Zucchini Spiralized Salad – Recipe Redux

I love the idea of enjoying light and refreshing “summer salads”. In my mind, I envision a clean, white plate filled with grilled proteins, zesty vinaigrette, and lots of fresh and vibrant seasonal produce. These daydreams typical include the meal being served poolside, while I sip a refreshing cocktail and work on my tan.

So maybe I can’t quite make the poolside cocktail part an everyday reality, but summer salads are my jam. However, many pasta based salads can be quite filling and not exactly what you want to be filling up on in the swimsuit wearing months. Nothing worse than filling up on heavy pasta based salads when it’s 100 degrees outside by 10am. Can you say miserable?

Enter one of the best kitchen gadgets invented since the George Foreman Grill (don’t lie, you know you loved those)…the spiralizer. In a matter of minutes, your zucchini, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, or apples can be turned into “noodles” that transform your heavy pasta summer salads into light and refreshing meals.

I recently bought a countertop Spiralizer  and have not stopped using since it came in the mail. It’s amazing. [blockquote size=”full|half|third|fourth|two-thirds|three-fourths” align=”left|center|right” “]Before purchasing this countertop model, I had one of those hand cranking spiralizers and while I appreciate the forearm strength I gained, I was cramping up after “zoodling” just one measly zucchini.[/blockquote]

When I discovered that this month’s Recipe Redux Challenge was to “Get Your Fruits and Veggies in Shape” and show off a recipe featuring ribbons/zoodles/creative cuts, I was delighted for another chance to use my spiralizer!

I created this Chilled Zucchini Spiralized Salad to fit in with my ideal summer salad. The ribbons of zucchini act like noodles and really soak up the lemon herb vinaigrette. I added spiralized carrots for extra color (and vitamins/minerals), then topped it off with crunchy sunflower seeds, tangy kalamatta olives, and deliciously salty thin slices of prosciutto.

One of my favorite parts of this salad is that it can be made in advance and served later or stored in the fridge for leftovers! No slaving over a hot stove in the summer.

Plus it’s chock full of vitamins, minerals and fiber from the vegetables and healthy fats.

Perfect for picnics, get togethers, or (if you’re lucky) sitting poolside while working on your tan,

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5 from 1 vote

Chilled Zucchini Spiralized Salad

Light and fresh, this chilled zucchini salad offers fresh vegetables, crunchy sunflower seeds, tangy olives and salty prosciutto. The perfect summer dish.

Course side/salad

Cuisine American

Keyword zoodles, zucchini noodle

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author The Domestic Dietitian

Ingredients

• 4 zucchini
• 2 carrots
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives pitted
• 3 slices prosciutto
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds unsalted
• Lemon Vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 tsp red vine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp chives chopped
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Using a spiralizer, create "noodles" with the zucchini and carrots
• Use a vegetable peeler if you don't have a spiralizer
• Combine spiralized zucchini and carrots
• Add sunflower seeds and olives
• Tear prosciutto into bite sized pieces and lay on top of salad
• Pour dressing over salad before serving

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