Giada De Laurentiis' 3-Ingredient Zucchini Recipe Is the Side Dish of Summer - EatingWell

Here at EatingWell, we're big proponents of eating with the seasons. While some recipes are timeless (we'll never quit you, The Last Avocado Toast Recipe You'll Ever Need, Chicken Fajita Casserole and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies), mixing things up throughout the year with recipes featuring the latest and greatest fruits and vegetables is a savvy way to not only save money but also diversify our diets.

And one person taking full advantage of summer's produce is Giada De Laurentiis. De Laurentiis' lifestyle brand Giadzy recently shared a must-make recipe on Instagram for Zucchini Prosciutto Spiedini with Pesto.

Similar to De Laurentiis' healthier chicken Parm, this summer side dish comes together in a matter of minutes and delivers major Italian flavor and a bit of gut-friendly fiber—and minimal carbs (here, about 8 grams per skewer).

"This is such a great side dish for spring and summer when you're ready to get outside and grill," says the former Food Network star, cookbook author, mom and entrepreneur. "The rich pesto … pairs so well with the savory prosciutto and zucchini."

Yep, those are the only three ingredients required to make this side dish sing. If you're feeling ambitious or have an herb garden overflowing with basil, you can blitz up a batch of De Laurentiis' Lemon-Basil Pesto (which she explains in the recipe), or our Basic Basil Pesto or Jason Mraz's creamy Avocado Pesto. Or try our shortcut and start with a jar of your favorite store-bought pesto. (ICYMI, here's exactly what makes a great pesto, according to an expert.)

From there, all that's left to do is fire up a gas or charcoal grill (or an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat). Grease the grates or spray the surface with cooking spray. Slice 3 medium zucchini into 10 or so ½-inch-thick rounds, cut 6 slices of prosciutto into quarters and round up about 1 cup of pesto.

On six skewers, thread one piece of zucchini and one folded quarter-slice of prosciutto. Repeat that squash-charcuterie pattern three more times on each skewer. When you're finished, you should have five pieces of zucchini and four portions of prosciutto on every kebab.

Drizzle the spiedini (Italian for "skewers") with olive oil and grill them, turning occasionally with heat-safe tongs, for about 5 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Use the tongs to remove the skewers from the grill, then, with a pastry brush, coat each stack with pesto. Enjoy alongside your favorite summer dinner idea such as Grilled Fish with Peperonata, Prosciutto Pizza with Corn and Arugula or Green Goddess Ricotta Pasta!

If you're feeling as inspired as we are to add this quick and easy seasonal side dish to your meal plan, find De Laurentiis' Zucchini Prosciutto Spiedini with Pesto recipe here. And if you happen to have extra summer squash to use up, don't miss our Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles and Low-Carb, High-Protein Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats.

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Giada De Laurentiis' 3-Ingredient Zucchini Recipe Is the Side Dish of Summer - EatingWell
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