Low-carb courgette noodles with pesto

Low-carb courgette noodles with pesto: a light recipe with courgette, basil, pine nuts, garlic and cherry tomatoes – fresh, fragrant and quick to make.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 5 min
• Total time: 20 min
• Calories: 250 kcal per serving
• Protein: 6 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Carbs: 12 g

Ingredients

• 2 courgettes
• 40 g pine nuts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch of basil
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · stick blender · spiralizer · chopping board · knife

1. Wash the courgettes, basil and cherry tomatoes thoroughly. Halve the tomatoes and peel the garlic.
2. Cut the courgettes into thin noodles with a spiralizer. Set the courgette noodles aside for a moment.
3. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Leave them to cool briefly.
4. Blend the basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and salt into a creamy pesto. Add a little more olive oil if needed.
5. Gently toss the courgette noodles with the pesto so everything is evenly coated.
6. Arrange the courgette noodles on plates and scatter the cherry tomatoes over the top. Serve with a few extra pine nuts if you like.

Good to know

When you want something light that's still satisfying, this dish is just right. Fresh, green and on the table in no time.

Swaps

Pine nuts → walnuts (more omega-3 fatty acids); basil → rocket (punchier flavour, a little more bitterness); cherry tomatoes → fried mushrooms (fewer carbs, more umami); olive oil → avocado oil (milder flavour, also mainly unsaturated fats)

Allergens

Contains pine nuts. Suits children when finely textured, and nothing stands out for pregnancy as long as the basil and veg are washed thoroughly.

Dairy-free recipes