I’m always thinking about ways to try out new ingredients and cooking techniques, or to put a new spin on an old favorite — that’s the beauty of cooking; you can really get your creative juices flowing and have fun playing around with different recipes. You’d be amazed what different combinations of sweet, savory, and spicy go really well together. And while there are those times when experimental cooking doesn’t quite come together, more often than not, I’m pleasantly surprised with the outcome — and what better time to be thinking about new creations than the new year!

One of my favorite dishes is a classic pesto pasta; and while the dish itself is perfectly enjoyable as is, I decided to try out a variation using zucchini noodles. My sister got me this nifty spiralizer last year, and it’s great for spiralizing a number of vegetables, from zucchinis to carrots to beets. The texture of spiralized zucchini turns out to be very similar to al dente pasta, and the zucchini maintains a pretty neutral flavor, so it works well as a sub-in for most pasta dishes, not adding any overpowering flavor. (Pro tip: The extra ends and inner tube go great with a little Sriracha sauce for a yummy mid-cooking snack).

Making pesto is also very simple, and requires just a handful of ingredients: Basil, garlic, olive oil, walnuts or pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. Check out my recipe for a simple pesto here.

Once you have your pesto on hand, simply add it to your sautéed zucchini noodles, along with any other veggies you fancy:

Et voila! A new twist on an old favorite: