Zucchini and almond pesto is a perfect summer dish, a creamy and flavorful recipe that is quickly prepared.
If you like pesto recipes, don’t forget to read
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Rest time: 2 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 289.10 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 6.82 (g) of which sugars 0.44 (g)
- Proteins 9.42 (g)
- Fat 27.23 (g) of which saturated 5.13 (g)of which unsaturated 5.70 (g)
- Fibers 2.90 (g)
- Sodium 452.18 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 10.5 oz zucchini
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 0.7 oz almonds
- 0.7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Blender
Procedure
There are two ways to make zucchini and almond pesto: raw or by blanching the zucchinis before blending them. We will see both options.
We start the recipe by slicing the zucchinis into thin, uniform rounds. This step is important whether you make the pesto raw or with a quick cooking.
If you decide to use raw zucchinis, you won’t need to do anything. I recommend quickly sautéing them in a pan for 2 minutes on high heat, then cooking them in water for another 5 minutes.
This way, they will have a more intense flavor and a brighter, longer-lasting green color.
When the zucchinis are ready (cooked or raw), it’s time to blend them with an immersion blender or a regular blender.
The secret to a good pesto is to toast the nuts in a pan before adding them to the recipe. This way, they will be crunchy and aromatic.
Add the toasted almonds to the already blended pesto and grate quickly to mince them.
The almonds should be coarsely chopped or not too fine. When ready, add to the pesto a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
Your zucchini and almond pesto is ready!
Plating Tips:
Zucchini and almond pesto is a simple dish. Toss the pasta in the pesto, then place a generous spoonful on top of the pasta on the plate. Finish with chopped almonds and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
Wine Pairing for Zucchini Pesto:
Being a fresh and summer recipe, I recommend a dry white wine with a fresh and fruity flavor, slightly acidic, such as a Pinot or a Gewurztraminer.
