Raw Zucchini Salad with Marinated Feta and Lemon

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 30 min
  • Active: 20 min
Zucchini is a summer staple that people often think needs to be cooked, but zucchini is equally delicious prepared as a raw salad. This dish quickly marinates feta cheese to give it extra flavor and depth then the reserved marinade is used to dress the zucchini. This dish screams summer and is the perfect fresh bite for any meal.
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Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper  

1 lemon, zest peeled with a vegetable peeler and lemon halved  

One 4-ounce block feta cheese, broken into 1-inch pieces 

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick coins (see Cook's Note) 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 cup fresh soft herb leaves (such as torn basil or mint or whole tarragon)  

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts 

Directions

  1. Combine the olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and half of the lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, softened and starting to turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the feta pieces. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature and up to overnight in the refrigerator (see Cook's Note).
  2. Mince the remaining lemon zest and reserve for garnish.  
  3. Arrange the zucchini coins in a concentric circle on a large platter. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with the juice from one of the lemon halves and drizzle with some of the olive oil from the feta.  
  4. Remove the feta from the olive oil with a slotted spoon and scatter over the zucchini, breaking up the pieces into smaller bits. Top with the herbs and pine nuts. Drizzle with more olive oil from the feta and sprinkle with the minced lemon zest and juice from the remaining lemon half. Enjoy!

Cook’s Note

To achieve perfectly uniform coins of zucchini, slice it on a mandoline. The longer the feta marinates, the more flavor it will absorb. If you’re in a pinch, let it marinate for 10 minutes. If you have time, marinate it overnight in the fridge.

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