Dairy-Free Pesto Zoodles {Paleo, Whole30, Vegan}

These paleo vegan pesto zoodles are the perfect alternative if you’re following Whole30 or want a new way to eat veggie pasta! The pesto is easy, delicious, and will become a family favorite!

If we’re being honest, I could actually eat pesto by the spoonful. Like that’s how much I love pesto. So when I had a bowl of these pesto zoodles, I was over the moon!

And guess what? These pesto zoodles are completely dairy-free, vegan, paleo, and Whole30 compliant! Say WHAT?! Pasta that fits all of those?!

You better believe it.

Now, these pesto zoodles obviously don’t replace the beauty and deliciousness of traditional pesto pasta. You know that I follow a label-less diet, meaning I eat whatever I want without any qualms about what set of arbitrary rules it fits within.

That’s just not my bag, baby.

But, if you do follow labels at the moment (no judgement, everyone is allowed to do their own thing!) or you’re like me, and you like to switch up how you eat your veggies, these pesto zoodles are the ticket 😉

So how did I make these pesto zoodles dairy and gluten free, and still make them taste amazing? The key is in the flavor notes. A few extra herbs and garlic go a long way!

My motto is that when you take something out, you need to find something to replace it with, which is what I strive to do in all of my recipes. Otherwise, you take so much out that you’re essentially eating air, and that’s no fun lol.

Now going back to these pesto zoodles, another trick is that you don’t want the zoodles to be too wilted. Yes, you can easily overcook your zucchini noodles, and then they’re mush!

So to avoid that, don’t use as much oil in the pan (the zoodles will cook a lot faster) and only cook them for a few minutes on medium heat.

Then when you add in the pesto, you’re going to turn the heat off completely and just toss. Simple as that! This makes sure that the zoodles keep a more sturdy shape, which will just be way more pleasurable to eat!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do 🙂 If you do happen to make these pesto zoodles, I’d love to know what you think! Enjoy!

Print