25 minutes
A fresh and flavorful appetizer featuring grilled zucchini spirals filled with herbed goat cheese and pesto, garnished with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.
Zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
each
teaspoons
teaspoons
Pesto
cups
Fresh Basil Leaves, sliced
cups
cups
1. Preheat Grill
Start by preheating your grill to medium heat.
2. Prepare Zucchini
Trim off the ends of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise into strips about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Grill Zucchini
Lay the zucchini strips directly on the grill grates. Cook them for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are tender and have clear grill marks.
4. Season Zucchini
Transfer the zucchini strips to a platter. Sprinkle them evenly with salt and black pepper while they are still warm, then let them cool to room temperature.
5. Prepare Goat Cheese Mixture
In a medium bowl, combine the fresh goat cheese with 1/4 cup of pesto. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well-blended.
6. Assemble Zucchini Spirals
Take each cooled zucchini strip and spread about 2 teaspoons of the goat cheese mixture evenly over one side. Roll the zucchini strips up tightly, starting from one end and rolling to the other, creating a neat spiral.
7. Garnish and Serve
Stand the zucchini rolls up on their ends on a serving platter. Garnish with sliced fresh basil leaves and toasted pine nuts, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Opt for small to medium-sized zucchini as they tend to be less watery and have better flavor and texture.
Make pesto with fresh ingredients and consider toasting the nuts to add depth.
Sprinkle zucchini spirals with salt and let them sit to remove excess moisture, then pat dry.
Preheat the grill, clean and oil it to prevent sticking, and grill zucchini in batches.
Use a good quality spiralizer to create uniform zucchini spirals, ensuring even cooking.
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