Not too long ago a made an absolutely fabulous swiss chard pesto that was really more of a combination of a pesto and a salsa, and I have been fascinated by the idea ever since. With all of the zucchini around these days I was thinking that a zucchini salsa/pesto would be a great way to enjoy some! At its base this zucchini salsa looks like a basic pesto with the basil being replaced by zucchini, the pine nuts replaced with pepitas and the lemon juice replaced with lime juice. From there some more salsa like ingredients are added including some spicy jalapeno peppers and fresh cilantro. Of course I decided to roast the zucchini first to tenderize it and bring out more of its flavour! Because of the roasting, this salsa takes a bit of time to make but well worth it! The roasted zucchini goes amazingly well with all of the flavours in this salsa and the creaminess of the pureed pepitas adds a whole new dimension of texture.
Roast Zucchini Salsa
A tasty roast zucchini and jalapeno salsa that is just bursting with summery flavours!
ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 handful cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pepitas, toasted
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lime, juice
- salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Brush the zucchini in oil, place it on a baking sheet with the cut side up and roast on the top shelf in a preheated 450F/230C oven until tender, about 45 minutes.
- Puree everything in a food processor.
Kirsten@My Kitchen in the Rockies says
September 12, 2012 at 11:20 pmKevin, nice to meet you at the IFBC. I know, our table was a little overwhelming, so sorry. Forgot to ask you when you eat all of the deliciousness you cook in your small kitchen. You probably have very lucky neighbors and coworkers or a super high metabolism. Hope you and Rick will get something going. Good luck!
Still lots of Zucchinis to eat. Thanks for a new recipe idea. Check out Cheryl Sternman's suggestions on how to get rid of all this zucchini. Pretty funny: http://5secondrule.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/07/top-10-things-to-do-with-too-much-zucchini.html
Lacy says
September 13, 2012 at 5:27 amDo you think this would stay good if frozen?? Would love to make a ton of this and bring it out when zucchini is not overwhelming my counter 🙂 Looks delicious!
Carrie says
September 13, 2012 at 1:07 pmWhat an awesome salsa. I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm a huge fan of zucchini though, so I'm sure that I'd love it!
Kevin says
September 14, 2012 at 1:15 pmLacy: I have not tried, but I imagine that it would be good after freezing.
Pauline says
September 15, 2012 at 11:30 pmOh wow! Zuhcchini salsa, never heard of such a thing, but I think I want to hear it all the time now. It looks so refreshing and yummy in that picture. I think I'd replace this as pesto on my next pasta or pizza! Thanks!
Anonymous says
September 16, 2012 at 10:13 pmWow! I just made this, and it is soooo good. I'm taking it to work to share with my lucky coworkers if any is left in the morning. What a great idea.
Anonymous says
October 13, 2012 at 5:14 pmJust made this. It's gorgeous. I added some organic preserved lemon for extra tangy flavour, yum!
Kevin says
October 18, 2012 at 2:20 pmAnonymous: I am glad that you enjoyed it! The preserved lemons would be an excellent addition!
Jen @ Jens Favorite Cookies says
January 30, 2013 at 4:31 amGreat recipe! I'm featuring it on a dip round-up, hope that's okay!
Rachel Willis says
September 29, 2013 at 2:43 pmHi Kevin! Thank you for all the fabulous recipes. I made this salsa along with the corn and black bean tacos. The salsa was delicious! What a fantastic way to eat zucchini.
Jennifer Miller says
August 25, 2015 at 8:07 pmBeautiful recipe!