Name: Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup Flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed; 1 cup Fresh basil leaves, packed; ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil for the green dressing; 1 tbsp Champagne vinegar or mild white wine vinegar; 2 tbsp Lemon juice from about ½ small lemon; 1 Garlic clove crushed; 1 tsp Honey or agave just a soft sweetness; To taste Sea salt and black pepper freshly ground; 3 Medium zucchini firm and bright; 1–2 Scallions chopped; 2 Sun-dried tomatoes chopped; ¼ cup Toasted pine nuts roughly chopped; ¼ cup Feta crumbled; Pinch Red pepper flakes optional

01

Overview

Prep15 min

Cook5 min

Total20 min

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

02

Ingredients

1 cup Flat-leaf parsleyleaves, packed1 cup Fresh basilleaves, packed¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oilfor the green dressing1 tbsp Champagne vinegaror mild white wine vinegar2 tbsp Lemon juicefrom about ½ small lemon1 Garlic clovecrushed1 tsp Honey or agavejust a soft sweetnessTo taste Sea salt and black pepperfreshly ground3 Medium zucchinifirm and bright1–2 Scallionschopped2 Sun-dried tomatoeschopped¼ cup Toasted pine nutsroughly chopped¼ cup FetacrumbledPinch Red pepper flakesoptional

03

Equipment

Food processor
Mandoline (with adult help)
Mixing bowl
Serving platter

04

Method

01

Blend the green dressing

Add the parsley, basil, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor. Blend until the sauce turns bright green and a little pourable. Taste and make it a bit more lemony or sweet if you like.

02

Shave the zucchini thin

Leave the zucchini skins on. With a mandoline (and a grown-up nearby), shave them into paper-thin coins. Soft little rounds look prettier than thick slices, and they drink the dressing better too.

03

Toss gently

In a wide bowl, toss the zucchini coins with the chopped scallions and a spoonful of dressing. Start with less than you think you need, taste, then add more. You want them glossy, not swimming.

04

Dress the plate like a garden

Arrange the zucchini on a platter. Scatter the sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and feta over the top. Finish with a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a quiet spark. Then sit down while it still looks sparkly.

✦

Tips

NoteKeep leftover dressing covered at room temperature for the day, or refrigerate if keeping longer; whisk again before using.

NoteToast the pine nuts in a dry pan until fragrant — that little warmth makes the salad feel finished.

NoteChoose firm zucchini; watery ones make softer, sadder slices.

✦

Nutrition

Calories220 kcal

Protein6 g

Fat18 g

Carbohydrates10 g

✦

Storage

DressingKeep leftover green dressing covered; refrigerate after a day and whisk before using again.

SaladBest eaten fresh. If you must wait, keep the zucchini and dressing separate until serving.

Next dayUndressed shaved zucchini can rest in the fridge for a few hours under a damp towel.

?

Frequently asked

Do I need a mandoline?+

It makes the prettiest paper-thin coins, but a sharp peeler or careful knife can work. Go slowly and ask for help if the blade feels scary.

Can I skip the feta?+

Yes. The salad still tastes bright and green. Soft goat cheese, or just extra pine nuts, are nice too.

Is this a side or a main?+

Both. As a side it loves grilled bread or roasted potatoes; as lunch, make a bigger plate and add more feta.

Zucchini Carpaccio Salad

Overview

Ingredients

Equipment