Whether grilled as a light appetizer, a zucchini cake or zucchini casserole - zucchini are THE summer vegetable par excellence and an indispensable part of our kitchen. The popular vegetable is not only a real vitamin bomb, but can also be prepared in a variety of ways. Zucchini tastes wonderful in both savory and sweet recipes and is ideal for a light and healthy summer dish. Don't have a clue what to make in a hurry for dinner today and have some zucchini left over? How about a delicious and creamy zucchini pesto, for example? After all, homemade pesto tastes much better and cannot be compared to the ready-made versions from the supermarket! Whether with a steak or a quick mealZucchini Pesto Pasta – these pesto variants are deliciouswonderful and are ideal for enjoying the popular summer vegetables!
The best zucchini pesto recipe
Beautifully creamy and full of flavors – pesto is a classic in Italian cuisine and is now very popular all over the world. Whether with pasta, meat or as a salad dressing - the uncooked sauce gives every dish a fine touch and always ensures a culinary delight. Of course we lovethe classic version, but a little variety every now and then wouldn't be bad either. Done quickly andirresistibly delicious– this zucchini pesto recipe tastes like summer and is ideal for using up leftover zucchini.
Ingredients for 2 glasses:
- 400 grams of zucchini, grated
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 40 grams of pine nuts
- 120 grams of Parmesan, grated
- 30 grams of fresh basil
- 30 grams of baby spinach
- 20 grams of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Grate the zucchini finely, add salt and let it sit in a bowl for 10 minutes.
- Place in a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Add the zucchini, pine nuts, basil and spinach to the blender and blend for 1 minute until smooth.
- Add parmesan, salt and pepper and mix.
- Then slowly add the olive oil and stir until you get a creamy consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- And voilà – your homemade zucchini pesto is ready!
Prepare zucchini pesto vegan
Just because you don't consume animal products doesn't mean you have to skip the creamy sauce. Instead, you will simply prepare the zucchini pesto vegan. Oil-free and only 80 calories per serving - the perfect,low calorie spread! The recipe is super variable and you can experiment with the ingredients. How about using spinach instead of basil, for example? Or prepare the pesto without pine nuts but with almonds or walnuts? The possibilities are literally endless!
Ingredients for 6-7 servings:
- 200 grams zucchini, roughly diced
- 120 grams of pine nuts or other nuts of your choice
- 20 grams of nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 20 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 30-40 ml of water
- 30 grams of fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Add pine nuts, basil and garlic cloves to the blender and mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the zucchini, lemon juice and nutritional yeast and puree for 1 minute.
- Add water little by little and mix until you get the desired consistency.
- Season the vegan zucchini pesto with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Schnelle Zucchini-Pesto-Pasta
A few ideas for onelight and quick summer dishWould you like? Would you like some zucchini pesto pasta? Ready in under 20 minutes and full of flavor - perfect for a delicious lunch or dinner!
Ingredients for 5 servings:
- 330 grams of spaghetti or other pasta of your choice
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 100 grams of homemade zucchini pesto
- 100 ml Nudelwasser
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente according to the package instructions and then measure out 100 ml of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry zucchini for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
- Add the garlic cloves to the pan and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked pasta, pasta water and zucchini pesto to the pan and mix well.
- Garnish the zucchini pesto pasta with parmesan and fresh basil if desired and enjoy!
This is how you can freeze pesto
You can store homemade zucchini pesto in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To keep the sauce as fresh as possible, pour a thin layer of olive oil over it - this will prevent oxidation and the pesto will taste just as good after 1 week! However, if you made more than you can use, then you may be wondering if you could freeze the pesto. The answer is yes. Ice cube trays, for example, are particularly practical for this - because next time you can easily take out as many portions of pesto as you need. However, the zucchini pesto no longer tastes as intense after defrosting, but that can be quickly changed with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
