This light and vibrant Italian Shaved Zucchini Salad with Feta is a simple dish you can serve on the side of all of your summer favorites. Made with marinated zucchini ribbons, feta, and herbs, it’s a flavorful recipe you can whip up in minutes.
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Thin ribbons of marinated shaved zucchini make up this simple and flavorful Italian Shaved Zucchini Salad with Feta. The flavors are delicate, zesty, and perfect for giving your Garlic Tuscan Salmon or Caprese Chicken Bake a pop of tang.
Marinating the zucchini in a simple lemon and oil vinaigrette before assembly infuses bright and vibrant flavors right into the raw vegetable. This means you don’t have to worry about needing a homemade dressing or tons of toppings! Crumbled feta cheese and fresh herbs are the perfect finishing touch.
Make this salad a part of the spread at your next summer barbeque or dinner party. The tangy flavors will compliment any main dish, whether it’s served next to fish, chicken, or steak!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Zucchini – Thin zucchini ribbons are easy to create using a vegetable peeler or mandolin. The ribbons will be marinated in a simple citrus dressing for a few minutes to ensure they’re tender and flavorful by the time you assemble the salad.
- Feta cheese – As one of the salads only toppings, crumbled feta will give this dish a pop of saltiness and creamy flavors. If you prefer, swap this out for goat cheese or shaved parmesan.
- Fresh herbs – All you need is fresh dill and chives but you could also add basil if you like. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried instead.
- Lemon, extra virgin olive oil, and salt – To marinate the zucchini ribbons.
How to make a shaved zucchini salad
- Shave the zucchini: Use a vegetable peeler or a mandolin to create thin zucchini ribbons. Alternatively, use a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles instead!
- Marinate the zucchini: Place the lemon zest and juice, oil, and salt in a bowl. Toss the zucchini ribbons in the marinade and let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Assemble the salad: Transfer the marinated zucchini to a serving plate. Top with feta cheese and fresh herbs, then enjoy!
Add-ins
This salad is easy to customize and will accommodate plenty of add-ins or substitutions. Make it more filling with thinly sliced Italian deli meats or swap the feta cheese for another favorite! I recommend complementing the salad with Italian or Mediterranean additions to keep the flavors consistent.
This is what I recommend adding in:
- Shaved parmesan
- Proscuitto
- Pesto
- Shaved cucumber
- Basil
- Pine nuts
- Lime juice and zest
- Goat cheese
- Shallots
- Kalamata olives
- Heirloom tomatoes
Serving suggestions
Light and zesty, this zucchini salad would make a flavorful side dish or appetizer during the hot summer months. It’s especially delicious at backyard parties when you need something refreshing to pair with grilled cauliflower steak and ribeye crostinis. Thankfully, it’s easy to make when you need something quick to add to the spread.
Serve the zucchini salad next to any of these delicious and summery main dishes:
- Prosciutto And Egg Tart
- Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Chicken and Broccoli Grilled Pizza
- Ribeye Steak and Shrimp
- Spaghetti with Garlic Herb Breadcrumbs
More salad recipes to try
Lighten things up with these bright and vibrant summer salad recipes:
If you try this Italian Shaved Zucchini Salad with Feta, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Italian Shaved Zucchini Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, shaved
- 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp dill, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- ½ large lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Finely shave the zucchini into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler or a mandolin. Make them as thin as possible without ripping.
- In a bowl, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Whisk together to combine. Add the zucchini ribbons and toss lightly to combine. Let them sit for 5 minutes before plating.
- Place the marinated zucchini in a bowl or on a serving plate. Twist the strands to create some circular shapes in the salad. Top with feta cheese, fresh dill, and chives.
Notes
This recipe is very flexible – you can substitute other types of cheese if you don’t like feta cheese (goat and pecorino would both be great).
Vicki
Loved it!!! Easy, and delicious!
I will definitely be making this again and again 😊
lena
Ohh I am so happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing your review.
Teresa
This is an amazing, easy and absolutely delicious salad!! Made it with dinner tonight and will be sharing this salad with my family for Mother’s Day ! The only addition I made was heirloom tomatoes-Yummy! You knocked this one out of the park Lena! Thank you for sharing your genius with all of us!