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Zucchini Noodle Caprese Recipe

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4 from 68 reviews

A fresh and vibrant Zucchini Noodle Caprese salad featuring spiralized zucchini noodles, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella, and a rich homemade basil pine nut cashew pesto. This light and healthy dish is perfect for a quick meal or appetizer, combining classic Caprese flavors with a low-carb twist.

Ingredients

Zucchini Noodles

  • 4 medium zucchini
  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • 8 ounces small balls of buffalo mozzarella (in water), halved

Homemade Pesto

  • 2 tbsp raw pine nuts (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Black pepper, to taste

Garnish

  • Toasted pine nuts
  • Fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Toast Pine Nuts: Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and toast 2 tablespoons of raw pine nuts for 5 minutes, tossing gently to prevent burning. Transfer toasted pine nuts into a food processor.
  2. Toast Cashews: Using the same skillet, toast 1/4 cup raw cashews over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once toasted, transfer cashews into the food processor with the pine nuts.
  3. Prepare Pesto: To the food processor containing pine nuts and cashews, add 1 cup packed basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Pulse a few times to combine. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil until the pesto becomes smooth and creamy. Set pesto aside.
  4. Create Zucchini Noodles: Trim the ends off each zucchini. Using a spiralizer, create zucchini noodles and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Prepare Tomatoes and Mozzarella: Slice 8 ounces of cherry tomatoes in half. Cut the 8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella balls in half as well. Add both to the bowl with the zucchini noodles.
  6. Combine and Serve: Spoon the prepared pesto over the zucchini noodles, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Gently toss all ingredients together until evenly coated with pesto. Serve immediately, garnished with extra toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.

Notes

  • For best results, use fresh and firm zucchini to create crisp noodles.
  • Adjust garlic and lemon juice amounts according to your taste preferences.
  • For a nut-free version, omit pine nuts and cashews and substitute with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
  • This dish is best consumed fresh to maintain the crunch of the zucchini noodles.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day, but zucchini noodles may release moisture.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/zucchini-noodle-caprese-recipe/