Sauteed Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs + Hazelnuts

Long strands of zucchini (use a spiralizer or a box grater) tossed with fresh herbs and toasted hazelnuts is destined to become a summertime favorite. Top it off with burrata for an elegant weeknight meal that’s ready in about 20 minutes.

Since I recently confessed my love of zucchini noodles, I thought I should actually share a recipe that uses them. These zucchini noodles with fresh herbs and toasted hazelnuts are exactly why I love them so much: they’re healthy, easy (on the table in 20 minutes!), and absolutely delicious.

I’m excited to share them as part of an herb-filled menu for this month’s installment of Progressive Eats – it’s the epitome of fresh, summertime eating.

The ingredients and preparation are incredibly simple. The zucchini is lightly sautéed with shallot and garlic, then tossed with loads of fresh herbs. I used parsley, basil, and tarragon – one of my favorites. Finish it off with lemon zest to add a little brightness, toasted hazelnuts for earthy crunch, and plenty of cracked black pepper. Then, to take it completely over the top, add some burrata.

If you’ve never had it, burrata is one off the most amazing cheeses I’ve ever tasted. It’s basically a balloon of fresh mozzarella wrapped around the creamiest ricotta you’ve ever seen. It’s totally luxurious and is completely amazing paired with the fresh herbs and zucchini in this recipe. I like to keep it in slices and add the tiniest bit to each bite. It can be a little difficult to find, so feel free to substitute whole milk ricotta if you prefer.

Sauteed Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs + Hazelnuts

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 small zucchini
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 ounces burrata or whole milk ricotta

Instructions

1. Use a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or box grater to cut the zucchini into long, spaghetti-like strips. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook 2-3 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the zucchini; toss to combine. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until the zucchini softens.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped herbs and lemon zest; season with cracked black pepper and toss well. Top with burrata and serve immediately.

Cooking with Herbs

• Zucchini, Potato and Herb Fritters with a Garlic and Herb Yogurt Sauce from Creative Culinary
• Pesto Pasta Salad from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Homemade Cilantro Mayonnaise from The Heritage Cook
• Methi Machli – Fish with Fenugreek Sauce from Spice Roots
• Tomato Basil Hummus from Food Hunters Guide
• Lemon Sage Mustard from Stetted
• Lemony Three Bean Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, and Marjoram from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Grilled Chicken Shawarma with Fennel Spinach Tzatziki Sauce from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
• Sauteed Zucchini Noodles with Fresh Herbs and HazelnutsfromHealthy Delicious
• Lemongrass Ice Cream from Pastry Chef Online
• Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler from Never Enough Thyme
• Peach-Rosemary Shrub from girlichef

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is all about herbs and is hosted by Barb Kiebel who blogs at Creative Culinary. With gardens coming on strong, it’s a great time to add herbs to your menu and we’ve got them; from appetizers to drinks to desserts!

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. After a successful first year of more traditional themes, this year you’ll see us doing more open ended themes beginning this month when we’re Cooking with Herbs…and anything goes!

We have a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.