Perfect Raw Pesto with Zoodles

Zoodles.

What a cute name.

I love me some spiralized veggies. It’s such an aesthetically pleasing way to prepare produce, and while I generally make them more for clients, I’ve started making them more for my own meals now that we’re finally steadfast in our summer weather. Zucchini is by far the BEST veggie to turn into noodles though summer squash is equally “pasta like”. Beets, carrots and potatoes can be a bit of a pain, while zucchini flies through my spirazlier with ease.

While I generally like my zoodles raw, I tried boiling them like spaghetti this time around, just to see what it was like. I honestly prefer them a bit crunchy, as boiling them seemed to make them a little bland and slightly mushy. This raw pesto clung beautifully to raw noodles, while it kind of just slipped off of the cooked version. Considering the raw version is much healthier, I’m going to stick with that variation. Though I did have a serving with my cooked tempeh walnut meatballs.

I could eat this pesto by the boatload, by the way. I hadn’t really appreciated the greatness of homemade pesto until recently, and now I can’t get enough. I’ve been working with some arugula, parsley and beet green versions, too and I love them all!

4 zucchini, spiralized

2 cups packed fresh basil

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of one lemon

Sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper

• In a food processor, pulse basil, pine nuts, yeast, garlic, lemon, salt, black pepper and red pepper, scraping down sides
• Slowly stream in olive oil and pulse until creamy