Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto for #SundaySupper!! Let’s get to spiralizing!
With the recent delivery of my awesome spiralizer plus attachment from KitchenAid, I’ve been going a little crazy. I love being able to make veggie curls and curly potatoes .. I have yet to try an apple but kind of want to see if I can get apple spirals. So, needless to say, I’ve been on quite the vegetable kick. .
My meat-eating husband is not happy.
But as long as we have one meat dish, Korean food and one pizza night, he’s just fine. Which leaves the rest of the week to my lovely vegetables! Ever since making this raw zucchini salad, I have been hooked. Whenever I add zucchini now into my salads, which is quite often, I leave the zucchini raw.
Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto!
You’ve got to try this salad. It’s inspired from a restaurant in Dallas called Cafe Express. Whenever I’m in Dallas, I will eat there with my girlfriends. They have a trio salad with pasta salad, grilled chicken and a green salad, all in one bowl. It’s like deliciousness overload. I love it. So, I wanted to put all of my favorite things into one salad bowl.
Cauliflower pesto. I’ve written about this before. If you’ve never tried it and like cauliflower, OH MY GAWD, you must try this. It’s quite addicting, healthy and delicious. I make this pesto all the time. You can eat this pesto with toasted bread, crackers, pasta or alone by the spoonfuls. It has a couscous like texture and is just so flavorful and amazing, you won’t be able to stop eating it. The cauliflower pesto is packed with cauliflower, olives, parsley, pine nuts and so much more. It is simply delicious and if there’s only one thing you walk away with after reading this post, it’s that you have to try this.
And it’s so easy to make. Your food processor does everything for you.
I recently shared my new favorite pesto on Friday. Sometimes here in Madison, it isn’t as easy to find fresh basil. So this pesto was created by the ingredients I had in my kitchen at the time. Pine nuts are also insanely expensive so I added almonds and you can also try using walnuts. The other two KEY ingredients are really good, quality extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. Go for it. You’ll taste the difference. I mixed my pesto with the fresh, raw zucchini curls. . so good!!!
And lastly, you gotta have some greens and grape tomatoes in there. A salad is not complete, in my book, without them. Splash in your fave balsamic vinegar dressing and enjoy!
Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto
Ingredients
For the spinach pesto:
- 2-3 cups fresh baby spinach or baby arugula
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2-3 cloves garlic whole or minced
- ¼ cup almonds
- 1-1½ cups good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ – 1 cup freshly grated or chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Kosher salt to taste
For the salad trio:
- cauliflower pesto see recipe card down below
- fresh raw zucchini; sliced into spirals, long strips or matchsticks
- fresh greens or baby spinach
- variety of grape tomatoes
- your fave salad dressing or extra virgin olive oil + balsamic vinegar
- serve with a baguette or crackers
Instructions
For the spinach pesto:
- Combine the spinach, parsley, garlic, and almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil (I used about a cup) into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly combined. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse until well combined. Season with salt and enjoy!
For the salad trio:
- Place everything into sections within a large salad bowl. Mix the pesto with the fresh, raw zucchini and enjoy! The cauliflower pesto can be enjoyed topped on the bread or with crackers on the side or simply by itself.
Cauliflower Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 small 13-ounce head cauliflower
- 1/2 cup unsalted almonds may substitute pine nuts
- 2 or 3 sun-dried tomatoes I use the ones in jars with olive oil
- 1- ounce chunk pecorino-Romano cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano; cut into chunks
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- About 8 flat-leaf parsley leaves
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes or more as needed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar + more if needed to taste
- season with salt
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into chunks, placing them into the food processor. Pulse to form couscous-like crumbs, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Place everything else into the food processor down to the parsley. Pulse to form a coarse bread-crumb consistency, then add the mixture to the cauliflower in the large mixing bowl, along with the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (by hand) to form a pesto like mixture. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
I love that we are celebrating MEATLESS MEALS today! The lovely Tammi from Momma’s Meals is hosting today. . now take a seat, kick back and make sure you visit all of the fabulous recipes below. . there are a lot of them . . think of all the GREAT meatless options you’ll have now! Enjoy!
Salads, Soups, Stews and Starters
- Spicy Vegan Potato Salad by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Veggie Salad Trio with Zucchini Noodles and Pesto by Hip Foodie Mom
- Olive Tapenade by MealDiva
- Chickpea Chile Soup with Greens and Grains by Shockingly Delicious
- Thai Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Potato Chickpea Stew by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- “Beef” Stew with Potato Cake Tops by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
“Meat”balls
- Teriyaki Quinoa “Meatballs” by The Foodie Patootie
- Black Bean “Meatballs” with Marinara by Foxes Love Lemons
- Spicy Vegetarian Meatballs by Mess Makes Food
Pastas, Pizzas and Casseroles
- Zucchini and Mushroom Skillet Lasagna by Curious Cuisiniere
- Four Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Shells by Melanie Makes
- Spicy Penne with Tomatoes and Havarti by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cheesy Tomato Casserole by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Deconstructed Vegan “Lasagna” by What Smells So Good?
- Ramen Stir Fry by Ninja Baking
- Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Broccolini Macaroni and Cheese by Family Foodie
- Sundried Tomato and Zucchini Pizza with Goat Cheese by Healthy. Delicious.
- Creamy Parmesan Mushroom and Leek Pasta by Neighborfood
- Roasted Veggie Manicotti by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
- Pasta Patate by Webicurean
- Spaghetti and Chickpeas and Roasted Tomato Sauce by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Radicchio and Gorgonzola Tortelloni with Butter and Walnuts by Manu’s Menu
- Broccoli, Mushroom & Rice Casserole by Momma’s Meals
Burgers
- Quinoa Black Bean Burger with Ginger Cilantro & Turmeric by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Garbanzo and Brown Rice Burgers by girlichef
- Tofu Burgers by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Tacos & Everything Wrapped
- Blackened Tofu Tacos with Asian Slaw by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Mushroom & Poblano Tacos by La Cocina de Leslie
- Green Chile Enchiladas by Cookin’ Mimi
- Beet and Goat Cheese Tacos with Avocado Cream by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Black Bean and Avocado Flautas by Supper for a Steal
- Black Bean Spinach Quinoa Burritos by Alida’s Kitchen
Other Main and Side Dishes
- Vegan, Gluten Free Breakfast Bars by Pies and Plots
- Mushroom and Lentil Cottage Pie by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mediterranean Tomato Tart by Magnolia Days
- Lentil Stuffed Peppers by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Fontina Polenta with Sauteed Porcini Mushrooms by La Bella Vita Cucina
- Leek and Zucchini Tarte Tatin by Food Lust People Love
- Tofu and Peas Curry (Tofu Matar) by Soni’s Food
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
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