Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan
Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan is an easy delicious low-carb side dish made with zucchini or yellow summer squash, or use both colors! And the technique used here for roasting the summer squash and then broiling at the end with the pesto and parmesan adds so much flavor!
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This recipe for Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan is a total winner and it’s perfect for a late-summer treat with zucchini and pesto, two of my favorite summer foods! And even though summer is winding down, I’m one of those people who always likes to hold on to summer foods as long as possible. And for a long time now I’ve thought the month of September is the perfect time to make roasted Zucchini recipes!
And of course zucchini + pesto is such a great combination, but but this recipe cooks the summer squash in the oven until it’s nearly done, and then it’s topped with pesto and Parmesan and broiled, which creates such a flavorful way to prepare squash! I’m featuring this recipe as my Friday Favorites this week to entice you to make it if you’ve never tried the recipe. But make it soon, because zucchini season is definitely winding down!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
- summer squash or zucchini
- extra virgin olive oil
- Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Basil Pesto (affiliate link) (or other pesto of your choice)
- coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
What kind of pesto can you use?
I would love this recipe with my favorite Basil Pesto with Lemon. Or if you use Kirkland Basil Pesto like we did, this recipe is even easier and simple enough to make for a side dish most any night of the week! But any pesto that has good flavor will be a hit with the mild flavor of summer squash!
What is Summer Squash?
There are two kinds of squash, and the different names come from how squash was stored in the days when refrigerators weren’t available. Winter squash is the name for squashes like butternut and acorn, which have a hard skin and can be stored through the winter. Summer squash is the name for thin-skinned squash like zucchini, yellow crookneck or straightneck squash, or patty pan squash that will only keep for a few days without being refrigerated. Here’s more about Summer Squash and Winter Squash.
Want more recipes with pesto?
Check out My Favorite Low-Carb and Keto Recipes with Pesto for more tasty ideas for using basil pesto!
How to make Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan:
(Scroll down for complete printable recipe with nutritional information.)
- Preheat oven to 450F and take pesto out of the fridge to soften.
- Cut yellow squash, zucchini, or a mixture into slices about 1/2 inch thick and lay them out on a sheet pan you’ve sprayed or brushed with a little olive oil.
- Spray or brush the top of the squash with a tiny bit more olive oil; then season with Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link), salt, and a little fresh-ground black pepper.
- Roast squash for ten minutes, or until it’s barely starting to get tender.
- Remove squash from the oven and switch oven to broil, with a rack about 3-4 inches below the broiler.
- Brush the top of the squash with Basil Pesto (affiliate link); then sprinkle with coarsely grated Parmesan.
- Broil about 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
- Serve hot, and wait for everyone to gush over how good this is!
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
This delicious summer squash with pesto would be amazing to serve with Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce, Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks, Spicy Baked Shrimp with Garlic, or Grain-Free Breaded Pork Chops for a low-carb meal.
More Summer Squash Recipes to Try:
Baked Summer Squash with Lemon, Mint, and Feta
Roasted Balsamic Zucchini and Mushrooms with Feta and Thyme
Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme
Roasted Summer Squash with Garlic and Parmesan
Raw Summer Squash Salad with Arugula and Feta
Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan
Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan is an ultra easy and delicious side dish option for zucchini or yellow summer squash.
Ingredients
- 4 medium summer squash or zucchini, washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 tsp. + 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup Basil Pesto (more or less to taste; see notes)
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Take pesto out of the fridge and measure out 1/3 cup into a small bowl and let it soften on the counter. Brush large baking sheet with 2 tsp. olive oil (or spray it if you have an olive oil sprayer.)
- Wash squash and cut off stem and blossom end. Cut squash into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange squash in single layer on a roasting pan. (If you have two colors, it looks nice to alternate them.) Brush the top of the squash with the other 2 tsp. olive oil and season with Italian Herb Blend (affiliate link), salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Roast squash for 10 minutes, or until the squash is barely starting to soften when you pierce it with a fork.
- Remove squash from oven and turn the oven to broil, with a rack about 3-4 inches below the heat element. Brush the top of the hot squash pieces with Basil Pesto with Lemon, or Kirkland Basil Pesto and sprinkle with the coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese.
- Put the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. (Watch it carefully; things can easily burn under the broiler.)
- Serve hot. This can probably be kept in the fridge and reheated, although I haven't ever had any left to try that with. I'm guessing it's probably best freshly made.
Notes
I'd love to make this with my homemade Basil Pesto with Lemon, but if I didn't have any of that in the freezer I'd happily use my favorite Kirkland Basil Pesto.
Recipe created by Kalyn and adapted into this updated version in 2017.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2.9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7.4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 321mgCarbohydrates: 6.4gFiber: 1.7gSugar: 2.6gProtein: 5.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This simple-to-make summer squash dish is perfect for any low-glycemic or low-carb eating plan, including Keto. For the original South Beach Diet be sure to use a moderate amount of cheese and pesto, since both are high in saturated fat.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Zucchini Recipes or Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one.Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2008. It was updated with better photos and a recommendation for basil pesto in 2017 and was last updated with more information in 2022.
32 Comments on “Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan”
Almost-veg, hope you like it. I’m having this for lunch today.
Garrett, you’re too funny. Yes, I bet this would make great cookies.
Helen, so happy to hear it. The weather in Utah is perfect right now. It’s hard to go to work when the weather is this nice.
Syrie, I think both those nuts would be great!
Alisha, you’re welcome.
Signe, me too. Everything is good with pesto.
Jeanne, green beans with tapenade sound fabulous! You can make those for me when I visit London!
Oh I love this idea! Definitely going to try it. Pesto is so vesatile… The other dip & veg combination that I love is steamed green beans tossed with olive tapenade – heaven!
That looks so good! My family loves pesto…we could eat it by the spoonful. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks to provide us a new dish. i will try this.
Gorgeous Kalyn. The colours are so vibrant. I’m going to try this with almonds or macadamias as my partner is allergic to pecans. Thanks for the recipe.
That sage-pecan pesto sounds like something I must make and soon! I don’t think I use enough sage in my cooking, it’s time to do something about that! Your blog is like a ray of sunshine to me at the moment, it’s raining and cold here – the wettest September on record and we are only just over a week in!
LOVE the sound of sage pecan pesto. Why if that doesn’t sound like the perfect combo for a sugar cookie, I dunno what is.
Sage-Pecan Pesto – that totally grabs me. Those are two flavors I have never combined but, suddenly, they sound so perfect together.
Farmer’s market this weekend and I’ve already got my shopping list: sage and pecans and, oh, must get a summer squash.
Cheers!
Caroline, yes I’ve seen that method of using zucchini as “pasta” but also have not tried it yet. Let me know what you think if you try it.
Lynda, glad to know you like the recipe.
I love summer squash. When the season is very prolific, it’s always good to have another way to serve it. This one will be popular with the whole family, thanks!
I love pesto but avoid pasta, so this is a great idea! On a similar note, have you seen this? I've been meaning to try it!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/health/22recipehealth.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Katerina, I loved this. I thought it was a great combination.
Michael, glad you’re enjoying my sage adventures. I’ll have to try some sage tea too. I have plenty of sage, that’s for sure!
Susan, the yellow squash in my garden is extra good this year too. It’s odd that the zucchini is not nearly as prolific.
Joanna, that sounds really good!
Valentina, yes it is yellow courgette. In the U.S. both zucchini and yellow squash are called summer squash. The yellow ones are also called “crookneck” or “straightneck” depending on whether they are curved or straight.
The colours in this salad…pure sunshine.Can i confirm that what you call yellow summer squash is the yellow courgette? Or am I wrong? I have a lot of sage so your pesto will be prepared in my kitchen.
How funny, I made something really similar a few days ago too! I sauteed my veggies instead of roasting them (too hot for the oven) but next time I’ll definitely try roasting. My version had an onion, a yellow squash, and 2 tomatoes, diced and sauteed in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. Then I added a can of chickpeas, turned off the heat when they were warm, and tossed it all with a few tablespoons of leftover basil pesto. It was SO GOOD! With a piece of whole-grain bread, it made a great dinner. I’m really intrigued by your sage pesto too!
You know, for some reason yellow squash has been really flavorful the past couple of weeks here. I usually prefer zucchini, but this summer, it’s the yellow. I love the idea of the sage-pecan pesto too. I’m getting a bit tired of basil and parsley, so it will be a nice change.
I’m lovin’ your sage kick, Kalyn. I was wandering around the web last night and came on a reference to sage tea and said to myself, why not? (Maybe I should stop talking to myself.) I steeped five small fresh leaves with a wedge of lemon and added a little honey. This may just replace my nightly chamomile fix.
Z
I really can’t get enough zucchini and summer squash and this recipe looks really great.
Sara, thanks for confirming it will be good with basil pesto. I thought that sounded like a winner.
Maria, thanks. The sunflowers are out of control in my yard.
Your squash dish is beautiful!! I love the sage pesto idea. Also, great sunflower photos!
I just made something similar the other night! I used yellow squash from my garden with homemade basil pesto and threw in some cherry tomatoes for good measure. I haven’t made sage pesto in ages, I’ll have to go harvest my little plant.