Courgetti: spaghetti made out of courgette. Simple, delicious, and super good for you.

I had seen a few green looking dishes pop up here and there but it wasn’t until Mr B had it served up in St Tropez (you can see it here) that I really sat up and took notice. Now I am well and truly hooked.

It takes only minutes to prepare, is low carb, low fat, suitable for people with all sorts of dietary requirements but most importantly it is really, really tasty.

And for someone who is in a very happy long-term relationship with white pasta, this is a big statement.

To make, you’ll ideally need a spiral vegetable slicer (or spiralizer if you are American). I bought this one here, and it has been great so far. But you could use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons if not.

For the courgetti, you’ll need about one whole large courgette per person.

For the pesto (to make enough for this meal, and to save some for the next)

100g pine nuts
100g grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
Large handful of fresh basil - a whole ‘growing’ pot from a supermarket is perfect
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Juice of half a lemon or lime
Salt and pepper

I also like to add in chestnut mushrooms and cherry tomatoes to the meal for colour and extra veggies.

To start, spiral up your courgettes. You just poke them into the machine, turn the handle and out comes perfect courgette strings.

I told you it was easy.

Next up is the pesto. Place all the ingredients into a blender except the oil. Whizz it up and pour in the oil until you have the consistency you like the look of.

Lots of recipes advise to toast the pine nuts first, but I’m not sure it makes a difference so I don’t bother.

You should have something that looks a bit scary like this, but smells and tastes utterly delicious.

The first time I made pesto was a bit of a disaster as I used an olive oil that was quite bitter and spicy tasting. It ruined the whole sauce and was inedible. I would advise just having a taste of the olive oil before pouring it in to be on the safe side.

Slice your mushrooms, and sauté in a large pan with a bit of olive oil. Once they are softened, add in your noodles and tomatoes, and heat gently for a few minutes.

You can eat your courgetti raw which means you’ll get even more goodness, but I prefer warm food so just heat them up a little bit. They still retain their crunch and bite and loads of nutrients this way, but it feels like a more satisfying meal to me.

Dollop in about half of the pesto you have made and stir until all the courgetti strands are nicely coated. And hey pesto, you are done!

Serve with an extra sprinkle of cheese and pine nuts, and a glass of vino.

Let me know if you try them. I’d love to hear what you think.