Zucchini Pasta with Basil Hemp Pesto (+ Discover How to Use a Spiralizer!)

It’s pasta time! Who doesn’t love spaghetti? We won’t be using traditional wheat pasta of course, but zucchini noodles. On the menu: Zucchini Pasta with Basil Hemp Pesto. I thought it was about time that I showed you how to use one of my favorite raw vegan kitchen tools: the spiralizer. If you’re already on the lookout for early Christmas gifts, this will make a great present! You can use it to create noodles, chips and slices such as carrot noodles, sweet potato chips and apple slices. Children love playing around with the spiralizer too – they can create a rainbow colored pasta salad with carrot, beetroot, zucchini, yellow squash and more. With this easy device, you will have healthy pasta in no time ☺

Zucchini Pasta with Basil Hemp Pesto

SERVES: 2 people

EQUIPMENT: spiralizer (or mandolin), food processor, rubber spatula

INGREDIENTS:

Basil Hemp Pesto

2 cups of fresh basil
2 cups of fresh spinach (or extra basil)
½ cup of zucchini, finely chopped
½ cup of sunflower seeds or pine nuts
¼ cup of hemp seeds
½ small clove of garlic, grated
½ teaspoon of nutritional yeast (or more to taste)
Himalayan Crystal salt or sea salt, to taste
2 large pinches of cayenne pepper
Optional addition: extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Zucchini Pasta

4 medium zucchini

DIRECTIONS:

Basil Hemp Pesto

1. Combine basil, spinach and zucchini in the food processor fitted with an S-blade. Process until finely ground.
2. Add sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and garlic, and process again.
3. Finally, add nutritional yeast, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix into a creamy pesto.

Zucchini Pasta

1. Peel your zucchini and turn them into noodles using a spiralizer (for step-by-step instructions, check out the video).
2. Combine your zucchini pasta and basil hemp pesto right before serving. If you combine these two in advance, the pasta will become watery. Bon appétit!

JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS: 

• This Basil Hemp Pesto will stay fresh for at least 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Not a big fan of zucchini? You can easily create noodles out of carrot, parsnip, beetroot or your favorite type of squash.
• Hemp seeds are packed with plant-based protein and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. If you don’t have any hemp seeds at home, you can replace them with extra pine nuts or sunflower seeds. Or how about walnuts or pumpkin seeds?

Now I would love to hear from you! What is your favorite pasta recipe? Pasta alla Carbonara, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Macaroni & Cheese, Gnocchi with Truffle, Spinach Ravioli, Penne with Eggplant, Tomato & Cheese… Let me know by leaving a comment down below.