It’s zoodle time again, zucchini noodles that is, but this time I placed them into a cold salad with a nice Mediterranean flare. It’s light, fresh and healthy and you can eat this all summer long. It can be the perfect side dish to whatever you’re grilling, a refreshing light lunch or you can even pack it up for a picnic.
I’m telling you, the flavors, the pretty colors and all the curly zucchini strands is a thing of beauty, no one will resist this salad!
May I suggest one thing, don’t put this in a bowl, you’ll bury all the ingredients and you won’t be able to see all the pretty curly zoodles. By layering everything onto a nice platter you’ll be able to see all the components which is so much more appealing to the eyes.
The other thing I’m going to suggest, ( I’m being bossy today) go out and buy some white balsamic vinegar, not white wine vinegar, white balsamic. I’m obsessed with it, find a good Italian brand and pair it with your best olive oil and use that as your salad dressing, it will take your salads over the top, trust me!
Of course red balsamic is amazing and has it’s place for many salads but for a light and intensely flavored, especially a summer salad like this, get the white.
I’m just going to list the ingredients I used below, not the amounts, it depends how much you’re making, how much zucchini noodles you have. I like to mix one yellow squash along with the green zucchini for added color. Use quality ingredients, good olives, good feta, it truly makes a difference, and don’t forget the white balsamic please!
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- A mix of yellow squash and zucchini zoodles, AKA Zucchini noodles
- mini colored peppers, cut into rings, (the mini's are the perfect size)
- garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- Persian cucumbers, if you can find them, they're small, cut into small rounds. If you can't find them remove the seeds of a regular one and cut into half moons.
- multi colored cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- assorted pitted olives, green and black
- red onion, cut into thin half moons
- assorted greens, I used arugula, spinach and a little radicchio
- a few green onions sliced
- artichoke hearts, marinated in a jar and drained well
- feta cheese
- feel free to add some pine nuts if you like
- DRESSING:
- white balsamic and olive oil
- Place everything into a large bowl, add the greens last, sprinkle salad with a little oregano, salt and pepper and a little bit of granulated garlic if you have it.
- Toss with the white balsamic and olive oil dressing then place everything onto a flat platter for presentation.
- DRESSING RATIO
- part vinegar to 2 parts olive oil
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
