A lemon-zest infused dressing adorns these gorgeous zucchini ribbons. This zesty zucchini ribbon salad is the perfect side pairing to pasta dishes, or salmon. Vegetarian. Gluten-Free. Raw.
Full disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Zucchinis are so delicious with very little prep. Plus, zucchinis are available year-round, so they make for an easy go-to vegetable. The first time I made the zesty zucchini ribbon salad I was out of fresh tomatoes, so I opted for sun-dried tomatoes and used the oil from the jar in the dressing. While I still love the great flavor the sun-dried tomatoes offer, in this recipe I use fresh cherry tomatoes for their bright flavor which makes this salad feel lighter. So, if you don’t have fresh tomatoes, use sun-dried. Just note that if you’re serving with pasta, this salad almost feels like a pasta dish, so it may steal the show – I feel that’s not a bad thing for a salad to do, so enjoy! Now, on to the good stuff…
How to Make a Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing
Choose a zoodle method. To get the beautiful ribbons there are a few choices such as a peeler, a mandolin, or a spiralizer. I use a peeler, but feel free to use whatever suits you. To make the ribbons, slice the ends of the zucchinis. Then with one hand holding the vegetable in place on the cutting board, make vertical peels down the zucchini. The result is long, wide, almost translucently thin zoodles.
Slice. Next, half cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. Or if you’re using sundried tomatoes, just chop them into thin slices.
Combine. In a medium sized bowl, add the zoodles, tomatoes, and olives. Set aside while you make the dressing.
Make the Dressing. If using sundried tomatoes, use the 2 tsp oil from the jar to replace the olive oil in this recipe. Otherwise, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper until combined and pour over zoodle mixture.
Top, Toss, Serve. Top with blue cheese crumbles, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and basil leaves. Toss and serve or refrigerate for later. If making in advance, leave the blue cheese out until serving as it loses its pungency.
Pairs well with Spaghetti Squash Pasta with Meat Sauce
Health Talk
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor. I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking and my hope is to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.
The zesty zucchini ribbon salad is great for immune system. A one cup serving is only 84 calories and serves up 6% Daily Value (DV) of fiber, 16%DV vitamin C, 6% Vitamin A, and 6% Iron.
Moreover, Zucchini is high in vitamin A as well as many antioxidants, making it good for our immune systems. It has both a high level of fiber and a high water-content which are good news for our digestive systems.
Additionally, Tomatoes are a true super-food, full of vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and potassium. They also contain the plant compound, lycopene, which aids in the prevention of prostate cancer, as well as better eye health.
For more information about the health benefits of the ingredients found in this dish, see the sources at the bottom of the post.
Equipment
FYI: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
– Medium bowl
– Salad tongs or other utensil for mixing
– Paring knife
– Peeler, mandolin, or mechanized slicer / spiralizer
Zucchini Ribbon Salad with ZESTY Lemon Dressing
- Prep Time: 20 Min
- Total Time: 20 Min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Mixing Bowl
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A lemon-zest infused dressing adorns these gorgeous zucchini ribbons. This zesty zucchini ribbon salad is the perfect side pairing to pasta dishes, or salmon. Vegetarian. Gluten-Free.
Ingredients
- 4 zucchinis, ribboned
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 10 kalamata olives, halved
- 1 oz blue cheese, crumbled
- Sprinkle red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ lemon, zest and juice
- Pinch Sea Salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- Zoodle. To get the picturesque zucchini ribbons, I use a peeler. This is not always the quickest way, so if you have a mandolin or a mechanized tool, by all means, put it to use. Slice the ends of the 4 zucchinis. Then with one hand holding the vegetable in place on the cutting board, make vertical peels down the zucchini. The result is long, wide, almost translucently thin zoodles.
- Chop. Halve the 10 cherry tomatoes and 10 kalamata olives.
- Combine Ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine zucchini ribbons, halved cherry tomatoes, and halved kalamata olives.
- Prepare the dressing. To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the ½ lemon juice and zest, small pinch of salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tsp olive oil.
- Dress, Top, and Toss. Pour the dressing over the zoodle mixture and toss, adding the 1 oz blue cheese crumbles, sprinkling with the red pepper flakes and topping with 2 Tbsp torn basil leaves. Toss until combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Notes
This salad looks best when using the peeler method since it creates gorgeous ribbons of zucchini with those dark greens contrasting against the whitish yellow centers. Feel free to zoodle whichever way you like, even just a rough chop of the zucchinis will do it.
If you are making ahead of time, leave the blue cheese crumbles for just before serving to preserve their bite and flavor. Also note that the salt will extract the water from the zucchini resulting in a slightly wet salad dressing. Simply drain off excess water and add a bit more lemon juice to spruce it up.
VARIATIONS: Sometimes I swap fresh tomatoes with sundried. Try something tonight and tell me how your zesty zucchini ribbon salad turned out in the comments section.
Pairs well with Spaghetti Squash Pasta with Meat Sauce
Keywords: Zucchini Ribbon, Salad, Side Salad, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Italian, Sides, Raw
Resources
Furthermore, for interesting facts and information about the health benefits of zucchini and tomatoes, check out the following resources:
Healthline, 12 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Zucchini
WebMD, Health Benefits of Zucchini
Medical News Today, Everything You Need to Know About Tomatoes
Healthline, Tomatoes 101: Nutrition and Health Benefits
