First of all, thank you so, so much for all the nice comments I received about last week’s post. It means a lot to me to hear from you! I even heard from a cousin whom I have never met, but who shared some wonderful remembrances of my father which just about made the rest of my year!
A year ago, I published a recipe for Zucchini Noodle Caprese Salad that seemed to go over pretty well with those who tried it (yay). With zucchini and summer squashes being harvested like crazy at this time of year, I thought it was time to get out the spiralizer and attempt some more recipes.
I was really in the mood for comfort foods this week, probably driven by watching the news. So, we started off the week with some simple homemade turkey meatballs smothered in sauce that I served over zucchini noodles for a light, but still comforting dinner. And a Greek salad, while not exactly comfort food for most, does bring me back to some happy times. There used to be a place in Faneuil Hall marketplace that had the most killer Greek salad ever and when I was young and single, living on my own in Boston, I would sometimes stop there on my way home from work and grab a salad to go for dinner. It was also the stall I always stopped in when my high school friends and I would go into Boston for a little shopping which for some reason always brought us to Faneuil Hall.
There is something about the fresh vegetables, combined with the salty feta and a simple red wine vinaigrette that says perfection every time.
I thought to myself, why not make a Greek salad but basically replace the lettuce with zucchini noodles instead?
So that’s what I did. The first batch I prepared had roasted tomatoes, similar to the recipe for Zucchini Noodles Caprese. I served the salad alongside my Black Bean Burgers which I haven’t made in a long time but are really so delicious! If you haven’t tried them, please give them a whirl sometime.
I also shared a second batch of the Noodles with some friends who took care of our dog last weekend. I didn’t roast the tomatoes for this batch which is actually my preference. They weren’t as wild about the fresh mint I added so if you don’t care for mint, you can totally leave it out. I happen to have so much growing that I am looking for any opportunity to add it to my recipes right now. And if you think you’d rather roast your tomatoes to create some interest, then I think that would be terrific too and supplied easy instructions on how to do that in the recipe.
Please don’t forget that zucchini noodles tend to get a little watery so best to either eat right away after adding your dressing, or store in the fridge (minus the tomatoes and the dressing) if you want to prepare ahead and eat later. The salad will keep for a day or two in the fridge undressed. It is great to eat as a side dish with just about anything, but can also be a meal unto itself (the recipe would make two generous main course servings, 3 average portions).
Please let me know if you make it by coming back to the post and adding a comment. It’s a great way to use zucchini and/or summer squash that is busting out of gardens everywhere right now.
Enjoy and see you next time!
Let’s get a little closer…
One Year Ago: Sausage, Corn & Spinach Frittata
Two Years Ago: Summer Recipe Roundup
Three Years Ago: Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
The flavors of a Greek Salad using Zucchini Noodles rather than lettuce as the base. The recipe can easily be doubled to serve larger groups and should be served pretty quickly after it's dressed. If you want to make the dish ahead, I recommend adding all the ingredients together except the tomatoes and the dressing which you can add right before serving. Undressed, the salad should keep in the fridge for a day or two.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds medium zucchini (about 2 average)
- 2 Armenian or Persian cucumbers, sliced in half and cubed to yield 1 1/2 cups
- 1 1/4 cups assorted colored cherry tomatoes, halved (see note)
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled plus additional to sprinkle on top
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- pinch of dried oregano
Instructions
- Using the thin spiralizing blade on your spiralizer, create noodles with the zucchini. Place the noodles onto a cutting board and cut into manageable lengths for easier eating (optional). You can also cut them with clean scissors as I often do! Using a paper towel, wipe any extra moisture off of the noodles and place in a large mixing bowl. You can prepare the noodles early in the day if you like and store them in the fridge packaged between layers of paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- Add cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, 4 ounces of the crumbled feta, dill, optional mint and 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano to the noodles. Toss well.
- For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper and pinch of dried oregano. Add the oil and whisk until emulsified.
- Add the dressing to the noodles and toss until combined. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Plate the noodles and sprinkle with additional feta to your heart's desire.
- Enjoy!
Tips from The Kitchen Scout
You can also roast the tomatoes if you would prefer. Toss the cut tomatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until they are soft and starting to caramelize but still retain their shape. Add to the noodles once they have cooled.
