Nori Pesto with Spiralized Cucumber
Italy meets Japan in this super-nutritious—and super-tasty—pesto variation.
Course: Entree
Keyword: cucumber, Italian, italy, japan, japanese pumpkin, nori, pesto, spiralized
Servings: 3
Calories: 330kcal
Author: Dina Deleasa-Gonsar
- 2 cucumbers, spiralized into “noodles”
- 2 cups baby spinach, packed
- ½ cup basil leaves, packed
- 8 strips spicy nori*, crushed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Raw sesame seeds
Using a spiral vegetable slicer with the chipper blade attachment (for thick noodles), cut cucumber lengthwise into “noodles.” Cut noodles into 2-inch lengths.
Place spinach, basil,nori, garlic, lemon juice, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add up to 1 tablespoon water if mixture is too thick. Spoon pesto on top of cucumber noodles, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve.
*If you can’t find spicy nori strips, substitute two sheets of plain nori. To give your pesto a little kick, add a teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice or Japanese Seven Spice (Shichimi Togarashi) seasoning.
Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 72mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g