Zucchini ribbons, grilled so they get a nice char around the edges, tossed with tender-firm pasta noodles, all bathed in a savory walnut and lemon sauce! Mmmmm. When zucchini runneth the garden, cook up this easy vegan zucchini fettuccine with walnut pesto!
Click here to PIN Grilled Zucchini Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto!
Last week I made walnut pesto and served it with grilled zucchini strips as a last minute appetizer. We didn’t sit down though. Belly up to the grill, we stood there gobbling down the grilled tender squash ribbons with the nut pesto, eating it right out of our hands. No plate, just napkins! What’s a little savage eating among close friends?
The next day, with yet more zucchini on my hands, I simply mixed the lemony walnut pesto and grilled zucchini into fettuccine noodles. An easy dinner for sure.
How to make pasta with grilled zucchini and walnut pesto:
- Turn on the grill to medium high heat.
- While the grill heats up, get out the food processor. Pulse to chop the walnuts with shallots, lemon zest and thyme.
- Stir in fresh-squeezed lemon juice and the oil, either extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil. Set the sauce aside.
- Next, slice the “zukes” lengthwise into wide thin ribbons. A mandoline slicer makes that easy.
- Toss the ribbons in a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and lay them out on the grill.
- Cook about 5 minutes until the zucchini is tender with a hint of golden char.
- Just before you’re ready to eat, cook the fettuccine in plenty of boiling salted water, until the it’s al dente, tender to the tooth.
- Stir a bit of pasta water into the pesto to loosen it up, and then toss everything together. Done, on the table!
Just so you know, some of the links below are affiliates. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!
Grilled Zucchini Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto recipe notes:
- Walnut pesto marries well with other lightly grilled veggies, like eggplant, corn, shiitake mushrooms, asparagus, and red onion, as well as the omnipresent zucchini.
- I used an inexpensive hand-held mandoline slicer (Affiliate link) to cut 1/8-inch thick zucchini ribbons. If you want to make “zoodles”, use a spiralizer, like this one.(Affiliate link) See how to cut veggies into noodles in this roasted asparagus and sweet potato noodle recipe.
- Vegan: use a pasta that is made without eggs, like Delallo fettuccine. (Affiliate link.)
- You might want to try this easy basil walnut pesto with pasta and grilled veggies too.
- Loosely adapted from a recipe torn and saved from Food and Wine Magazine in 2010.
Make it a fabulous week–turn on the grill and cook something delicious!
To get my latest recipe posts and exclusive monthly newsletters, subscribe here. (I hate Spam too and will never share your email with anyone.)
- Follow me on Instagram! It’s my favorite!
- Peruse my Pinterest boards for more vegetarian recipe ideas.
- Find daily vegetarian and healthy living ideas on my Facebook page.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you for supporting Letty’s Kitchen!
PS If you make this recipe and love it, please consider leaving a blog post comment. Your comments help other readers learn more about the recipe. If you’d also give the recipe a ✮✮✮✮✮ rating, I’d be delighted!
Grilled Zucchini Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
Walnut pesto:
- 1 shallot , cut in 4 pieces
- 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Scant 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil , or a mix of the two
- Freshly ground black pepper
Zucchini and pasta:
- 2 pounds zucchini , 3 or 4, depending on size
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , as needed
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
- Thyme leaves and torn basil , for garnish
Instructions
Make the walnut pesto:
- With the motor of the food processor running, mince the shallot by dropping it through the feed tube. Add the walnuts, thyme, lemon zest, the salt, paprika, and lemon juice. Pulse until the walnuts are chopped, but not ground, scraping the sides of the work bowl, as needed. With the motor running, pour in the walnut and/or olive oil, all at once. Scrape into a bowl and season with a generous grind of black pepper. Set aside.
Grill the zucchini and cook the pasta:
- Preheat the grill. Trim the ends from the zucchini. Slice lengthwise, thinly, about 1/8-inch thick. Toss with olive oil, the salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper.
- On a vegetable grilling accessory tray, grill over high heat, turning until lightly charred on the edges and limp tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water, following to package directions. When the pasta is almost done, mix about 3 tablespoons of the pasta water into the walnut pesto.
- Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the walnut pesto and grilled zucchini.
- Serve hot, with a sprinkle of thyme and basil leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and any substitutions.
