. Toss and serve. Pour the pesto over the zucchini noodles and toss until every strand is coated. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge until you're ready to eat.
  6. Sprinkle a little extra hemp seeds or nutritional yeast on top before serving if you want an extra flavor boost. That's genuinely the entire recipe, no stovetop required at any point.

Notes

Nutrition Breakdown

Curious what's actually in this bowl of creamy green goodness? Here's the full nutritional rundown per serving:
  • Calories- 280kcal
  • Carbohydrates- 19g
  • Protein- 9g
  • Fat- 21g
  • Saturated Fat- 2g
  • Sodium- 96mg
  • Potassium- 1080mg
  • Fiber- 10g
  • Sugar- 6g
  • Vitamin A- 1235IU
  • Vitamin C- 62.3mg
  • Calcium- 93mg
  • Iron- 3.6mg