Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Grilled Shrimp

Why This Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Grilled Shrimp Works

On the grill, the shrimp cook very fast. The high heat tightens the outside just enough so they stay juicy inside instead of drying out. A light coat of oil on the shrimp keeps them from sticking and gives a thin, browned edge that tastes a little sweet. Pulling them off the grill as soon as they turn opaque keeps them tender.

While that happens, the zucchini stays raw, so it never turns mushy. Spiralizing it into thin noodles gives a lot of surface area, so the pesto can cling to it. The zucchini stays a bit crisp, which feels more like pasta when it is mixed with the sauce.

In the food processor, the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic break down into tiny pieces. As the olive oil and lemon juice go in, they fill the gaps and turn everything into a smooth paste that coats the zucchini evenly. By the time the shrimp go on top, there is a mix of warm, juicy seafood and cool, lightly crunchy “noodles” all held together by the pesto.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the shrimp cook too long on the grill makes them turn tough and rubbery instead of juicy. Once they go past opaque and start to curl tightly, the texture goes dry and squeaky, and they sit on top of the soft zucchini like little erasers instead of tender bites.

Running the food processor too long after adding the oil can turn the pesto into a very thin, almost foamy sauce. When it gets overworked like this, it doesn’t cling to the zucchini noodles and instead slides off, leaving a watery pool at the bottom of the bowl.

Adding the pesto to hot zucchini noodles is another problem. Warm “zoodles” release a lot of liquid, so the pesto thins out, the bowl fills with green water, and the noodles turn limp instead of staying slightly firm.

Letting the salted shrimp sit too long before grilling can also cause trouble. The salt starts pulling out moisture, so the shrimp hit the grill already a bit wet and then cook up drier and less plump.