Summer Zucchini Salad

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Zucchini salad is a super simple side dish made with just 5 ingredients! This healthy recipe is the perfect summer side dish to serve with your favorite protein.

Zucchini and corn salad arranged on a white plate, with oil, lemons, and walnuts in the bacground.

If you’re looking for a great new summer side dish that’s more exciting than traditional pasta salad or grilled veggies, I have a treat for you! I’m absolutely bonkers over this bright and tangy zucchini salad.

This easy summer salad hits all the right notes: peppery arugula, sweet zucchini and corn, creamy feta cheese and crunchy nuts. It all comes together with a tart lemon vinaigrette that I could eat by the spoonful.

Zucchini salad is a great healthy side to serve with burgers, grilled chicken (or chicken spiedies!), or steak. You can also top it with grilled shrimp to transform it into a light meal!

Ingredients for making raw zucchini salad

Ingredients for zucchini and corn salad

To make this summer zucchini salad, you’ll need just five simple ingredients (plus oil, salt and pepper)!

  • Zucchini. For this salad, you’ll need 2-3 medium zucchini.
  • Corn. Corn adds a great texture to this salad, and the flavor screams summer! Fresh, in-season corn has the best flavor, but you can also thawed frozen corn if fresh isn’t available.
  • Walnuts. Walnuts are great for adding crunch to this salad. They pair with zucchini so well! For a nut-free version, use sunflower seeds or pine nuts.
  • Arugula. Arugula makes a great, peppery base.
  • Feta. Feta adds a nice salty pop to this recipe. For the best flavor, look for blocks of feta in brine (you can use the leftover brine to make salad dressing or as a marinade for chicken!)
  • Lemon. Fresh lemon juice and zest adds tons of flavor to the tart vinaigrette that salad dressing.

How to choose the perfect zucchini

The freshest zucchini will be firm to the touch and will be free from any cuts or bruises. The stem will also be rough, with a texture similar to velcro.

Look for small to medium zucchini that feel heavy for their weight. Avoid very large zucchini, which tend to have a watery flavor and be loaded with seeds. For the best fresh ingredients if you don’t have a bumper crop from your own garden, I always love shopping at our local farmers market.

The best way to cut zucchini for salad

Zucchini is usually served cooked, but I’m a huge fan of raw zucchini! It has a sweet and almost floral flavor and a tender-crisp texture.

I love slicing raw zucchini into very thin, long strips almost like carpaccio. The easiest way make zucchini ribbons like this is with a mandolin, but you can also use a standard vegetable peeler or a y peeler. In a pinch, you can also use a sharp knife and a lot of patience.

If thin strips aren’t calling out to you, you can also spiralize your zucchini or buy fresh zucchini noodles. (I do not recommend frozen zucchini noodles for this salad, since they’ll be soggy and won’t have any snap to them.) If you love raw zucchini noodles, be sure to check out this gingery shrimp zoodle recipe!

Can I use yellow squash in this recipe?

You can use yellow summer squash instead of zucchini, but it typically has larger seeds that don’t always result in the best texture. I definitely prefer zucchini for eating raw!

What are some variations on this salad?

This is a great. simple base recipe but you can definitely riff on it, too! Go ahead and add thinly sliced red onion, swap out goat cheese or Parmesan cheese for the feta, add fresh herbs like basil. You can even grill the zucchini to make a grilled zucchini salad.

collage of step by step photos of zucchini and corn salad

Progressive Eats I’m sharing this summer zucchini salad as part of this month’s Progressive Eats virtual dinner party. This month’s theme is Memorial Day BBQ and Picnic Favorites! Our host is Jane who blogs at The Heritage Cook
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious BBQ and picnic-inspired dishes!

Memorial Day BBQ and Picnic Favorites

Cocktail Appetizers Main Courses Side Dishes
A closeup view of zucchini and corn salad with walnuts and feta.
Summer Zucchini Salad 2

Summer Zucchini Salad

Zucchini salad is a super simple side dish made with just 5 ingredients! This healthy recipe is the perfect summer side dish to serve with your favorite protein.
5
Print Pin Save
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 197kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Lemon zested and juiced
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2-3 medium zucchini
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernals
  • 2 cups arugula
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini into long, thin strips. Add the zucchini and corn to the vinaigrette and stir to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes so the vegetables soak up the flavor.
  • Stir in the arugula, feta, and walnuts. Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Summer Zucchini Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 197 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @HealthyDelish or tag #HealthyDelish!
lauren

Hi, I'm Lauren!

I'm a certified plant-based cook and enthusiastic omnivore who loves looking for creative ways to make weeknight meals more nutritious. I'm the author of Heathy Eating One Pot Cookbook and Healthy Meal Prep Slow Cooker Cookbook. I also blog at The Busy Foodie. Read more...

 

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8 thoughts on “Summer Zucchini Salad”

  1. What a fantastic addition to our zucchini repertoire Lauren! It not only sounds delicious but I simply love the way you’ve cut it, so very pretty!

    Reply
  2. This is totally my kind of salad! Once the weather warms up, I start playing with zucchini, and I MUST make this salad!

    Reply
  3. I love everything about this salad. It has the perfect blend of textures and flavors! Yummmmm.

    Reply
  4. I absolutely love that you made the zucchini into ribbons – it makes the dish seem fancy and special even when it is so easy to make! Fantastic!

    Reply
  5. The zucchini ribbons and the lemony dressing are calling to me! I have all the ingredients (if I use TJ’s canned corn instead of fresh) right in my pantry and fridge, so this is one salad I will definitely put on my list for this weekend.

    Reply
  6. I will try this with spirilized zucchini. There is only so much zucchini bread I can make with all the summer yield from my garden! This is perfect.

    Reply
  7. Those ribbons of zucchini are stunning! You definitely know how to pick them out! This recipe is perfect for when everyone I know with a backyard garden is offering me zucchini!

    Reply

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