This might be my favorite time of the year! No, not because it’s summertime (although summertime definitely is my favorite season) but because it’s ZUCCHINI HARVEST TIME! I personally have never met a zucchini I didn’t like! My love affair with this vegetable started with zucchini bread and cake and most recently has evolved to “zoodles!” If you haven’t had the pleasure of eating zoodles yet, you are in for a treat….thanks to Kaitlyn and this recipe for Pesto Zoodles With Shrimp!
Kaitlyn writes…… Zucchini is most definitely my favorite vegetable! The flavor is perfectly light and mild and tastes good cooked a million different ways. For those of you who are lucky enough to have a garden, zucchini is also great to grow at home! It’s super low maintenance and easy to grow. But because it’s so simple to grow, most gardeners end up with a major excess of zucchini throughout the summer. My dad grew up in a small town in Idaho where just about everyone had a garden. He’s told me stories about how you could never leave your car doors unlocked while you were at church because if you did someone would unload their extra zucchini into your car! Too funny! So in order to save you from having to vandalize your neighbors’ cars, today I’m sharing some fantastic ways to use zucchini.
I wanted to start off with a zucchini trick that I just learned about a few months ago – zoodles! Most of you have probably heard about these by now but it’s just such a fantastic idea I couldn’t resist sharing! Zoodles are zucchini noodles that you can use in place of traditional pasta. They are a great way to cut down on carbs and calories in a meal, get more veggies, and the perfect pasta substitute for those who eat gluten free. I make mine with this spiralizer that I found on Amazon. But if you don’t love the idea of buying another kitchen gadget you can also make them with a mandolin or a cheese grater. And now my favorite way to make zoodles…
Pesto Zoodles with Shrimp
Adapted from Skinnytaste.com Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 of a white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 – 1 cup pesto depending on your taste preference
Start by making your zoodles. To make them with a spiralizer you’ll need to cut off the ends of the zucchini and then cut it in half. Then follow the directions that came with your spiralizer. This post has directions for making them on a mandolin and you can find directions for a cheese grater here.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the coconut oil. When the oil melts add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes.
Add the onion and cook for another 1 1/2 minutes. Add half the garlic and cook for another minute or until the shrimp is opaque. Be careful not to overcook or your shrimp will end up rubbery. Set the shrimp, onion, and garlic mixture aside on a dish. Add the other half of the coconut oil and garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the peas and zoodles and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the zoodles start to soften up a bit. If you overcook them they will basically turn to mush so keep a careful eye on them.
Add the shrimp, tomatoes and pesto to the pan and stir everything together. Enjoy!
A couple of notes…the ingredient measurements are all estimates. When I make this dish I like to throw in whatever veggies and meat I have on hand. For the pesto you can definitely make your own, but I’ve never mastered the homemade stuff. So I buy the Kirkland brand pesto at Costco that has pretty clean ingredients to save myself the headache of making my own. This dish would also be great without the pesto and just a little lemon juice squeezed over the top.
A few more zoodle ideas…
Zoodles with Creamy Avocado Basil Sauce
Beef Bolognese Sauce and Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini Noodles with Sausage, Cherries, and Ricotta
Harissa Zucchini Spaghetti Skillet
Of course zoodles aren’t the only way to use zucchini! I usually just steam mine and add a little butter and salt as a side for dinner. But that gets boring really quickly! So I headed to Pinterest and found tons of delicious and unique zucchini ideas. My mouth is watering just thinking about some of these!
Main Dishes
Italian Zucchini Quinoa Casserole
Snacks and Sides
Parmesan Cheese Crisps Laced with Zucchini and Carrots
Tator-less Parmesan Zucchini Tots
Homemade Oven-Baked Zucchini Chips
Treats
Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Zucchini Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini Storage Tips
How to Freeze and Save Fresh Zucchini
What is your favorite way to eat zucchini?
PESTO ZOODLES WITH SHRIMP
Ingredients
- 2 Zucchini
- 8 oz Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup Peas Frozen
- 1/4 White onion chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Coconut oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup Pesto depending on your taste preference
Instructions
- Start by making your zoodles. To make them with a spiralizer you'll need to cut off the ends of the zucchini and then cut it in half. Then follow the directions that came with your spiralizer.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the coconut oil. When the oil melts add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook for another 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add half the garlic and cook for another minute or until the shrimp is opaque. Be careful not to overcook or your shrimp will end up rubbery. Set the shrimp, onion, and garlic mixture aside on a dish.
- Add the other half of the coconut oil and garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the peas and zoodles and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the zoodles start to soften up a bit. If you overcook them they will basically turn to mush so keep a careful eye on them.
- Add the shrimp, tomatoes and pesto to the pan and stir everything together.
