Cucumber Noodles with a Raw Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce (dairy-free, nut-free, grain-free)
Ali Segersten Sep 17, 2014 5 comments
If you’re savoring the last of your summer basil harvest, this vibrant pumpkin seed pesto is a beautiful way to celebrate it. Fresh, green, and bursting with flavor, this sauce captures the essence of the season—and can be frozen for a taste of summer sunshine in the colder months. We love tossing it with raw cucumber noodles for a refreshing meal, or spooning it over gluten-free pasta or baked wild salmon for a simple, nutrient-dense dinner.
To make cucumber noodles, you’ll need a spiralizer—one of my favorite tools for transforming vegetables into beautiful, nourishing “noodles.” It works wonders with zucchini, carrots, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, beets, and of course, cucumbers. If you’re new to spiralizing, you can check out this short video I shared on Instagram where I make summer squash noodles in under a minute.
No spiralizer? No problem. This versatile pesto is just as delicious over cooked noodles, drizzled on roasted winter squash, or served alongside grilled chicken or sautéed greens. Get creative and let your intuition guide you.
Have another way you’re using this pesto? I’d love to hear it—drop your ideas in the comments below and inspire others in our nourishing community.
Cucumber Noodles with a Raw Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce
My children love this vibrant, dairy-free pesto and say it tastes “cheesy”—even without the cheese! It’s incredibly versatile: toss it with your favorite cooked noodles, swirl it into cucumber noodles for a light, hydrating meal, or use it as a creamy dressing for garden-fresh summer salads. For the best cucumber noodles, I recommend using English or Middle Eastern cucumbers—they’re firm, mild, and have fewer seeds, making for perfect spirals.
Noodles
Sauce
Other Ingredients
sauce
- To make the sauce, place pumpkin seeds into a bowl and cover with filtered water. Soak for about 6 hours. Then drain and rinse.
- Place pumpkin seeds, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Then add the fresh basil and blend again.
- Add the olive oil and blend on low speed until combined.
- Taste and add more salt if necessary.
noodles
- Use your spiralizer to make the cucumber noodles.
- Place them into a bowl and toss with about 1 cup of the pesto sauce.
- Add any additional ingredients. Serve immediately.
- Place extra sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week (or freeze in ice cube trays).
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
About the Author
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 1,800 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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Comments
Ah, this looks great. I've been eating a lot of cucumbers lately so the spiralizer sounds perfect. Thanks for sharing about the summits going on, as well.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing Nicole. What's the brand of the black bean pasta you found? Thanks! :)
Sounds yummy, will definitely have to try it out! I don't have a spiralizer (yet) but I take my veggie peeler and peel zucchini and basically just keep peeling until I reach the seeds and it makes fettucine-like noodles that you can steam or sautee and I actually prefer them over regular pasta. I also just found a black bean pasta that was pretty good too and full of protein. I think they'd both be fantastic with this sauce :)
Tanya- Yes raw pumpkin seeds without the shell. They are often called pepitas and have a green color. You should be able to find them in the bulk section of your local health food store. :-)
Sounds delicious! Would you please clarify: Does "raw pumpkin seeds" mean without the shell?
Thank you for all of your wonderful sharing!
-Tanya