Pesto Zucchini Spaghetti

Looking for something light, delicious, and easy to make for dinner tonight? Don't reach for that box of angel hair pasta: reach for the squash and create this mouth-watering, sure-to-please dish with zucchini, broccoli, and (none other than but an optional addition) bacon!

It has been tested and proven that even your harshest, manliest critics will enjoy this dish. Try it on 'em and let me know how it goes!

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Recipe makes 4 servings

Ready in half an hour with about 10 minutes of prep time

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini, cut into long, thin strips
• Pinch of salt
• 6 slices of uncooked bacon
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• Add more greens if you wish! I added kale - my favorite green friend!
• 2-3 tbsp prepared basil pesto
• Fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese, for garnish

Preparation

Place thin zucchini strips in a colander over a bowl or in the sink and sprinkle with salt. Toss to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes while the salt extracts the moisture. Drain excess water by squeezing the zucchini, if necessary.

Meanwhile, cook slices of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning frequently. Move to a stack of paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon. Remove all but 2 tbsp of drippings from the pan.

Return pan to medium heat. Add the green onions and broccoli, stirring for about 3-5 minutes until the veggies are crisp-tender. 

Finally, add the zucchini and 2 tbsp of pesto, tossing to combine ingredients. Taste and add more pesto, if needed (it will probably be needed). The mixture only needs to warm up, so 2-3 minutes of stove top time should be enough.

Serve with bacon crumbles and fresh Parmesan cheese.

Note: When I make this recipe in the future, I'll definitely add more greens, slice the squash thinner and longer somehow instead of using the grater to make shorter "noodles," and add more pesto. The pesto provides a lot of the taste, so be liberal with it!

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