Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Ribbons of zucchini can instantly transform a simple salad into something you might see served at an upscale restaurant, not only does it look pretty, but the added zucchini adds a special element of flavor. This is so easy to make and you don't even need a fancy gadget to do it!

A simple vegetable peeler is all you'll need to to cut the thin lengthwise strips of zucchini. Start by cutting off the ends of your zucchini then use your peeler to cut the strips, stopping and turning when you see the seeds. The unused portion as seen in the photo above can easily be diced up and used for future use.

You'll want to make sure you cook your strips of zucchini either in a stove top grill or saute pan coated with a tiny bit of olive oil, they only take a couple of minutes. Make sure they cool completely before adding them to your salad.

I used arugula for my salad base and tossed it in a vinaigrette of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part red wine vinegar, added a touch of Dijon, a crushed garlic clove, salt, black pepper and oregano, any lemon based dressing would be work as well.

Lay your zucchini strips on top, toss in some feta or shaved Parmesan and sprinkle with toasted nuts, I used hazelnuts here with the feta, but pine nuts or slivered almonds would be just as good. To finish, drizzle a little more dressing over the top. Just let your creative juices flow and make it your own!

Buon Appetito