Looking for a fresh, light, and flavorful way to enjoy zucchini? These zucchini noodles with arugula pistachio pesto are a delicious low-carb alternative to pasta and the perfect way to use summer zucchini. Tossed with a bright, peppery pesto made with arugula, pistachios, and Parmesan, this easy veggie dish is fresh, flavorful, and ready in minutes.
Whether you’re trying zoodles for the first time or looking for a new pesto recipe beyond basil, this one is a keeper!
If your garden—or the produce aisle—is overflowing with zucchini, this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it! These zucchini noodles tossed in arugula pistachio pesto are light, fresh, and full of flavor. The peppery bite of arugula and the richness of pistachios make a delicious twist on classic pesto, and it all comes together in minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
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🌿 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Light, fresh, and perfect for spring and summer
- A great way to use garden zucchini
- Pistachios are a budget-friendly swap for pine nuts
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Naturally low-carb and gluten-free
🥒 How to Make Zucchini Noodles
You can make zucchini noodles several ways:
- Spiralizer (for classic “zoodles”)
- Julienne peeler
- Mandoline
- Box grater (works best if your box grater is flat on a cutting board rather than upright.)
Once cut, salt the noodles and let them sit in a colander for 15–20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Then gently squeeze dry before cooking. This step keeps them from getting watery.
If you’re in the market for a spiralizer, this one has 4.5 out of 5 stars with 42,121 global ratings.
A Fresh Twist on Classic Pesto
If you’re waiting for basil season or just looking for something different, this arugula pistachio pesto is a delicious alternative. The peppery bite of arugula paired with the richness of pistachios creates a bold, fresh flavor that’s perfect for vegetables, pasta, or even as a spread.
🧄 Arugula Pistachio Pesto Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup unsalted dry roasted pistachios
- 2 cups packed arugula
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
🥄 How to Make Arugula Pistachio Pesto
- Add garlic to a food processor and finely chop.
- Add pistachios and pulse until finely ground.
- Add arugula, Parmesan, lemon juice, zest, and olive oil.
- Blend until a slightly coarse paste forms.
- Season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.
Tip: This pesto stays vibrant green and doesn’t oxidize as quickly as basil pesto—another reason to love it!
🍝 Zucchini Noodles Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add zucchini noodles and cook for 2–3 minutes, just until tender.
- Toss with pesto to taste.
- Add grape or heirloom tomatoes if desired.
- Finish with extra Parmesan cheese and serve immediately
🍅 Optional Add-Ins
- Cherry or heirloom tomatoes
- Grilled chicken or shrimp
- Toasted pine nuts or extra pistachios
- Fresh basil or parsley
💡 Tips for Perfect Zoodles
- Don’t overcook—zoodles should be just tender, not mushy
- Always salt and drain before cooking
- Serve immediately for best texture
- Use a paper towel to absorb extra moisture if needed
Zucchini noodles cook quickly and release water, so keeping cook time short helps maintain texture.
🧺 Make Ahead Tips
- Pesto can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated
- Zucchini can be spiralized in advance, but wait to salt until ready to use
- Store leftover pesto with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it fresh
Zucchini Noodles with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto
Equipment
- box grater or spiralizer
- food processor
Ingredients
Zucchini Noodles
- 4 medium zucchinis (about 1 1/2 pounds) washed and dried, ends cut off
- 10 oz. mini heirloom or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
Arugula-Pistachio Pesto
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted pistachios
- 2 cups packed arugula
- 1 tablespoon or more fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon peel zest
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
For Zucchini Noodles:
- Run washed and dried zucchini over the large holes of a cheese grater. (It works best if cheese grater is flat on a cutting board rather than upright. You could also use a mandoline or spiralizer to cut your zucchini noodles.
- Salt your ‘noodles’ and add to a colander, allowing them to sit 15 – 20 minutes. Gently squeeze noodles or wrap in paper towels to drain and draw out excess moisture. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive in large skillet on medium high heat and then add noodles. Cook, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes, toss in (4 - 6 tablespoons) pesto to taste and add grape or heirloom tomatoes. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
For Pesto:
- Finely chop garlic in processor. Add pistachios and process until finely chopped. Add arugula, lemon juice, zest, cheese and oil and blend to coarse paste. Season pesto with salt and pepper to taste and more lemon juice, if desired. Transfer to lidded jar, cover and chill up to 3 days.
The Novel Bakers return for Beatrix Potter Week
starting Monday, April 7th!
I’ve been immersed in the charmed world
of Beatrix Potter, filled with flowers and gardens
and of course, Peter Rabbit!
While this recipe doesn’t have to do anything to do with Beatrix Potter other than possibly zucchini (or courgettes) growing in Mr. McGregor’s garden :) this is a delicious way to enjoy zucchini if you want to bookmark or pin the recipe for the summer months when it’s multiplying like bunnies in your garden!
Beginning Monday, April 7th:
a quiet life
Rattlebridge Farm
You can also hop along with us on Pinterest and find all the recipes & bunny inspiration for the week!
Thank you for your visit!
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Good morning! What a refreshing salad! this is one to save. Living in Fl. I always look for something refreshing and healthy. My daughter danced in Beatrix Potters ballet. It brings back memories. Have a great weekend!
Don’t know which I loved more … all the Beatrix Potter “stuff” or the recipe for the zucchini noodles! YeeHaw!
Aahh, Beatrix Potter….still warms my heart after “all these years.” Thank goodness you didn’t have a rabbit stew recipe… franki
Hi Mary, I’m so excited about Beatrix Potter week that I’m hopping up and down! I think I’ll get out my Peter Rabbit mugs to use when I read all the posts. Novel Baker Weeks are my absolute favorite times in blogland! Using the pistachios in your mouth-watering salad is an interesting idea, especially with the current prices of pine nuts! And that spiralizer is so neat–we love broccoli slaw here and I think it would cut the broccoli and carrots without shredding my knuckles too. Your salad and news of Novel Bakers Week are two things to be happy about! Linda
What a delightful salad, and it just may grace my table at tonight’s dinner gathering. Thinking ahead to Beatrix Potter makes my heart beat a little faster as there is so much magic there.
~Mary~
I was like :) OOOH exciting for next week of Beatrix Potter, brings back memories I did my daughter nursery in that many years ago, and I am so glad I kept all of it for grandchild(ren) hopefully someday !
The salad looks absolutely wonderful, what time is lunch ! :)
Have a lovely day!
Paula
IN
p.s Mary the rabbit is that a towel or tablecloth ?
Hi Paula, it’s a dish towel :)
this looks wonderful. I think I will give it a try this weekend!
Seeing the B. Potter images brings back memories of when my kids were little so thanks!!!! This recipe sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to try it and also to see everything on Monday!!!
so darn adorable, every little last bite! i can’t wait to make this in the heat of summer, something truly worth nibbling on!
and twins of course…
waving hi to phoneix, still in funky storm up north today, perfect for sitting back and admiring all you share~
Mary, so happy the Novel Bakers are back…and with Beatrix Potter…what could be better?!!
Sounds like a healthy meal Mary, great colors! The tomatoes are really speaking to me too… Maybe I’ll see what’s at the produce store tomorrow:@)
I will be making this soon. Pinned for later.
I am excited about next week with the Novel Bakers. Love Beatrix Potter. Enjoyed visiting her home in England.
Mary, Monday can’t come soon enough for me. I’ve been eagerly anticipating Beatrix Potter Week since you all announced it. ;-)
What a great, new recipe to try, Mary! The arugula sounds like the perfect swap for basil and I can always use inspiration for zucchini. I look forward to the Novel Baker’s Week. xo
This looks like heaven! I have had zucchini ribbons but never seen the noodle version, I know it must be divine~I am hopping up and down in anticipation of next week and traveling to the land of Beatrix Potter with the Novel Bakers, can’t wait!
Jenna
If my husband has one gripe with me it’s that I take so a lot time grocery
purchasing because I’m forever reading labels.
Oh my, what a delicious looking recipe. At first, I thought there was no way my household would go for it, but the more I studied the recipe, the more I think I may just try this. And Beatrix Potter! Who doesn’t love Peter Rabbit?
Mary, I’m so excited about making this recipe! It fits into our low carb eating plan perfectly! I have been meaning to try zucchini noodles so seeing this has provided the inspiration to make this soon. I planted zucchini and tomatoes in the garden yesterday, but I’m not waiting on those to make this!
Beautiful dish…Love the idea of making the ‘zucchini noodles’.
I will be doing something like this very soon.
A few years ago, I attended a cooking class at the Mala`ai Culinary Garden of the Waimea Middle School, here on our island, we made the arugula pesto but used macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts.
oh I have just bought a julienne slicer to make courgette noodles, will pin this for when it arrives :) popped over from this gal cooks :)