Put summer’s bounty of zucchini and basil to good use with these easy, nutritious, and oh-so-flavorful zucchini noodles with tahini basil sauce!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s seasonal: Fresh zucchini and basil are both in abundance over the summer, and you can often find great deals on locally grown produce.
- No cooking needed: No need to stand over a hot stove for this one! Zucchini are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. Here, we transform them into noodles (adorably called “zoodles”) and enjoy them raw with a simple, vibrant sauce.
- It’s flavorful: Thanks to fresh basil, lemon juice, and garlic, this sauce is anything but bland. The creamy tahini ties it all together and will leave you wanting to lick your plate.
Ingredients
For the pasta, you’ll need:
- Zucchini: Used here as a low-calorie, high fiber alternative to traditional pasta. Zucchini’s nutritional benefits include helping boost immunity and protect eyesight.
- Canned cannellini beans: These beans absorb the flavor of the sauce and add protein to the dish.
- Walnuts: Walnuts add crunch and protein. One of the healthiest nuts you can eat, they are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
For the sauce, you’ll need:
- Fresh basil leaves: Adds its bright flavor to the sauce. Basil’s health benefits include antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
- Tahini: Tahini is a sesame-seed paste. You can often find it in the international section of grocery stores. It helps create luxuriously creamy sauces. While it is high in fat and calories, it is high in certain antioxidants, particularly sesamin (which may help lower blood pressure).
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: For acidity and vibrance.
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a savory undertone to the sauce.
- White miso: Miso is fermented soybean paste. It adds a mellow umami flavor to the sauce. Its health benefits include maintaining gut health. Miso is high in sodium; if you are watching your sodium intake, feel free to omit this ingredient.
- Garlic: Heart-healthy garlic is a natural flavor enhancer. A little goes a long way in this sauce—you’ll only need 1 clove.
- Maple syrup: Rounds out the flavor of the sauce with just a touch of sweetness.
- Water: Water helps the sauce achieve the perfect consistency. You may need more or less than the recipe calls for, depending on the thickness of the tahini.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Use a manual spiralizer or a spiralizer attachment (available for certain types of food processors and stand mixers), spiralize the zucchini into spaghetti-like noodles.
- Step 2: Add all the sauce ingredients except water to a blender or food processor.
- Step 3: Blend the sauce until it is smooth, adding the water in increments until you reach your desired consistency. The sauce should be smooth and thin, but not too watery.
- Step 4: Add the zucchini noodles, cannellini beans, walnuts, and sauce to a large bowl.
- Step 5: Using your hands (to avoid breaking the noodles), gently toss the zucchini noodles and cannellini beans in the sauce until they are evenly coated.
- Step 6: Garnish with fresh basil leaves and/or vegan Parmesan. Serve immediately, at room temperature. If you prefer your noodles to be warmed, heat them for a few minutes in a nonstick skillet before serving.
Equipment
- Manual spiralizer or spiralizer attachment for food processor or stand mixer
- Blender or food processor
- Large bowl
Storage
Leftovers should be stored in the fridge. The noodles will taste best if consumed within 2 days (after that, they are still all right to eat but will start to become watery and lose their vibrant flavor).
Other recipes to try
Zucchini Noodles with Tahini Basil Sauce
Put summer’s bounty of zucchini and basil to good use with these easy, nutritious, and oh-so-flavorful zucchini noodles with tahini basil sauce!
Equipment
- spiralizer (manual spiralizer or spiralizer attachment for food processor or stand mixer)
- blender or food processor
- large bowl
Ingredients
Pasta ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 cup canned cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
Sauce ingredients
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves (with additional leaves set aside for garnish)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of approximately 1 medium lemon)
- 2 tablespoons runny tahini (see Note)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup water (plus more, if needed to thin)
Instructions
- Spiralize the zucchini: Using a manual spiralizer or a spiralizer attachment on a food processor or stand mixer, spiralize the zucchini into spaghetti-like noodles.
- Make the sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients except water to a blender or food processor (a mini food processor works great for this, if you have one). Blend until smooth. Add the water in increments until you reach your desired consistency (the runniness of the tahini will impact the sauce consistency and how much water you’ll need to add). The sauce should be fairly smooth and thin, but not too watery.
- Assemble: Using your hands (to avoid breaking the noodles), gently toss the zucchini noodles and cannellini beans in the sauce until they are evenly coated. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately. (See Note).
Notes
- For best results, use smooth (i.e. “runny”) tahini that is easy to stir with a spoon. The dried-out tahini you often find as you get to the bottom of the container will work in a pinch, but you’ll likely need to add more water to reach the desired sauce consistency (which will, in turn, dilute the flavor).
- The noodles taste great at room temperature, but if you prefer them warm, heat them for a few minutes in a nonstick skillet before serving.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge. This dish taste best if consumed within 2 days.
