Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Zucchini, summer squash, and more zucchini! This is the time of year that we have it in abundance! We’re all looking for new recipes using up our summer squash. This one is as beautiful as it is delicious.
The Inspiration
I saw a recipe called “Courgette, Pea & Feta Summer Salad” on Emma Eats. Courgette is French for zucchini. Her recipe was beautiful but called for some ingredients that I didn’t have in the house (yellow squash, pistachios and fresh garden peas). So I made my own version with ingredients I did have.
The Fun Part
The fun part actually makes the zucchini beautiful and appealing. That’s using the Veggetti Pro Table-Top Spiralizer that I bought a few months ago. It was really easy to set up and use. And surprisingly easy to clean. I can see leaving it in the kitchen area to grab to make all sorts of beautiful food.
Making the Ribbons
I had to cut the zucchini in half to fit it on the Zeggetti. But it literally took seconds to crank it and get these beautiful ribbons:
Cooking the Zucchini
I chose to use a little avocado oil to cook my zucchini, but if you’re staying away from the oil you could certainly use vegetable broth. It will add a little flavor. Although I used avocado oil, you could use the oil of your choice. Most people reach for olive oil, but I’m allergic to it and I’m still not convinced it’s safe for frying. My go-to is coconut oil. You can find coconut oil that doesn’t have flavor. I usually use Tropical Traditions because I trust their extraction methods. This is what I use for frying. NOTE: If you order by clicking on my link and have never ordered from Healthy Traditions/Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
I sautéed the zucchini, along with the seasonings, for about 5 minutes before adding my thawed frozen peas. Finally I added some julienned red bell pepper for color (not shown) and fried a couple minutes more. I really wanted the vegetables to still have crunch, so adjust your time so you’re just softening the veggies a bit.
The Final Product
After frying, there were a couple things to add before I got to the final product. It is beautiful, if I do say so myself. I was a little heavy-handed with the Feta, but it’s ultra-fermented Bulgarian Feta. It’s oh, so good…
Adjustment For Vegans
If you have a vegan in the house, leave off the cheese and it will look like this:
It’s August and time to use all that zucchini. This beautiful Zucchini Ribbon Salad is so beautiful you’ll want to serve it for guests. But don’t wait for guests! Get the kids involved. They will love making the ribbons and your family will have a beautiful, healthful and delicious salad.
- 2 zucchini, or a mix of yellow squash and zucchini)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbps fresh shelled peas or thawed frozen peas
- 1/8 red bell pepper, cut in 1/4" strips about 2" long
- 1 tbsp Avocado oil
- 2 TB feta cheese, omit for vegan salad
- 1/4 C Pecans
- 1/2 lemon juiced
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Quick thaw the peas by running cold water over them in a colander. Set Aside.
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Using the Veggetti tabletop spiralizer, and using the ribbon blade, make ribbons from the squash.
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Over medium heat, saute the zucchini, salt and papper in the oil about 5 minutes just to soften. Add the peas. Continue to saute for about 2 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, if using. Saute another 3 minutes.
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Remove sauteed vegetables to serving platter/bowl.
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Sprinkle the nuts over the salad.
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Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the salad.
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Crumble the feta and sprinkle over the salad
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Remember to be creative. If you like a certain herb, especially something from your garden, add it. This is your salad. Enjoy it!!
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