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A close up of zucchini pesto pasta on a plate
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Zucchini Pesto Pasta

The most delicious Zucchini Pesto Pasta made with fresh mint, parsley, parmesan and nuts. This super quick recipe uses a vibrant green zucchini pesto made in a food processor and tossed with spaghetti. Healthy and packed with flavour!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 574kcal
Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

  • 14 oz spaghetti (400g) or pasta of choice
  • 1 pound zucchini (courgettes) about 2-3 medium (500g)
  • 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (50g) grated
  • cup whole almonds (50g)
  • 3 sprigs fresh mint (10g)
  • 1 handful fresh parsley (5g)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

Preparation step

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with salt. Grate the cheese and get a food processor ready.

To make zucchini pesto pasta

  • Wash the zucchini then place them in the boiling water whole (do not trim any ends or cut them first). Boil them for 8 minutes then carefully remove them with tongs to a cutting board, do not drain the water.
  • Add the pasta to the boiling water (add more salt if needed) and cook until al dente.
  • Meanwhile, cut the ends off of the zucchini and roughly chop them. Add the chopped zucchini to a food processor and blitz to a loose paste.
  • Next, add the cheese, nuts, mint, parsley, olive oil and a pinch of salt and blitz to a paste. Add around 2 tablespoons of pasta water to loosen it.
  • Transfer the zucchini pesto to a large mixing bowl and add the pasta once cooked. Toss everything together so the pasta is combined with the pesto (add a little more pasta water if needed) and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Reserve pasta water - we usually only use about 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to loosen the zucchini pesto slightly but you may need more when you toss it with the pasta so it's always best to reserve a little more than you need.
  • Prepare in advance - the zucchini pesto can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Bring it out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using it so it's not too cold.
  • Other nuts to use - if you don't have almonds you could use pistachios, walnuts, cashews or pine nuts.
  • Leftovers and storage - the pasta will keep well in the fridge for 1-2 days and can be eaten cold or a room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 559IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 3mg