6.17.2014

zucchini spiral summer salad [gf]

Summer holidays almost always involve grilling out. Not only is it always delicious, but it makes for an easy dinner with little to no clean up. Plus we eat outside, pull the food hot off the grill straight to the plate and then have a perfect excuse for a bonfire and s'mores because really, you can't grill and then not have a fire.

For Father's Day this year, we had my parents and Grandma Bea over and grilled up our favorite [all beef] hot dogs that are seriously amazing [and I am not a hot dog person]. We normally throw all our veggies on the grill as a side, but I wanted to minimize the work for Dustin, since he was part of who we were celebrating after all! I thought a great way to incorporate veggies without having to grill them would be through a pasta salad. And of course, with a spiralizer.

Inspired by a recipe I found on Inspiralized a few weeks ago, I put my own twist on this salad and every one of us fell in love. Even Miss Via enjoyed every bite!

Zucchini Spiral Summer Salad
This recipe is so quick & easy to throw together, perfect for a bbq out back and can be customized to your tastes because its so flexible! Full of fresh, bold flavors and a light flavorful dressing, it is sure to become a new favorite for weekend cookouts!

What You Need //

S A L A D
2-3 large zucchinis // I love lots of zoodles, so I tend to do 3 large zucchini. In this recipe, more is more!
1-2 thick slices salami // We use Boar's Head Peppered Salami, cut from the deli about half an inch thick
1-2 thick slices provolone // Be sure to get a high quality provolone and ask for it to be sliced the same thickness as the salami
1 [8 oz] jar of grilled artichoke hearts in oil [or 1 cup canned] // My favorite brand is Reese Grilled Marinated Artichoke Hearts 
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1 cup black olives, quartered

D R E S S I N G
3-4 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 TBSP Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
S+P to taste

What You Do //
1. Prepare the zucchini noodles [zoodles]. Your goal is to make half moons on purpose, to mimic elbow shaped pasta that you would normally find in a pasta salad. To do this, start by cutting your zucchini half way through [lengthwise] but be careful not to cut it all the way through. Using your spiralizer with the medium blade [larger triangles for a thick noodle], spiralize your zucchini. Because of the cut you made, you will end up with half moons or half spirals. That is what you want!

2. Prepare your dressing. Mix all dressing ingredients to desired taste. Start with a small amount of lemon juice and add more as needed. Taste as you go & finish with extra S+P. The goal is a very light and refreshing, tangy flavorful dressing that will be perfect to coat the veggies without being overpowering.

3. Prepare your salami & cheese. Using a sharp knife, dice salami and cheese into small cubes of equal sizes.

4. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl -- zoodles, artichokes [drained], diced salami and provolone, sliced red onion, sliced black olives & toss with dressing, adjusting seasoning to taste. 

5. Serve at room temperature or cold // Salad will keep in the fridge up to a day but I'm pretty sure it won't last that long because its just that good! Enjoy!

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