zucchini noodle primavera

Noodles & Pasta

Zucchini Noodle Primavera

This primavera recipe cuts carbs by swapping out the pasta for zucchini "noodles." This quick vegetarian dinner is chock-full of colorful vegetables smothered in a light, creamy sauce. We like using prepackaged spiralized zucchini noodles to keep this recipe ultra-fast, but if you have a spiralizer and zucchini on hand, you can easily make your own.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons refrigerated basil pesto (such as buitoni)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup matchstick carrots
2 (10 ounce) packages spiralized zucchini noodles (about 6 cups; see tip)
¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; whisk until smooth. Add half-and-half; cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Add pesto; whisk until combined. Remove from heat; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst and the garlic is fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots and the pesto mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli softens, about 4 minutes. Add zucchini noodles; toss gently to combine. Cook, gently tossing constantly, until the mixture is hot and the zoodles are coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Divide evenly among 4 bowls; top with Parmesan and basil.