Do you pour this over zucchini noodles or is it made out of zucchini? The correct answer is: both! This quick pesto sauce is raw vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and contains a generous serving of vegetables in each bite. Serve it as a dip, spread, or as a sauce for some zoodles or regular noodles.
We like to stray from the well-traveled path and pave our own way, especially in regards to flavors. That’s how this zucchini pesto sauce came to be. It’s a tasty and zesty twist on a classic pesto recipe that exhibits an impressive nutritional profile. This pesto sauce is more akin to an avocado pesto, in the sense that it is a little thicker and creamier than a regular pesto. Like any great pesto, this recipe contains nuts, only we use walnuts instead of pine nuts. If you prefer other nuts, then you can use almonds, cashews, or pine nuts instead. If you want to enjoy a nut-free version, use pumpkin seeds.
Because zucchini contain a lot of water, you have to do your best to squeeze the water out before blending it with the rest of the ingredients. Grate the zucchini with a cheese grater, place it in a cheesecloth, and squeeze out as much water as you can. You don’t want excess water, or else your pesto will become too watery. Just make sure that you use this pesto relatively quickly, because it only keeps fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 6 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Dips & Spreads, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 2 c zucchini, grated
- 2 c fresh basil
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 c raw walnuts
- 1/2 c nutritional yeast
- 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and then place it in a cheesecloth. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the grated zucchini and then add it to a food processor.
- If you don\'t have a cheesecloth, you can use a nut milk bag, or simply place the grated zucchini in a tea towel and squeeze.
- Once you add the grated zucchini to the food processor, add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Remove the pesto from the processor and serve as desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
