Low-Carb Zucchini Pesto Roll-Ups

4.2 stars, average of 30 ratings

By Naomi Sherman, updated July 18 2021
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Dinner or cocktail parties can be tricky when you, or one of your guests, is keto.

These delicious little bites are perfect for sharing at a party, picnic or get together. The tender zucchini wraps around a tangy and moreish lemon and artichoke pesto (original recipe from the KetoDiet App), and even your non-keto friends will love them.

And it's so versatile! You can swap the zucchini with cucumber, or use any other homemade pesto.

The best part is, they take just minutes to put together. Enjoy!

0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes

Hands-on 20 minutes Overall 20 minutes

Serving size 4 roll-ups

Allergy information for Low-Carb Zucchini Pesto Roll-Ups

✔ Gluten free

✔ Egg free

✔ Nightshade free

✔ Pork free

✔ Avocado free

✔ Coconut free

✔ Fish free

✔ Shellfish free

✔ Beef free

Pescatarian

Vegetarian

Nutritional values (per serving, 4 roll-ups)

Net carbs1.8 grams

Protein1.8 grams

Fat12.4 grams

Calories127 kcal

Calories from carbs 6%, protein 6%, fat 88%

Total carbs3.6 gramsFiber1.8 gramsSugars1.4 gramsSaturated fat1.8 gramsSodium138 mg(6% RDA)Magnesium18 mg(5% RDA)Potassium172 mg(9% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 36 roll-ups)

Lemon & Artichoke Pesto:

1 cup fresh basil leaves (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
1 cup fresh parsley leaves (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest from 1 organic lemon
4 tbsp lemon juice (60 ml)
¹/₂ cup pecans
¹/₃ cup grated Parmesan cheese or other Italian hard cheese (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
¹/₂ cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
¹/₂ tsp sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Roll-ups:

1 cup Lemon & Artichoke Pesto (250 g/ 8.8 oz)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
3 small or 2 medium zucchini (400 g/ 14.1 oz)
Optional: chile flakes and fresh herbs, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the pesto by placing all the ingredients into a food processor or a blender and process until smooth or chunky.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini into thin ribbons. Be careful not to slice the zucchini too thin or your rolls won’t stand up nicely. I cut mine a touch too thinly and they started to slump a bit. Aim for a couple of millimetres thick.
Lay the strips out on a flat surface and spread each one with approx. 1 teaspoon of pesto.
Spread the pesto evenly along the zucchini ribbon and then gently roll up.
Place end up on your serving platter and repeat until all of the ribbons are used.
Sprinkle with chile flakes if you would like a bit of kick, and garnish with micro herbs.
These rolls will not keep well, they will lose their shape after a few hours so make and eat them on the same day. You can store the leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It helps to pour a thin layer of olive oil on top as it will keep the pesto fresh for longer. To store for longer, freeze in an ice cube tray for up to 6 months.

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 4 roll-ups)

Net carbs	Protein	Fat	Calories
Artichoke & lemon pesto
0.9 g	1.3 g	9.2 g	93 kcal
Olive oil, extra virgin
0 g	0 g	3 g	27 kcal
Zucchini (summer squash, courgette)
0.9 g	0.5 g	0.1 g	8 kcal
Total per serving, 4 roll-ups
1.8 g	1.8 g	12.4 g	127 kcal