We’re finally growing zucchinis! One of our favourite ways to eat them is in this salad.
With a potato peeler, slice the raw zucchinis into strips (be careful not to peel your skin in the process)…
Make a simple dressing by measuring the following ingredients into a jar and giving them a good shake to combine (we didn’t need all the dressing for the salad above)…
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- salt and pepper to taste
Last night’s salad included sliced cucumber and a baby red onion, both from the backyard. Other nights it might include purslane, lettuce leaves, tomatoes, or anything else we can find in the garden or fridge.
This salad seems to work best when the zucchini are really fresh, so we’re making the most of it while they’re in season!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
This is really a great way to enjoy zucchini. I love the salad recipe. It’s very simple yet vibrant with flavours :)
Tes, the best thing is I can add whatever vegetables we find in the garden! :)
Yum! It is freezing here. I arrived yesterday and there is no food in the house. I’m trying to work up the courage to go out into the cold to shop. It is a 500 metre walk to the car. Maybe I will just go hungry. I have enough stored fat to last a while.
Deb, 500 metres is a long walk in the freezing cold! But I hope you don’t actually go hungry, love..
Seems so beautiful and so delicious… Thank you dear Celia, I love zucchini so much. Have a nice weekend, with my love, nia
Nia, thank you! Hope you have a lovely weekend too! :)
I am so tired of my “blah” winter salads here, I’m going to try this. Does grapeseed oil have any particular flavor? White balsamic would also be a welcome change!
Smidge, we use grapeseed oil because it’s very neutral – olive oil seems to overpower the flavours a bit. I’m sure a sunflower oil or some other neutral oil would work just as well. White balsamic is really lovely!
Ahhh, I’ll have to pick some grapeseed oil up:)
I just want you to know how envious I am of your fresh produce. Looks lovely!
Thanks Anna! Not as much of it this year, as it’s been so wet, but what we’ve had has been great eating!
I love courgettes done like this, and you are so right they are much nicer raw when fresh and young, they get a bit woolly when they get older. Have you got enough to do the flower stuffing thing? I never have enough at one time to make it worth while, but they do look sooo pretty :)
Jo, I’ve never stuffed flowers, mainly because I don’t deepfry very often. They are delicious though, so I probably should! :)
Wow, look at those beautiful green ribbons!
Thanks Greg! It is pretty – sometimes I slice the cucumbers in the same way as well, so there’s a mix in the salad.
That looks so delicious. I love the ribbon effect. Congrats on the… zucchinis…
Nick, I know it’s ridiculous, but honestly, we seem to have so much trouble growing zucchinis. This is the first year we’ve managed to, and we only got a dozen or so!
Yay… lovely recipe for the zucchini salad… wish I had had this in years past, when my zucchinis were going crazy! I have a great chocolate zucchini cake recipe… must post it soon! Happy cooking.
Lizzy, look forward to seeing your recipe! :)
A perfect summer salad, which right now I’m longing for, but ask me again when we have a glut of them in August!
Claire, we can trade recipes then, you can make this one, and I’ll make your the crispy kale you’ve just posted! :)
definitely :)
I’ve never eaten raw zucchini before. Is that strange? I love it cooked in strips like this though. I use it instead of pasta sometimes too. So delicious!
Claire, I remember you saying that, it’s a great idea if we ever manage to grow enough! Haven’t managed to yet…
“We’re finally growing zucchinis!”
Now the zucchini gods will look down, smile cunningly and say, “You want zucchinis Celia? Bwwwwaaaahhhhh!” I promise you, you’ll go out in the morning and they will be finger length delights, when you go to harvest in the evening they’ll be a foot or more long. ;)
Rose, I so wish that were true! Last year we didn’t grow a single one. This year we grew about a dozen, then the rain seemed to do the rest in. I long for a zucchini glut, and the day when I’ll regret saying that.. ;-)
i love zucchini cut into thin strips like this..and congratulations on your zucchini success..
Jane, “success” is perhaps overstating it – but at least this year we managed to grow some! :)
A nice salad Celia and a good way to use up a veggie that can become a little ubiquitous as the season progresses. My kids hate the taste of cooked zukes so I find salads the best way to go.
Amanda, we all loved cooked zucchini – my boys are generally happy to eat it in any form. We’ve just planted yellow squash in the hopes we might get a zucchini substitute in a couple of months!
I love zucchini- and even when we’ve gotten a glut in years past- we ate them all! Lately I’ve not had good amounts – so I know how you feel !
Your salad looks very good- I’d love some fresh produce about now.
Mmm, yum, this is how I love to eat cucumbers – I must try it with zucchinis now! I’m a bit of a fan of the white balsamic too…soo great for dressings! Have a wonderful weekend, Celia :)
I love the vibrant colour of that first image. What a beautiful looking salad and to think you grew the vegetables yourself! And white balsamic vinegar is terrific used in dressings. I have a mandolin so I would slice the zucchini using that but again, you have to be so careful not to lose a finger or two! Have a lovely weekend.
Go for the chocolate zucchini bread recipe. even the Boy craves it. :-)
Though your fresh salad recipe is much better for you. :-)
Maz
What a great idea, we haven’t had much luck growing them either. We have a glut of rocket at the moment so all our salads include that.
Sure looks lovely! I’ll be making my Turkish zucchini balls soon as we have so many to use up.
Actually I had a parcel delivered this week and asked the guy to carry it to the kitchen for me, when he hesitated (despite me being in a sling) I told him there would be a zucchini in it for him if he did … And got my heavy box straight to the kitchen counter :)
Tried it. Worked well with a steak and red wine.
Such a beautiful salad!! I don’t know about eating raw zucchini though. I tried it for the first time last summer & wasn’t too crazy about it, but maybe if I had the right dressing and added some other veggies I would like it. Hope your zucchini keep a comin’! Here in the states zucchini plants can be quite productive.
Good for you growing your own zucchini! I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten raw zucchini-I must rectify that! :)
Beautiful I love zucchini. Not used enough I dont think
That salad looks great…love raw zucchini, much better than cooked, so can’t wait to try it out!
Congrats :) what a deliciously fresh salad!
Looks sensational C, simple things can really be great.
I made your zucchini salad last night – it was great! So simple and refreshing…thanks for sharing :)
Great! Thanks for letting me know! :)
I might try this with cucumber – the zucchini we get from our grocer is a little bland.
Lucas, I think it would work well with cukes…