Zucchini noodle salad is a refreshing summer side dish that you'll be making on repeat. Zucchini noodles, onion, and fresh cilantro are tossed in a simple vinaigrette dressing that's light and flavorful.
Summer's here and you're looking for a fresh, new side dish to serve with those burgers on the grill. Give this zucchini noodle salad a try! Like my zucchini ribbon salad, it's perfect for using up that extra garden zucchini.
Raw zucchini noodles, thin-sliced red onion, and fresh cilantro are tossed in a simple homemade vinaigrette dressing. It's packed with fresh flavor and easy to whip up in minutes.
Serve zucchini noodle salad along with your favorite summer mains like grilled chicken, burgers, or ribs. It has a light, fresh flavor that pairs well with just about everything.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need about three medium zucchini for this recipe. Small to medium zucchini skin is soft and edible, so there's no need to peel them beforehand.
- Red onion - Adds flavor and color to your salad. If your red onion tastes a bit harsh or sharp, rinse the slices under cold water. This mellows their flavor.
- Cilantro - Adds bright, fresh flavor to the salad. Cilantro can be substituted with fresh basil if desired.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is used as the base for your salad dressing.
- Lemon juice - Adds a light, citrusy flavor to your salad dressing. This can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar if needed, but I think lemon juice adds the most complementary flavor to the salad ingredients.
- Dijon mustard - Adds tanginess and acts as an emulsifier for your dressing.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and garlic powder add flavor to the dressing.
Tips and tricks
Spiralizers - You'll need a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles for this recipe:
- Handheld: OXO Good Grips Handheld Spiralizer (the one we use)
- Hand crank: Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer (4-in-1 Rotating Blades) Heavy Duty Veggie Spiralizer
- Electric: Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Vegetable Spiralizer & Slicer
- Stand mixer attachment: KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment, 1", Silver
How to spiralize - First, trim the top and bottom ends of your zucchini, creating a flat surface to make contact with your spiralizer. Align your zucchini with the center of the spiralizer and make contact. Then, slowly turn your zucchini by hand using light pressure, or use the hand crank to spin your zucchini (depending on the type of spiralizer you have on hand).
Don't have a spiralizer? - The large side of a box grater can work in a pinch, creating long shreds of zucchini. You could also use a vegetable peeler to create wide, fettucine sized noodles. See my post on how to make zucchini noodles for 5 variations of zucchini noodles, 4 of which don't require a spiralizer.
Use a whisk - Combine your dressing ingredients with a whisk. The mustard acts as an emulsifier, which creates a uniform consistency.
Frequently asked questions
While zucchini is most commonly cooked into recipes like bread and stews, it is perfectly safe to eat raw. Eating zucchini raw, rather than cooking, can help preserve some of the nutrients that are reduced slightly by cooking, like Vitamins A and C.
Like most salads, zucchini noodle salad is best served immediately for ideal flavor and texture. However, your salad can be prepared and tossed, then refrigerated for several hours before serving if needed.
Zucchini is made of over 90% water, so it will begin to release water as soon as it's sliced. Pat your zucchini noodles dry with a paper towel before dressing your salad to help prevent sogginess. Your zucchini should not get soggy in this recipe since we're not cooking it.
The big flavor ingredients in this recipe are the red onion and cilantro. I highly recommend using fresh cilantro or fresh basil for best flavor in this recipe. Other great additions include parmesan cheese, thin sliced bell pepper, or a dash of hot sauce.
Sure! Any dressing can work with this recipe, but I'd recommend a light Italian dressing or red wine vinaigrette.
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
- ¼ small red onion, thin sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Align the flat end of your trimmed zucchini with the center of the spiralizer and make contact. Then, slowly turn your zucchini by hand using light pressure. If your spiralizer is making small, moon shaped spirals instead of long noodles, remove your zucchini and realign it in the center of the spiralizer before continuing.
- In a large bowl, add zucchini noodles, sliced onion, and cilantro. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Toss salad again just before serving to redistribute dressing.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Zoodle salad is best served immediately or within several hours of preparing. To make ahead: prepare as directed above, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Give your salad a toss once more just before serving to redistribute dressing that settled at the bottom of the bowl.
- Once prepared, salad is best within 24 hours. Leftovers will soak up dressing and get soggy as it sits.
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