Name: Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Basil Sauce
Prep time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 3 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 lbs total, spiralized into noodles); 1 large ripe avocado (pitted and peeled); 1 cup fresh basil leaves (packed); 2 cloves garlic (peeled); 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon); 3 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp water (plus more to thin if needed); 1/2 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste); 1/4 tsp black pepper; 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (halved); 3 tbsp pine nuts (lightly toasted in a dry pan); 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

From the roundup: 20 Zucchini Pasta Dinner Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes

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Zucchini noodles with avocado basil sauce is the dinner I pull out when the oven is the last thing I want to turn on. There is zero actual cooking here. The whole thing comes together in about 12 minutes: spiralize the zucchini, blend the sauce, toss, and eat. That is the entire job.

The sauce is built from a ripe avocado, a full cup of fresh basil, two garlic cloves, lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil, all blended until it is completely smooth and creamy. It coats the noodles the way a good pesto does, but lighter and brighter. Cherry tomatoes and pine nuts go on top, and that is dinner.

One honest note: this dish does not wait. Zucchini starts releasing water the moment it meets the sauce, so have your bowls ready before you start tossing. Serve it immediately and it is genuinely good. Let it sit for 20 minutes and you will be eating it out of a puddle.

Why I started making this

Last August I had four zucchini on the counter that needed to be used, it was 94 degrees outside, and I had already used the oven twice that day for other things. I found a version of this sauce online, had a ripe avocado sitting right there, and figured it was worth a try. My husband was skeptical about a no-cook dinner that was not sandwiches, but he finished his bowl and asked if there was more.

I have made it probably a dozen times since then. My younger kids still want pasta instead, so I usually keep a box of cooked spaghetti in the fridge on nights I plan to make this, and the avocado sauce works on that too if anyone refuses the zucchini.

Why you will love this

No heat required: the oven and stovetop stay off, except for 2 to 3 minutes of pine nut toasting on the stove if you want them
The avocado sauce takes about 45 seconds in a blender and uses pantry staples you likely already have
Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free without any ingredient swaps or substitutes
Ready in 12 minutes start to finish, including spiralizing the zucchini
Cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts add enough texture that it does not feel like a sad salad

Tips for success

Blot the zucchini noodles with a paper towel before adding the sauce. Even raw zucchini has surface moisture, and skipping this step makes the sauce watery faster.
Watch the pine nuts constantly. Two to three minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat is all they need, and they go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds if you walk away.
Your avocado needs to be fully ripe. If it is still firm, the sauce will be gluey instead of creamy, and no amount of extra water will fix the texture. Press the skin gently before you buy it.
Toss and serve immediately. Do not dress the noodles and then go set the table. The zucchini releases water quickly once it is coated, and the sauce will pool at the bottom of the bowl within minutes.

If your bowl turns watery

It almost always means the zucchini sat too long after being dressed. Toss and serve right away next time.
Blotting the noodles with a paper towel before saucing helps, but it does not fully prevent the water release, it just slows it down.
If the sauce itself looks thin before you toss, you likely added too much water while blending. Start with 3 tablespoons and only add more one tablespoon at a time.
Leftovers will be watery no matter what. There is no saving this dish once it sits. Make only what you will eat.

Substitutions

No spiralizer is not a problem. A julienne peeler makes thin strips that work just as well, and a regular vegetable peeler gives you wider ribbons that are also good. Pine nuts are expensive and easy to swap: roughly chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds both work and add the same crunch. If your household eats more protein at dinner, grilled shrimp or a scoop of chickpeas on top fits without changing anything else about the recipe.

For picky eaters who will not touch zucchini, the avocado basil sauce works on regular cooked pasta. I keep that in my back pocket on nights I know at least two kids are going to protest the noodles. If anyone in your house has a tree nut allergy, skip the pine nuts entirely and add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes or some thinly sliced cucumber for texture instead.

Make-ahead and storage

The avocado basil sauce can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce before sealing the container. This slows the browning significantly. Keep it in the fridge and give it a quick stir before using. Do not make it the night before, the color and flavor both suffer after more than a few hours.

The zucchini noodles should be spiralized fresh right before serving. This dish does not store well once assembled. Dressed noodles sitting in the fridge overnight will be sitting in a pool of liquid by morning. If you need to get ahead, prep the sauce and store it separately, then spiralize the zucchini when you are ready to eat. Freezing is not a good option for either component.

Brittany Stage