Beep beep. Boop boop. One zero one zero zero zero one. I. Am. Recipe. Robot. Yeeeeesh, sorry, I am a little sleep deprived over here. I’ve been working almost around the clock on the cookbook manuscript, analyzing the logic and clarity behind every list and instruction, while trying to make the head notes as informative and entertaining as they can be.
I read through all 115 recipes yesterday with a fine-tooth comb. My publisher wants Oxford commas in the book and I’m an AP style girl, so my commas are all mixed up right now. Among other things. Zero zero one boop.
I took a break to share this recipe with you all. It was supposed to be a pretty straightforward riff on a recipe I found in July’s Bon Appetit magazine, a cherry tomato and walnut pesto. However, their recipe called for anchovies, and a lot of olive oil and Parmesan, and I need energizing meals right now.
It also suggested cranking up the oven for the walnuts and cherry tomatoes, and I wanted to make it all on the stovetop since it’s so hot outside. When I made a lightened-up version of it without anchovies, on the stove, it turned out lackluster.
I took Cookie on a walk after my disappointing pasta experience, and had a light bulb moment along the way: sun-dried tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes have lots of umami in them like anchovies and Parmesan do, and they seemed like an obvious fit with burst cherry tomatoes. Boom! We had ourselves a winner. My final adjustment was to replace some of the pasta with zucchini noodles, which makes it even more fresh. Make it for dinner tonight?
Double Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Italian
This fresh summer recipe features burst cherry tomatoes, cherry tomato and sun-dried tomato pesto, zucchini noodles and spaghetti! It’s light and delicious. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Pasta and zucchini noodles (see notes for alternatives)
- 8 ounces whole grain spaghetti (DeLallo is my favorite)
- 1 large zucchini
Pesto
- ⅔ cup walnuts
- 2 pints (4 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnishes
- ½ cup lightly packed basil leaves, larger leaves torn into small pieces
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan, for serving (both optional)
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the spaghetti. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Spiralize the zucchini with a spiralizer (here’s how), or turn the zucchini into noodles with a julienne peeler, or grate the zucchini the long way on a large box grater.
- Toast the walnuts: In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the walnuts, stirring occasionally, until they smell nice and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the cherry tomatoes: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have burst open and they are cooking in their own juices, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the walnuts, half of the cooked tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt and several twists of freshly ground black pepper. Blend until the mixture is pretty smooth, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt and/or pepper until the flavors really sing (if that doesn’t do the trick, add some more sun-dried tomatoes). Blend again.
- Pour the pesto over the spaghetti and toss to combine. If you’ll be consuming this dish in one sitting, go ahead and toss in all of the zucchini noodles now, too. (If you plan on having leftovers, store the zucchini noodles separately from the rest, as they leach water when they’re exposed to salt—I just pile the noodles on top of my individual bowls and wait to stir them in when I’m ready to eat. Hope that makes sense.)
- Pour the rest of the cherry tomatoes on top of the dish, and sprinkle the basil over them. Toss gently, and divide the mixture into bowls. Top individual bowls with Parmesan or nutritional yeast, if you’d like, and a light drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit’s spaghetti with tomato and walnut pesto.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Either omit the Parmesan, or replace it with a sprinkle of vegan Parm or nutritional yeast. The sun-dried tomatoes make it plenty savory.
Make it gluten free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta, or serve entirely with zucchini noodles.
Make it nut free: Technically pine nuts are seeds, so if those work for you, try about ⅓ cup pine nuts instead of walnuts. I often use pepitas in pestos, but I’m not sure they’d work well with the tomatoes here. You would still get a really tasty tomato sauce without any nuts/seeds at all.
Change it up: You could make this with all zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti (I think you’d need about 3 large zucchini) or all spaghetti (you’d need a full 12 ounces).
If you love this recipe: Check out my pasta archives here.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
TerriSue
Kate, This one looks really good. I’m with you on putting things in the oven in the summer. Iv’e had a spiralizer on my wish list for a while. I think it’s about time to buy it. Get some rest!
Kate
Thank you, Terrisue! I resisted the spiralizer for a long time, but my friend Ali sent me one of her designs, and I love the spiralizer’s curli-cue noodles. The volume they provide makes zucchini noodles so much more fun to eat.
Gabby
I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about a recipe before!! Definitely going to try it this week. Thank you for a brilliant suggestion! :)
Kate
Hooray! That’s lovely to hear. I hope you absolutely love it, Gabby!
Sarah
Tried your mega crunchy romaine/quinoa salad last week (a new favorite of mine!)…and now this?! It looks absolutely delicious — can’t wait to try it out this week. You’re the recipe queen, miss Kate (and Cookie!)
Kate
Blushing! Thank you, Sarah. Hope you love this one, too.
Brenna Mahoney
We LOVE the mega crunchy romaine salad!
Danica
“Yes, please” is all I have to say about this beautiful pesto, as well as Oxford commas.
How could I incorporate the zucchini without a spiralizer? Sorry if this is a repeat blog question.
I’m also sending you encouragement for your work on the cookbook! Eat well, sleep well, and take care of yourself.
Danica
Sorry, just re-read recipe and found the answer to my question.
Kate
Thank you, Danica! I’m glad you found the answer. I don’t know that I’ll switch to Oxford commas on the blog (six years of AP style already!) but I totally accidentally used one in a post today. I’m getting all mixed up. :) Thank you for your encouragement. It’s much appreciated! Hope you have a great weekend.
Tova
As a huge pasta and tomato lover, this is going on the must-eat list asap. Also, can’t wait for your cookbook to come out!!!
Kate
Thank you, Tova! I hope you love this one.
Evelyn
Kate, this looks amazing! It reminds me a bit of your sun-dried tomato pesto pasta, which I coincidentally made yesterday (okay, well not that coincidentally, as I happen to make it quite often :) ) I love the idea of adding sort of a-little-bit-dried tomatoes, as it makes the pesto more saucy without having to add oil to thin it. I’m sorry to hear you’re making those crazy days, but only half sorry since I’m also SO excited for your cookbook, and it sounds like it’s really making progression. Hope it’ll get a bit quieter soon for you, and take care of yourself in the process, please :)
Evelyn
Update: made it tonight and it was delicious! Loved the freshness of the tomatoes and the lemon, combined with the umami of the sun-dried tomatoes and the nuts. Thank you for the recipe :)
Kate
Thank you, sweet Evelyn! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed this one, too. I can see the light at the end of the cookbook tunnel, and I can’t wait for you to see it!
Pia
Lots of great ideas right up there, so thumbs up :)
Also, comma rules seriously are just the worst, which is why I always just do whatever I want . Haha. In other words, I really do feel sorry for you and am crossing my fingers that you and those commas are able to work things out together.
Now have a great week, Kate, and please don’t forget to breathe and take it easy in-between, okay? xx
Kate
Haha, I just love your comments, Pia. :) I like your comma method. I don’t think anyone notices much, anyway. Have a wonderful weekend!
Harry Bowden
That lightbulb moment was a winner! This recipe turned out even better than the original in my opinion. I also like the idea of using pine nuts and even switching it up with zucchini noodles too!
Kate
Thank you very much, Harry! I’m glad you think so.
Jabeen Waheed
Omg looks super yummy!
Kate
Thank you!
Monica
I made this tonight and let me tell you it was so yummy. Just add a bit of the pasta water when combining the pesto and tomatoes. No leftovers unfortunately. Husband and adult sons all had seconds. Keeper recipe for sure.
Kate
Thank you, Monica! That’s so great to hear. Yay. :)
Breanne
I’m an Oxford comma fan, so I’ll appreciate that when I buy your cookbook. :)
Kate
Haha, I’m glad! Thanks, Breanne. :D
Lizzie
This looks truly delicious, will definitely be giving it a go! :)
Kate
Thanks, Lizzie! Hope you love it.
jodie
This recipe looks delicious! Perfect with all the fresh produce coming out of my veggie plot at the moment. Big thanks x
Jodie
Kate
I bet it’s even better with your fresh-from-the-garden ingredients. Jealous. :)
Rosie
This post made my tummy grumble. Looks & sounds so yummy!
Kate
Thank you, Rosie!
Claire
Yeaaaa! Oxford comma rules! :::chest bumps old law school friends::: In your face, Katherine!
;) Also, YES to zucchini noodles. Life has been so busy that I haven’t had time to enjoy and soak in all the bounty of summer and it makes me want to cry!
Kate
Hahaa! Love it. Always so nice to hear from you, Claire. Hope you get some down time this weekend!
Medha
I love the idea of cherry tomato and sundried tomato pesto- such a fun twist on the classic sauces (plain tomato and plain pesto). I always make my pesto with walnuts- totally love the earthy flavor they add. Pinning! :)
Kate
Thanks, Medha! I love playing around with pesto ingredients.
Wies | Nature of Happiness
Looks absolutely delicious!
Kate
Thank you!
sarah
You know, for about a year now, whenever something lacks a certain je ne sais quoi, I just give it a shot of fish sauce and–whoa!–instant betterment. I haven’t tried it with sweets… yet (LOL), but swear by it for umami deepening of savory dishes.
Kate
Haha, I think you’d end up with some funky sweets. Fish sauce is too funky for me. Can’t do it! Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms… all umami-rich flavors I can get behind. :)
Amy
This is a great idea to combine spaghetti and zucchini noodles. I think I need to get myself another spiralizer, I have a hand-held one and it took so long to make zoodles. Can’t wait to make this delicious dish this weekend!
And can’t wait for your cookbook :)
Kate
Thanks, Amy! I resisted the spiralizer for so long, but then Ali (Inspiralized.com) offered to send me her design and I really love the noodles it makes. Way more voluminous than the noodles from my julienne peeler.
Cassie
Mamma mia let me go (let me goooooooo)…..get me a big bowl of this pasta! Sorry I just listened to Queen this morning and HAD to reference them in my comment! This looks amazing!
Kate
Yes! Love it. Now I have Queen stuck in my head. Have a great weekend, Cassie!
Lisa
Hi Kate – this looks great and I’ll give it a try. Looking forward to your cookbook. Are you autographing copies for your followers? (probably too much to ask, but worth a try!)
Lisa
Kate
Thank you, Lisa! I hope you love it. That’s a really good question. I think I’ll be doing some public events to promote it, and I’m sure we could get you a signed copy somehow. Thank you for your support!
Flor
Made this tonight since we have an over abundance of tomatoes in our garden! It’s delicious and my new family favorite for a quick pasta dish. Can’t wait for your cook book Kate!
Kate
Thank you so much, Flor! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed this one. :)
Katie
Made this last night, very easy. I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes on hand but still thought it turned out great. Thanks
Kate
Thank you, Katie! I’m glad to hear it!
Lori
This was pretty to look at mine lacked depth of flavor. The only reason I can think of is that my tomatoes may not have had much flavor or acidity. Even with seasoning, it was just ok.
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t love this one, Lori. I didn’t think it was quite right until I added sun-dried tomatoes. Maybe yours just needed some more of them?
Laura
This was fantastic!!! We used pecans instead of almonds because that’s what we had on hand. I also grated a tad of raw cheddar goat cheese on top. I loved the crunch from the zucchini.
Kate
Thank you, Laura! So glad you loved this one. That cheese sounds delicious.
Raj
Hi Kate, this recipe looks really delicious. Just can’t wait to try this beautiful dish. Thanks :)
Michelle
Made the double tomato pesto last night! Whoa–it was soooo
delicious!! I served it to the fam with a combo of pasta and zoodles, but I had mine with all zoodles. The flavors were fresh and complex and everyone, even the teenager, loved it. Thanks for the great ideas!
Kate
Thank you, Michelle! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
Brenda
HI Kate
I am a clean eater advocate and have been for over 3 years now, I came acorss your site last week and have already made the banana muffins and carrot muffins both Yummm tonight I am making your Double Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles – so really looking forward to it…your recepies really fit with my life style and food ethos… thanks for the inspirations- from alittle westie owner called Marley from Northern Ireland. x
Kate
Thank you for saying hi, Brenda! I’m sorry for my slow response. So glad you found my site! Cookie says hi to Marley.
Cynthia
Hi Kate,
I made this last night and we loved it. I didn’t have quite enough cherry tomatoes so I added a few more sun dried tomatoes and pasta water.
I will definitely make this again soon. Thanks again for all your great recipes.
Kate
Thank you, Cynthia! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Michelle R
Made this tonight and it was so delicious! Thank you Kate! Went and got a julienne peeler just so we could have zucchini noodles. Made your yummy sweet potato and black bean burgers to go with it. Didn’t do the pesto, but I’m sure it was just as good. Loved all the flavors and how good it looked. Good luck with your cookbook!
Kate
Thank you, Michelle! Julienne peelers are so fun. Hope you get lots of use out of it. :)
Donna
zucchini is raw? thanks.
Kate
Yes!
Sarah
Didn’t get to take a photo of this because I ate it too quickly! I upped the lemon juice & zest and used flat leaf parsley instead of basil (it’s what I had on hand) and the whole dish was so pleasantly summery and bright. Delicious! I want to make this weekly. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it so much! Thank you for letting me know, Sarah, and have a great weekend. :)
Trish
I feel like a master chef when I make your meals lol. Yesterday I made your Greek wedge salad and tonight this other colorful, scrumptious meal! Unfortunately, one of the packs of cherry toms didn’t look good so I only used one pack and one Roma I had in fridge. I added an eggplant from my garden into the mixture to make up for some of the missing cherry tomatoes. Luckily, it all seemed to go together well and my family loved it.
Thanks to your recipes my family and friends think I’m an amazing cook!
Kate
Hooray! Your comment made me smile. Thank you, Trish. So glad you all enjoyed this one.
CARMEN
I just had to say we had this for lunch and it was completely fantastic. It tasted so decadent and creamy yet its so nutritious and only 50g of pasta per serving! My husband a huge fan.
Kate
Awesome! Thank you very much, Carmen!
Sweta
I made spaghetti for the first time at home! I never liked it in restaurants, found it very bland. This recipe changed my Mindset though. The pesto had perfect texture and its flavors made the bland spaghetti taste super delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
I have never made my own pasta! Eep! I’m so glad you enjoyed this dish, Sweta. I love bold pesto flavors.
Emily
This looks amazing, Kate! So glad I stumbled upon your blog!
I’m a new vegetarian and I’m trying to conquer the world of veggie noodles. I just purchased the julienne peeler listed under your shop and I’m so excited to use it! I was wondering when you use the julienne peeler vs. a spiralizer. Is it worth getting a spiralizer, too?
Thanks so much for your help!
Kate
Hey Emily! I’m so glad you found my blog, too. Thank you for saying hello. :) I resisted buying a spiralizer for a while, then my friend Ali sent me her design (the Inspiralizer), and I have to say that I really like the noodles that come out of it. They are more voluminous and curly, whereas the julienne peeler makes straight noodles. The downsides to spiralizers is that they take up more space, they’re more expensive and harder to clean (hand wash only). I usually use the julienne peeler for carrots and small amounts of noodles, and the spiralizer when I want more voluminous noodles like for pasta. The julienne peeler might be all you need, though!
Alicia
Hi Kate, I’m cutting down on meat, cheese and pasta for health reasons and I’m so happy to have found your site! I had tons of cherry tomatoes from my garden so I just made a double batch of this pesto and it is incredibly delicious! I’ll use on zucchini noodles but am also thinking of putting it on some toasted italian bread for my husband. He’ll love it. Thank you! (ps – looking forward to your cookbook.)
Kate
Hi Alicia! I’m so glad you found my site and enjoyed this pesto! Yay. Thank you for saying hi, and have a great weekend.
Neil
This recipe is AMAZING. It’s light and fresh and full of flavor. We’re making it for the second time tonight. Your blog has completely transformed our family’s meal planning, Kate. We average 2-3 of your recipes a week. Every one we’ve tried has left my vegetarian wife, my 8 year old son, and my meat-eating self beyond satisfied. Can’t wait for the book!!
Kate
Hooray!!! Thank you for saying so, Neil!
Nike Sinclair
I did this recipe, but with cashews instead of walnuts. It was mind-blowingly delicious-I loved it!
Kelly
Looks amazing. Planning on making this week. Question…do you cook the zucchini noodles at all?
Kate
Hi Kelly, I didn’t cook them at all. I know some people prefer them lightly steamed or sautéed, so that’s up to you.
Halley
Made this for dinner tonight… so delicious! I took a shortcut and bought my zucchini already spiralized at Whole Foods. The sauce is amazing, so flavorful! I’m excited to have some of it leftover to eat during the week :)
Kate
Thanks, Halley! Glad you enjoyed it. Cleaning spiralizers is never fun.
Beatrice
Made this pesto this week and it was a great success! Had it with pasta as described in the recipe but also used leftover pesto on toast and it burritos and it was lovely too. Kept for several days in a sealed jar in the fridge. I made it with less cherry tomatoes than described in the recipe (didn’t have so many) but both my husband and I love the strong flavour of sun-dried tomatoes so this wasn’t a problem. Thanks for another great recipe Kate!
Sabreen
Hi Kate. This turned out great!
I have some left over pesto, so would it still be fine if I froze it and used it for another time?
Good luck with your cookbook! I can’t wait for it to be released xx
Kate
Thank you, Sabreen! I bet it would freeze pretty well, but I haven’t tried. I can’t wait for you to see the cookbook!!
Samantha
I’m super excited to be sharing this recipe on my blog on Friday as part of my favorite meatless meals! Of course, credit goes to you and your amazing blog, I’m just happy to be sharing the deliciousness!
Mark
Hi im writing from London, England. Your recipes look look great and I’m itching to try a few, particularly some of the mexican ones and this pesto one first. Can I check though what you mean by Red Pepper Flakes, as in England that can mean either sweet red bell peppers or chili flakes? Which is it? Thank you in advance, Mark :)
Heather
This was a great meal, thanks!
Kate
Yes! Good to hear it, Heather.
Jay
Can you add the basil to the actual pesto sauce?
Kate
I think so, yes!
Christopher
I’ve made it a mission to cook once a week for my family following your recipes. It is now week 3, and they absolutely loved it! Thank you for sharing :)
Kate
So cool! Thanks, Christopher! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
Evette W.
First recipe that I tried from the website. It was awesome! Changing to a vegetarian diet (with my meat loving hubby) but even he enjoyed this dish.
Kate
I’m so glad you found my blog, Evette! I hope you try more of my recipes.
Karen
I tried this recipe on Sunday and it was delicious! Everyone liked it in my family.
Kate
Great to hear that, Karen!
Karen
This double tomato pesto…OMG. I use it on everything. Last night, a pile of greens, two fried eggs, your tomato pesto, topped with black olives. Mmmmmmm. This is amazing with eggs, eggplant, brown rice pasta….or just off the spoon. As a result of this pesto, I ordered your cookbook. How’s that for ROI? Tonight, spinach artichoke enchiladas, and blueberry almond crumble for dessert.
Kate
YES it’s such a versatile sauce! And I’m so glad it convinced you to get the book! That’s a solid return, if I say so myself. :) Thanks for the kind comment, Karen!
Essie
This was refreshing for a warm summer day! I am just getting started on being vegetarian and this dish, on day 2, saved me. I had the sauce, made per the recipe minus chili flakes, with soba noodles for extra protein and fiber. It was hearty without being heavy. I’ll definitely make it again!
Kate
Awesome! Good luck on your new adventure, Essie. :) I think you’ll like the plant-based life!
COOKINGFROMTHE
im te kaitao maori pono
Kia Kaha ehoa i te tunu!!
Atu te tote!!!!
Kumea Hugs
Kimberly
Hi, Adorable Kate (and a head pat for Cookie!)
I’ve made this twice now–it’s delicious.
I have to be careful which recipes I choose because I can’t buy more than two dinner meals worth of groceries at a time. I need a recipe that can convert well into groceries for one person and for maximum two meals. (I have struggled with bulimia as a coping skill for so many years that I know near daily marketing is the way for me to succeed with health and happiness.) This recipe translates beautifully.
I used ginger instead of garlic and left out the oil and it was absolutely scrumptious and satisfying. I love the idea of half zoodles and half wheat noodles. I recently got a handheld spiralizer and, although I love zucchini noodles, I feel the veggies were not satisfying without adding lots of cheese or vegetarian “meat.” The combo noddles solved this perfectly: so incredibly Delish and satisfying.
P.S. I ordered your cookbook via my local library; I excitedly waiting!
Kate
Hi, Kimberly! What a kind and thoughtful comment–thank you! I’m so glad my recipes are workable with your habits, and help you stay on the wellness track. :) Self-awareness is such a hard trait to develop, so you should be incredibly proud that you found a coping mechanism that works well for you and keeps your body and mind healthy. I hope you love the book once you get the chance to check it out!
Jessika
I made this last night and it was so easy, light, and delicious. I followed the recipe and (as Kate suggests) added a little more sun dried tomato for added flavor. The lemon really balances the flavors and the red pepper adds a perfect amount of spice. Served with half/half brown rice spaghetti noodles and zucchini noodles it was a delightful summer meal.
I cook from this blog on a weekly basis. When it’s just me on a daily basis.
Kate
This is too kind, Jessika! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Gaby Dalkin
YESSS! This looks stunning
Kate
Thanks, friend!
Megan
This looks AMAZING.
Kate
I hope you get a chance to try it, Megan!
Rose
I have never been a and of sundried tomato pesto…until now! Made this yesterday but didn’t have it until today – delicious! It makes quite a bit of pesto, so I froze some in my mini muffin tin and threw the “pucks” into a bag so I can take out as much or as little as I want, whenever I want. I had it on wild rice pasta, but am anxious to try it on pizza, too. Another notch in your belt, Kate – you’ve made me a convert. Thank you!!
Rose
Oops, that first line should have read I’ve never been a FAN of sun dried tomato pesto.
Kate
Great idea for freezing the leftovers, Rose! I’m glad this helped to change your mind about tomato pesto. :)
Eve
Excellent dish, will definitely make again! Bonus: discovered how easy it is to make zucchini noodles with a vegetable peeler and a knife. Didn’t look as pretty (or as uniform) as spiralized zoodles but they functioned the exact same. Yum!
Beth Scott
Just a heads up to the super cool vegetarians; Parmesan is not vegetarian! It must contain elements of a cow to be officially named parmesan cheese.
Kate, please address this!
Love your site but that could have been a disaster for some users.
Kate
Hi, Beth– Yes, I’ve addressed this to my readers before. I had been using Whole360 parmesan cheese, which does not use animal rennet, and once I realized that other brands do, I’ve made sure to recommend Whole360 or BelGioiso brands that are truly vegetarian. Did you make the spaghetti? Because, if not, could you please re-consider the one-star rating you’ve left on the recipe? The star ratings are really important for my standing on Google results and the visibility of my blog in searches. I understand that pointing this out is important, and I have addressed it multiple times on the blog.
Nicole
Made this recipe for dinner tonight, DELICIOUS! It was so simple, came together in less than 30min, and a great way to use our cherry tomatoes and basil from our garden. We will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Garden-fresh produce is the best, isn’t it?
Lynda
Made this tonight it is amazing! I think I will use zucchini noodles in all my pastas.
Kate
They are so useful! I love some zoodles.
Heather
This was delicious! I had left over sun-dried tomatoes and loads of cherry tomatoes in my garden so thank you for the idea! Anytime I can bust out the spiralizer I am a happy woman. Also, I’ve never commented on your blog before but I just wanted to thank you SO much for all of your advice you have about how to start a blog etc. This was a huge backbone and foundation for me when I began mine 2 years ago. Inspirational! You’re awesome, Kate! Many, many thanks!
Heather @ foodgalleygab.com
Michelle (always hungry)
I made this last week and it was delicious! It was light and fresh yet very filling. I followed the recipe exactly and got a spiralizer for the zucchini. It made quite a bit. I found it heated up really well for lunches during the week. I just kept the zucchini separate as you suggested and tossed it in at each lunch. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thank you, Michelle. If you would want to leave a star review since you liked it so much, I would appreciate it!
Jennifer
Hello, can the sauce for this recipe be frozen? Thank you
Kate
I don’t freeze all my recipes and haven’t tried it with this one yet. But if you try it, let me know!
Cat
My mom made this pasta for the family (after I pestered her to try Cooke and Kate’s recipes over and over!) and it was sooooo yummy! Amazing flavor, so healthy, and so filling. Absolutely perfect.
Kate
Thank you so much, Cat!
Marisa
I have made this recipe twice and both times it has been a hit! So delicious and super easy!
Kate
Love that you have made it more than once, Marisa! Thanks for sharing. If you wouldn’t mind leaving a review since you liked it so much, that would be great!
Anna
Wow…this is great recipe and the instruction, I really love it. Thanks for sharing. 5 star for my rating.
Kate
I’m happy you like it, Anna! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Patricia
Loved it! The flavors and textures in this recipe are truly amazing. Thank you for adding an estimate of the nutritional information. Can you tell me what would be considered a serving? I am trying to keep calories and fat content down, so I am also wondering if there is any substitute you can suggest to keep the calories and fat down on this recipe.
I’ve tried several of your recipes and really love them. I will definitely be ordering your book!
Kate
You’re welcome, Patricia! Split evenly between four serving bowls, will be 1-2 cups as an estimate. Hope this helps! Could just use all zucchini noodles or change the ratio some. Thanks for your review!
Ana
I loved this recipe! This was my first time making a tomato pesto and I thought that the flavors were great! I like your recommendation of separating the zucchini noodles from the rest of the spaghetti for storage. What I ended up doing was putting the zucchini noodles in a collander and pouring the hot pasta water over it when I drained the pasta. It helped soften up the zucchini noodles a bit. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thank you, Ana for sharing! Great tip!
Kate
The flavor in this was really popping! I really enjoyed the sharpness of the lemon and the bright richness of the tomatoes! Full of flavor looking forward to having again.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Kate!
Laetitia
Kate, after trying out your kale pesto, which was so delicious, I was on the look out for a non-green pesto to upscale my very green meal prep for the week.
I didn’t have any walnuts so I subbed those for Brazil nuts and added a little nutritional yeast.
Absolutely delicious, tomatoes were at their best after being cooked in the saucepan and they gave a unique taste to this pesto. Also, I liked the fact that there was no need for additional oil thanks to the tomato juices :-)
I used the pesto in my white bean salad with arugula, spinach, red onion and some aromatic herbs (a mix of basil, cilantro, parsley and dill).
THANK YOU, you are my queen of pesto :-)
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad you have enjoyed both recipes, Laetitia!
Karen Marler
This was the best sauce I’ve ever tasted. I did not do the zucchini noodles but rather regular pasta. It was better the next day. I did not have lemons so did not use lemon zest, just juice from a bottle. I used fresh orange cherry tomatoes from the farmers market. I will definitely be making this again.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Karen!
Megan
I screenshot this from your Instagram when you posted it earlier in summer so I would have it saved for later. Made it tonight and it sure did not disappoint! I loved the strong flavors in the pesto. You never disappoint!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Megan!
Renee
Love it! Regards from the Netherlands!
Kate
Thank you, Renee!
Pat
This was, honest to god, one of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever made. I couldn’t stop exclaiming “The Best Pasta in the World” when I was eating it. Thank you!!!
Amy Gingery
This looks so yummy, will make soon, thank you!
Danielle
Hi Kate! Thank you very much for this creative and fun recipe. I made it last night and it was absolutely wonderful. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to making healthy, interesting, and wholesome recipes for us. I am in love with Love Real Food and can’t wait to experiment with even more recipes when the new cookbook comes out. Much love and take care!
Bizz
Very tasty! Couldn’t taste that noodles were whole wheat (thankfully!) and felt so healthy with the addition of the “zoodles.” Thought overall the recipe was a little heavy on the lemon flavor, but I may have zested more than required. Will definitely be adding this to our list of favorites.
Rebecca
Omg! This recipe was a HUGE hit with the whole family. Both toddlers (3.5 and 2 years) cried that they didn’t want tomato sauce and then proceeded to destroy their bowls. I love zucchini, but this is a great way to sneak it in for those who are less enthusiastic.
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad your toddlers loved it too.
Lisa Walker
Hi Kate, Do you think that you could freeze the pesto portion of this recipe for the fall/winter? I have a ton of cherry tomatoes and I would love to preserve them. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes and can’t wait to buy your new book!
Lisa
Kate
I haven’t tried freezing all of my recipes, so I can’t say for sure. But if you try it, I would love to hear how it works for you!
wendy
This is really good. Do you have any make ahead tips? Making for a party
Kate
Hi! See the notes for storage. That should help!
Rainey
Hello! Is the zucchini raw?
Kate
Hi! Yes, it is raw. I hope you try it and enjoy this one, Rainey!