Zucchini Pesto is a healthy sauce made with less oil & nuts for a lightened-up summer recipe, with all the flavor you love. Serve it over pasta, pizza, or as a dip with veggies!
In the bowl of a food processor or a high-speed blender, add the diced zucchini, basil, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, salt, and 3 tablespoons of water. Blend until the pesto looks uniform, adding an extra tablespoon of water, if needed to help everything blend smoothly. Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine, if needed.
For a more authentic pesto flavor, add in the optional Parmesan cheese and olive oil, then blend again. Taste the pesto, and season with extra salt (I add in an extra 1/4 teaspoon in this case) or a pinch of black pepper, if desired.
Once the pesto is to your liking, serve it right away over your favorite pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and more. Leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition information is for roughly 1/4 cup of pesto, made without the optional add-ins. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee. This recipe was updated in June 2023 with the optional Parmesan & olive oil additions, because it tastes delicious that way, too! I hope you'll enjoy either version you try.