Fresh Zucchini Salad (with Raw Zucchini Ribbons)
This fresh zucchini salad shaves raw zucchini into thin ribbons, then tosses them in a bright lemon dressing with toasted pine nuts, herbs, and creamy burrata. It is an easy summer salad ready in 15 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 4 medium raw zucchini firm and fresh (about 2 lbs total)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 1 ½ oz Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic minced
- ⅓ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- red pepper flakes a pinch
- ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves torn
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves torn
- 8 oz burrata
Instructions
Toast Pine Nuts
- Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until golden and fragrant. Immediately tip them onto a plate to stop the cooking.
Prep Zucchini
- Trim the ends off the zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini lengthwise into long, thin ribbons. Rotate the zucchini each time you hit the seedy core and reserve the centers for another use.
- Lay the zucchini ribbons out on a clean tea towel and pat them dry on both sides.
Make Salad Dressing
- In a large salad bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and grated cheese. Let the dressing sit for about 5 minutes so the raw garlic mellows.
Assemble Zucchini Salad
- Just before serving, add the blotted ribbons to the bowl. Whisk the dressing again, add about 2 tbsp to the zucchini, and toss gently until lightly coated. Mix in half of the torn mint and basil.
- Pile the salad loosely onto a platter. Scatter the remaining mint and basil over top. Tear the burrata and nestle the creamy pieces on top. Add another 1 tbsp of dressing to the burrata centers and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.
Video
Notes
Make ahead: Whisk the dressing up to 2 days ahead and chill it. Shave the ribbons a few hours ahead and keep them blotted. Toss everything just before serving.
Blot well: Drying the ribbons keeps the dressing from getting watery.
Swap the cheese: Use crumbled feta in place of burrata for a tangy, Greek-style version.
Nutrition
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 2mg