Pesto Veggie Noodles with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Photo Credit: Danielle Davis

Pesto Veggie Noodles with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

For this dish, I paired sweet potato noodles with zucchini noodles for extra color and nutrients.

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Pesto Veggie Noodles with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Pesto Veggie Noodles with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

For this dish, I paired sweet potato noodles with zucchini noodles for extra color and nutrients.
Course: Dinner
Keyword: gluten-free pasta, veggie noodles, zucchini noodles
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

  • 1 1/4 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Pesto:

  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin oive oil
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Veggie Noodles:

  • 2 cups zucchini noodles (see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cups sweet potato noodles or butternut squash noodles (see note)

For Serving:

  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted walnuts
  • 1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • To make the roasted cherry tomatoes, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place the cherry tomatoes on a medium baking sheet. Drizzle the cherry tomatoes with the oil and vinegar, then season them with the salt and black pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring them halfway through the cooking time, or until they are juicy and beginning to burst.
  • While the tomatoes are roasting, make the pesto. Combine the garlic, pine nuts and lemon zest in a small food processor. Process until the pine nuts are broken down and the mixture has a sand-like consistency. Add the basil, salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Process until the basil is well incorporated into the mixture. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and continue processing the pesto until it is homogenous and velvety. Gently mix in the grated Parmesan cheese. Set the pesto aside.
  • To prepare the veggie noodles, place the zucchini noodles on a layer of paper towels. Sprinkle a dash of the salt on the zucchini noodles to draw out any excess moisture and let them sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes. Gather up the paper towels with the zucchini inside and wring the paper towels to squeeze out as much of the excess water from the zucchini as possible.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato noodles and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and sauté the sweet potato noodles for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are slightly browned but still crunchy. Add the zucchini noodles, the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil if the skillet is dry and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes, until the zucchini noodles are heated through.
  • Remove the noodles from the heat and add the desired amount of the pesto. Toss the noodles to coat them with the pesto. Divide the noodles among four bowls. Top each serving with the roasted cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan cheese.

Notes

NOTE: If you’re wondering how many sweet potatoes and zucchini to buy for this recipe, generally 2 medium sweet potatoes or one medium butternut squash will yield 4 cups (452 g) of noodles and 2 medium zucchini will yield 2 cups (226 g) of noodles.
healthy swaps cookbook
 
Reprinted with permission from The Healthy Swaps Cookbook by Danielle Davis, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021.
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

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