A simple recipe turns excess zucchini into a bright, healthy zucchini basil pesto. Use it with pasta, spoon over chicken or fish, or wherever you’d use a classic pesto.
Zucchini is one of the most abundant late-summer vegetables. Even if you don’t grow it yourself, markets and grocery stores are piled high with it this time of year, and gardeners often find themselves overwhelmed by the steady stream of zucchini rolling in from the garden.
While zucchini is often baked into breads, muffins, and cakes to add moisture without strong flavor, sometimes you want something savory and versatile instead.
Enter zucchini pesto. It captures the familiar flavor of traditional basil pesto while stretching your basil and adding a boost of vegetables. Even picky eaters tend to love it — from toddlers to teenagers and adults who often avoid zucchini.
Zucchini pesto ingredients
- Grated zucchini: about 2 cups (from 1 large or 2 small zucchini).
- Basil: about 1 cup fresh leaves for traditional pesto flavor without using up all your basil.
- Spinach: about 1 cup baby spinach to add color and nutrition and keep the pesto vibrantly green.
- Garlic: 3 cloves, peeled.
- Pine nuts: 3 tablespoons, toasted for best flavor.
- Parmesan: about 1/2 cup grated.
- Kosher salt, black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil: to taste; start with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons oil and adjust as needed.
How to make it
Making zucchini pesto is quick and straightforward. A food processor gives the best texture, though a high-powered blender can work in a pinch.
- Grate and press the zucchini. Use a shredding disc on your food processor or grate by hand. Scoop the zucchini into a clean kitchen towel or layered paper towels, wrap, and press over the sink to remove some excess water. You don’t need to dry it completely—just squeeze out what’s easy to remove. Replace the shredding disc with the processor blade and return the zucchini to the bowl.
- Blend the remaining ingredients. Add garlic, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, basil, spinach, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. With the processor running, add olive oil slowly, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Depending on how much water the zucchini released, you may need little oil.
Serving suggestions
Zucchini pesto is excellent tossed with pasta or spiralized noodles. It also makes a flavorful spread for grilled or baked chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Use it as a sandwich spread, a pizza base in place of tomato sauce, or a dip for crackers and fresh vegetables.
It pairs well with gnocchi, cavatappi, or mixed into a warm pasta with seared salmon for a quick weeknight meal. The texture and bright flavor make it versatile across many dishes.
Storage and freezing tips
Store zucchini pesto in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To slow oxidation and keep the pesto looking green, pour a thin layer of olive oil on top before sealing the lid.
For longer storage, transfer pesto to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Recipe card
Ingredients
For the Pesto:
- 2 cups grated zucchini from 1 large or 2 small zucchini
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 2-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini using the food processor’s shredding disc or a hand grater. Transfer the grated zucchini to a clean towel or layered paper towels, twist into a bundle, and squeeze over the sink to remove excess water.
- Switch to the food processor blade and return the zucchini to the bowl. Add garlic, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, basil, spinach, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil 1–2 tablespoons at a time until the pesto reaches your preferred texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Notes
- Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight jar up to 1 week. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top before sealing to reduce oxidation.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition Estimate
, Calories: 366 kcal
This post was originally published August 4, 2017, and has been updated with new photos and additional tips on storage, freezing, and serving suggestions.
More zucchini recipes
- Parchment Lemon Salmon with Zucchini and Potatoes
- Lemon Olive Oil Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
More pesto recipes
- Classic All-Basil Pesto with Lemon Zest
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto