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Grilled Zucchini Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto {vegan}

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!

zucchini and fettuccine and walnut pesto in white bowl

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.

basil, walnutes, fettuccine, zucchini, shallots, lemon zest on sheet pan

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!

zucchini and fettuccine in Italian bowl with pesto

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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!

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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.

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