Try this Italian Zucchini Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper to taste
- for the dressing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 large zucchinis (or two medium)
- 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts drained, patted dry
- 3 thick deli slices of provolone cheese sliced into cubes
- 3/4 cup cubed salami
- 1/2 small red onion sliced thinly
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup quartered black olives
- 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- Carbohydrate 10.2504573225426 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.655518697903 g
- Fiber 3.04556678351308 g
- Protein 2.21157046878998 g
- Saturated Fat 0.368309395829787 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -4 (259g)
- Sodium 37.4725190331213 mg
- Sugar 7.20489053902953 g
- Trans Fat 0.203352718747747 g
- Calories 66 calories
Step-by-step
- Slice your zucchinis halfway through and then spiralize them, using Blade B.
- Place your zucchini noodles in a bowl with the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, provolone cheese, salami, red onion and black olives.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (best if left for 3-4 hours) to let the dressing soften the zucchini.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
Standard pasta salads rely on semolina noodles that hold their rigid structure for days, whereas raw vegetable ribbons demand precise timing to achieve the ideal texture without turning watery. Understanding how salt, acid, and mechanical action interact with moisture-heavy vegetables transforms a soggy bowl into a crisp, cohesive dish. Executing this preparation requires attention to both equipment selection and resting periods.
- Slice zucchini only halfway through before engaging the spiralizer to yield long, manageable strands rather than frustratingly short fragments.
- Pat drained artichoke hearts thoroughly with paper towels to prevent excess canning liquid from diluting the vinaigrette.
- Refrigerate the tossed mixture for a minimum of fifteen minutes so the acid softens the raw squash, though three to four hours yields optimal integration.
- Swap out the cured meats or provolone for marinated mushrooms and white beans if modifying the composition for vegetarian diners.
Proper chilling allows the fat-soluble compounds in the olive oil to coat the vegetable cellular walls evenly. Adequate rest turns crisp ribbons into tender strands that absorb the vinegar and spices fully.
