Avocado Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes

These zucchini noodles with pesto are a delicious dish that won’t weigh you down. Fresh zucchini noodles are tossed with a dairy-free avocado pesto and topped with burst cherry tomatoes. It’s an easy recipe to make, and it’s ready in just 25 minutes!

These pesto zucchini noodles are what I make when I’m craving something light yet satisfying, with lots of fresh, vibrant flavor. They live in that perfect in-between space—not quite a pasta, not quite a salad—and feel especially good when I want something bright and unfussy.

I give the zucchini noodles a quick 30-second cook to soften them slightly, keeping them tender without turning watery. The avocado pesto is the real star here: silky, rich, and bursting with fresh basil flavor, all without any dairy. Blended with avocado, spinach, and sunflower seeds, it’s creamy in a way that feels indulgent but still fresh and green.

This is a natural go-to in the summer when zucchini, tomatoes, and basil are everywhere, but I make it year-round to break up heavier meals. Tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes and coated in that vibrant pesto, it’s simple, colorful, and exactly the kind of meal I want on repeat.

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Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

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These pesto zucchini noodles with tomatoes are a delicious dish that won't weigh you down. Fresh zucchini noodles are tossed with a dairy-free avocado pesto and topped with burst cherry tomatoes. It's an easy recipe to make and is ready in just 25 minutes!

4

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 4 medium zucchinis (cut into noodles with a spiralizer or julienne peeler)
• ▢ 2 cups spinach (packed)

Avocado Pesto

• ▢ ¼ cup basil leaves (packed)
• ▢ 1 avocado (peeled and pit removed)
• ▢ ¼ cup spinach
• ▢ ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ▢ ½ cup water, olive oil, or a combination (see notes)
• ▢ 1 clove garlic
• ▢ Sea salt (to taste)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they are soft and a few have burst.
  ½ cup cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil
  
• While the tomatoes are roasting, place a colander in your sink and put a pot of lightly salted water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Once it begins to boil, drop the zucchini noodles in, wait 30 seconds then drop in the 2 cups of spinach and stir the pot. Immediately pour the noodles and spinach into the colander and let it drain well.
  4 medium zucchinis, 2 cups spinach
  
• Combine all the pesto ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour the pesto over the well-drained zucchini noodles and toss to coat. Season to taste with sea salt (We like about one teaspoon).
  ¼ cup basil leaves, 1 avocado, ¼ cup spinach, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, ½ cup water, olive oil, or a combination, 1 clove garlic, Sea salt
  
• Serve the zucchini noodles with the burst tomatoes and a few sunflower seeds over top.
  

Notes

For the pesto, water is the lightest option, but oil will make it wonderfully creamy. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 177kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 14g (5%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 13g (20%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 45mg (2%), Potassium: 959mg (27%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 2223IU (44%), Vitamin C: 53mg (64%), Calcium: 67mg (7%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

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