Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto & Shrimp

Rating: 4.71 stars
56 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 48
  • 4 star values: 4
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 1

Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe. Top with Cajun-seasoned shrimp to complete this quick and easy dinner.

Breana Killeen
Source: EatingWell.com, January 2017

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Recipe Summary

active:
35 mins
total:
35 mins
Servings:
4
Nutrition Profile:
Low-Calorie
Dairy-Free
Egg Free
Gluten-Free
Soy-Free
Healthy Aging
Healthy Immunity
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Using a spiral vegetable slicer or a vegetable peeler, cut zucchini lengthwise into long, thin strands or strips. Stop when you reach the seeds in the middle (seeds make the noodles fall apart). Place the zucchini "noodles" in a colander and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let drain for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently squeeze to remove any excess water.

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  • Meanwhile, combine avocado, basil, pistachios, lemon juice, pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup oil and process until smooth.

  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and sprinkle with Old Bay; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is almost cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the drained zucchini noodles and gently toss until hot, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl, add the pesto and gently toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups each
Per Serving:
446 calories; protein 25.9g 52% DV; carbohydrates 15.8g 5% DV; exchange other carbs 1; dietary fiber 6.6g 26% DV; sugars 6.6g; fat 33.2g 51% DV; saturated fat 4.7g 24% DV; cholesterol 158.8mg 53% DV; vitamin a iu 1143.9IU 23% DV; vitamin c 54.7mg 91% DV; folate 112.3mcg 28% DV; calcium 140.8mg 14% DV; iron 2.4mg 13% DV; magnesium 109.6mg 39% DV; potassium 1271.2mg 36% DV; sodium 712.9mg 29% DV; thiamin 0.2mg 21% DV.
Exchanges:

6 fat, 3 lean protein, 1 1/2 vegetable

Reviews (50)

Read More Reviews
56 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 48
  • 4 star values: 4
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 1
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Leavis
Rating: 5 stars
12/24/2019
Delicious. I took a shortcut and used 4 oz of prepackaged pesto. Followed the recipes otherwise. Only took minutes to throw together....awesome! Read More
kiwijane
Rating: 5 stars
11/25/2019
Made this last night - Yum YUm Yum... I did make a couple of changes added garlic to the pesto & I also added homegrown brocolini along with the zucchini noodles and replaced the shrimp with chicken - my partner couldn t believe that the noodles weren t pasta! It was very filling and delicious:) Read More
MKHealthyCooking
Rating: 5 stars
11/16/2019
love it Read More
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ar55
Rating: 4 stars
11/11/2019
shrimp! Read More
dejax
Rating: 5 stars
10/31/2019
No changes made to the ingredients. Makes for amazing leftovers! Read More
Cynthia Zeglin
Rating: 5 stars
08/21/2019
I have made several times. I do add garlic to Pesto and i use pine nuts instead of pistachios. Have done with the shrimp or served with grilled salmon on top with a bit of pesto on it. Family loves it. Read More
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georgesfamilynova@gmail.com
Rating: 5 stars
08/11/2019
I'll be honest I was skeptical about avocado pesto but this was absolutely delicious...I'm talking used my finger to eat every last morsel of the pesto delicious. Will definitely make again and again Read More
Julie L
Rating: 5 stars
08/01/2019
I love this recipe! It was one of the first I had tried on EatingWell's website and we go back to it over and over again. I buy the already made zucchini noodles but love this pesto recipe! A keeper! Read More
Becca Koch
Rating: 5 stars
07/17/2019
I made my shrimp on the side with cayenne pepper salt pepper lemon juice Adobo seasoning and garlic and then tossed it in with the noodles. I have made this recipe 2 times so far and has turned out really yummy. I definately plan on making this again and the benefit is that it tastes good and it is healthy for you!!!! Read More
erb
Rating: 5 stars
06/19/2019
I added garlic to the pesto and it turned out AMAZING. I can't wait to make this again! It was a little time consuming to make but I think the second time around will be much faster. Read More
Elisa
Rating: 3 stars
05/16/2019
Was disappointed with the pesto- realized it needs garlic like traditional pesto. Read More
Samantha Hyde Barron
Rating: 5 stars
04/02/2019
Hands down my favorite recipe in this plan. So rich creamy delicious! Read More
Susie Tudor Lea
Rating: 4 stars
03/31/2019
Made this twice so far. Helps to use fresh zucchini spirals (frozen gets too mushy) and mind it so it doesn t over cook. Sprinkled some red pepper flake on my dish because it needed a little something IMO. And a tiny shake of parm too. Read More
Cooking Fun
Rating: 5 stars
08/01/2018
I used Mediterranean seasoning with a little O Bay. Read More
carolyn
Rating: 5 stars
07/31/2018
This was so good I received a lot of complaints. I will be making it again. Read More
Gloria
Rating: 5 stars
07/22/2018
I made this recipe and it was great. I used the basil & zucchini from my garden. I added the garlic to the pesto by mistake. The pesto was outstanding. I spiralized 3 zucchini but should have done 4. I added bruschetta on the side. This is a must do recipe. Read More
Brandy Digel Gull
Rating: 5 stars
07/17/2018
Made this for dinner and my family loved it! Definitely will make this again and again! Read More
naumom57
Rating: 5 stars
03/20/2018
This is absolutely delicious. I used pine nuts instead of pistachios in the pesto.. Even better for luncth the next day. Read More
Rox
Rating: 5 stars
02/24/2018
Wonderful! The second time I made this recipe I prepared the zoodles 3 hours before cooking and left them in a large sieve over a bowl. They shed almost 2 cups of water and held together so well I could cook them 10 minutes without any breaking so the raw zuchinni taste was less pronounced. Also used a bit more garlic in the avocado pesto. Read More
Tina Fowler
Rating: 5 stars
02/08/2018
Fantastic recipe! I will definitely make this one again. Read More
lfisher64@comcast.net
Rating: 5 stars
02/08/2018
Flavorful and simply delicious! I have made this several times and it is a family favorite! I also add minced garlic to the avocado pesto! Highly recommend this recipe to anyone who is thinking about trying it! it's easy too! Read More
Del Buck
Rating: 5 stars
02/01/2018
What an amazing dish! I would add a little heat next time I make this dish but it amazing Read More
Kingston Glenn
Rating: 5 stars
01/25/2018
Awesome recipe. Wouldn't change a thing except maybe a dash of chipolte powder for heat. Read More
Erica Conner Menendez
Rating: 5 stars
01/19/2018
Replaced shrimp with chicken but still DELICIOUS As the WHOLE FOODS sauce/ ingredients pair so well with the Zucchini spaghetti I highly recommend & will 100% be cooking again possibly with shrimp & or salmon Read More
Rosinav
Rating: 4 stars
01/07/2018
Haven't made it yet but it reads 'delicious'. However after shopping yesterday I realized vegetable prices have gone through the roof..!! Zucchini per piece well over a dollar! Therefore i will attempt this 'delite' with pasta. Read More
Ellie
Rating: 5 stars
11/27/2017
The avocado pesto is super flavorful. Love that zucchini serves as the "pasta". Read More
Devon Dykes
Rating: 2 stars
11/15/2017
I added very no salt and it was great! My only question is how can a meal that has 713mg of sodium per serving be healthy? A healthy diet has only 1200 mg of sodium per day. Read More
mludowise@gmail.com
Rating: 5 stars
10/15/2017
Really quick and easy to make healthy and delicious. Great summer dish. Read More
Monica P
Rating: 5 stars
09/16/2017
Wow was this ever good. It was quite easy and came together quickly. So fresh and satisfying that you'll never miss the pasta. Read More
Kelly Brydge Flanagan
Rating: 5 stars
08/24/2017
I used zuchinni and yellow squash. Used pine nuts instead of sunflower seeds. This was delicious and I will make again. Read More
Eileen Benson Venturi
Rating: 5 stars
07/22/2017
I've made spiral cut zucchini before but never heard of squeezing water out. It came out perfect! I added more garlic (because we love it) and I didn't have pistachios so I used Thai style cashews (from cvs) that I had on hand and skipped the Old Bay seasoning because the nuts had enough! It came out amazing! Husband loved it! Will make again! Read More
Bob Thibodeau
Rating: 5 stars
06/17/2017
Great Recipe. Only 2 of us so I made 1/2 the shrimp and zucchini but all the rest full recipe. Used small (1 1/2 in) zucchinis so the seeds were kind of a spiral pasta that we kept in the mix. Used our 10 " Spiralizer" device we got on amazon and used the thicker side. Worked great and loved the aldente texture of the "pasta." We had "tail on" frozen uncooked shrimp. Defrosted in tepid water for 20 min and took off the tails. (FULL shrimp with heads on are much better. Defrost and strip the shells and heads (keep these ) and "devain" (google de-vain shrimp) Wash and set aside. In the step where you cook the garlic FIRST start with cooking the SHRIMP TAILS (SHELLS AND HEADS if you have them) but not the meat over medium heat. After the tails shells and heads turn orange scoop out with a slotted spoon and discard. IF you want to add white wine do it now and simmer until no alcohol can be smelled in the steam Now add the garlic and follow the recipe. FYI: we added some additional lemon juice and the red pepper flakes for 30 seconds at the end Came out a bit thick but very tasty. Added some red pepper flakes for a nice bite. Used the pistachios we had which were salt and pepper so had to adjust the recipe accordingly adding slowly. Next time we are going to try a white wine reduction after the shrimp cooking and before heating the "noodles." Perhaps that will thin out the pesto if needed. A nice fresh romano cheese spread was a nice touc Read More
Katelyn Murray
Rating: 5 stars
06/15/2017
Very happy with the recipe! I made it for my mom grandma and I and we all very much enjoyed. My grandma can't have much salt and my mom can't eat much sugar or carbs and this recipe catered to both of them! I used a magic bullet to mix the pesto and worked great added a tad bit more oil. Also saluted broccoli kale and tomatoes into the dish! I ended up having a lot of pesto sauce left over but I plan to use for another dish now! Thanks for sharing this recipe:). Read More
JoeyandKathy Luther
Rating: 1 stars
06/13/2017
Has anyone made this? I tried it tonight and it is HORRIBLE!!! I love zucchini pasta so that was not the problem. It is the pesto. I also love basil avocado and pistachio nuts SEPARATELY. But put them together and you might as well just head to the trash can. Read More
honey_bee__@hotmail.com
Rating: 5 stars
06/11/2017
A hit with this fam of 6! We prepared a double batch for our clan. We are on a major high-protein high-iron diet so we paired this with a 2-3 oz portion of tri-tip per person.. Like another reviewer I too used my blender. Likewise I found that I needed to add a touch more liquid to get the job done. (Additional olive oil and then some water) Lemons zucchini and basil where picked straight from the garden just seconds before preparing the meal. TIP!!! For those that are sensitive to spicy heat choose the lesser measurement for the Old Bay Seasoning. (Perhaps even less if you have wee ones) You can always add more after a quick taste test. Tip!!! Follow the instruction of RIPE avocados. For those reviewers who mention lack of richness perhaps the avocados were still too firm. Not only will the texture be off but the rich butteriness that a perfectly ripe avocado adds will be lacking. Tip!!! After cutting off the ends of the zucchini and after "zoodle-ing"... if like me you are still left with the core of the squash and a little stump (that darn manual spiralizer!) don't toss it out! Use them in a soup quiche or spaghetti sauce etc! Before you toss or compost your squeezed lemon(s) plop them in a glass and enjoy some nice lemon water as you prep! And that lightly salted green water from the drained zucchini? Go ahead and use that for a soup too! Like my review? Visit us on YouTube at: Tin Barn Enterprises PRESENTS: That One Family Read More
Althea Granger
Rating: 5 stars
06/07/2017
I loved it. This was my first time having Zucchini noodles and I got store bought pesto in case I messed up the recipe I didn't need it. My 8 year old didn't like it. Read More
LWK
Rating: 5 stars
05/29/2017
Will definitely be making again! Delish! Read More
me1234
Rating: 2 stars
05/25/2017
I read the reviews and decided to give it a try. It was not at all "good" actually it was sub par at best The pesto had an overwhelming avocado taste and was not "rich". If I were to make it again I would do a traditional type pesto and cook the zucchini noodles a bit longer. They were crunchy. Not sure what planet the 5 star reviewers are living on but this recipe is not good at all. Read More
kimberlee@cwhoodyachts.com
Rating: 5 stars
05/19/2017
This is so good! Definitely important to drain the zucchini. I did have to substitute the pistachios with sunflower kernels due to a nut allergy but I doubt that made any difference in flavor. My husband and picky 12 year old gave it a big thumbs up! Read More
Steph Gold
Rating: 5 stars
05/19/2017
This is my first time leaving a review on this website. I tried this recipe based on the reviews and it was SO good. My 13 year old son devoured it! I had to add just a splash of water to the sauce to thin it out enough to puree properly since I used my blender. I also julienned the zucchini by hand because my cheap spiralizer needs to be replaced. This recipe really exceeded my expectations and I will definitely be making it regularly. Read More
jcgator2
Rating: 5 stars
05/05/2017
Nothing short of stupendous. I finally broke out the spriralizer new in the box and found it a dream to use. This nutritious dish was 5 stars. A keeper. Read More
Erin Bloys
Rating: 5 stars
04/06/2017
This was shockingly delicious! I don't have a spiralizer so I just julienned the zucchini lengthwise. I followed the recipe exactly except that I used a lemon extra virgin olive oil instead of regular ExVO. Between the acidity of the olive oil and the lemon juice and the herbaceous fresh basil this dish was so bright and sunny I felt like I was eating a bowl of summer! The creaminess of the avocado and the unctuousness of the pistachios made this "pesto" a lot richer than a regular pesto so a smaller portion will really pack a wallop in leaving you full. Due to dietary problems we've had to eliminate gluten and while this in no way has the same mouth feel as pasta it is so good that I don't even care! Read More
mochasmama
Rating: 5 stars
03/19/2017
Yummy! Great alternative to pasta Read More
Sclark101613
Rating: 5 stars
03/10/2017
Wow. Finally a pesto I like! Very filling and incredibly good. I did not change anything. Read More
Linda Minkin-Coughlin
Rating: 5 stars
03/08/2017
this was excellent!!! Read More
Julianna
Rating: 5 stars
03/05/2017
Soooo good!!! It can be vegan if you leave out the shrimp and it still tastes amazing!!!???? Read More
Carole
Rating: 5 stars
02/27/2017
Delicious! It was done in no time. A keeper for sure! Read More
j-merriman
Rating: 5 stars
02/22/2017
This is a delicious recipe. We made it exactly as printed. It had lots of different flavors nothing dominated which is perfect. This recipe is easy and can be ready to eat in 30 min. I do think the Old Bay seasoning is critical for the shrimp. Also some crusty bread is a great accompaniment. I'm sure we'll have this delicious meal over and over Read More
Rosemary Bustamante
Rating: 4 stars
02/20/2017
It was something new for my family and we enjoyed it. Read More
Penelope Wall
Rating: 5 stars
02/17/2017
This recipe is so fresh & tasty. Fresh basil adds an unexpected brightness to the dish. Make sure not to skip the draining step or it's too watery. Read More
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