Zucchini Salad is one of my favorite fresh and fun summer salads. Bouncy zucchini noodles are tossed with onion, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, feta cheese, and parsley to give you a healthy and fresh side dish.
Whenever I go to potlucks, I love having a bowl of zucchini salad ready to go. This recipe is low carb, healthy and crazy simple to make. The vinaigrette is made from olive oil and lemon goes perfectly with the delicate taste of zucchini noodles.
I love a good cold summer pasta salad (like my favorite Italian Pasta Salad) alongside my burgers at barbecues, but I try to balance with healthy sides if possible. This recipe is the perfect side for those who just want to eat a little bit healthier, even while celebrating! When using fresh summer produce like I do in this raw zucchini salad (with fresh herbs like parsley and dill from the garden), I like to keep the recipe simple with minimal ingredients!
I use a white onion (with white papery skin, not yellow) as they tend to be a bit milder and sweeter. If you find onion to be a bit strong, soak the onion slices in cold water for about 20 minutes before adding them to the zucchini salad. It is a great way to neutralize some of the flavor!
Zucchini is already a very vibrant and colorful vegetable delicious baked or grilled but also amazing in salads!
Can You Eat Zucchini Salad Raw?
Of course! The spiralized zucchini in this recipe is what gives it its fun bouncy feel. Raw garden fresh zucchini is crisp and delicious, you’ll love the combo of feta cheese, dill, and lemon with it.
Zucchini is nice and sturdy so I actually eat it raw often as a dipper for my favorite sauces and dips (it’s a great lower carb chip alternative). I love serving raw zucchini sticks with spicy dill dip for a quick and healthy snack.
More Zucchini Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Baked Zucchini – Popular! Tender zucchini baked with parmesan cheese.
- Zucchini Brownies with 1 Minute Frosting – So moist!!
- Crispy Oven Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries with Chipotle Mayo
- Easy Stuffed Zucchini Boats – Family Favorite!
How To Make Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini noodles are super popular right now, and used in a variety of dishes like this shrimp stir fry with zucchini noodles!
To ‘zoodle’ a zucchini, I find the easiest thing to do is spiralized zucchini. If you don’t have one handy, use a vegetable peeler to peel the zucchini into long strips! Once cut, place your zucchini on a paper towel to absorb the rest of the water before you add them to your zucchini salad. Zoodles can be made well ahead of time and will last days in the fridge.
I most often make this and serve it about 20 minutes later. Making this zucchini salad in advance with the dressing can sometimes result in the ‘zoodles’ soften slightly but it’s delicious that way too. If you are bringing the salad with you and prefer a crisper texture simply spiralize your zucchini and refrigerate (it’ll stay crisp for days). Add the remaining ingredients just before serving!
Get a Spiralizer Here
Zucchini Salad (spiralized)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds zucchini about 3 medium
- ½ cup sliced white onion
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spiralize zucchini using the larger blade on a spiralizer. (see note if you do not have a spiralizer).
- Chop zucchini noodles a couple of times so they are manageable to eat and toss (about 3").
- Slice onion as thinly as possible and add to the zucchini.
- Add remaining ingredients and gently toss.
- Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
REPIN this Delicious Salad Recipe!
More Recipes You’ll Love
So good! My BF ate the entire bowl! Can’t wait to make it again. PS: use fresh dill and fresh parsley. That’s what gives it it’s freshness.
I haven’t made this salad yet, but I was wondering how long it keeps in the fridge.
Hi Amy, we find that leftover zucchini noodles get soggy in the fridge so we recommend prep the zucchini separately and combine everything just before serving. I hope that helps!
Excellent! Made exacting as instructed. Chilled and served. Easy to prepare and only a few ingredients. Tasty and fresh.
I prepared this zucchini salad this evening and it was loved by all. Due to ingredients on hand, I had to use red onion (vs. white) and dried parsley and dill weed (vs fresh). I look forward to using fresh herbs next time! Thank you for a great new salad recipe for us to enjoy!
So happy you enjoyed it, Lori!
I was looking for a Waldorf salad, I knew what went in it but didn’t know what the dressing was made of and saw so many more recipes I might make. Thanks you.
You’re welcome Mary!
Wonderful side dish! My husband is not a huge fan of zuchinni so I was looking for a new way to serve it. This is it! Fantastic flavor, not over the top. In fact, we are going to a get together and he asked what I was bringing. Told him I wasn’t sure. He said I should make this salad! The teen enjoys it also. Win Win all around – thank you!
Loved this – I have never before eaten zucchini raw!
I would love to try this. We love zucchini so much and are always looking for recipes for it.
Let us know how this recipe turns out for you, Penny! :)
Fast and easy and Delicious! I will make this for our monthly “girlfriends get together luncheon “with some
Crusty garlic and Parmesan bread!
Hi Gayle, thanks so much! Let us know how your girlfriends like it! :)
Excellent fresh and healthy summer dish. Made with pennies. A big hit.
I really enjoyed this salad. Taste’s wonderful with the fresh mint and chilli peppers. Super easy and very inexpensive to make, most of the ingredients are things I usually always have in my fridge. I will definitely be making this again!
Tried this recipe for a potluck and it was just okay. Not bad but nothing to write home about. Doubt if I’ll make it again.
Sorry to hear you didn’t love this one Pamela!
Holly, I love ALL of your recipes!
Thanks NormaJean!
delicious! I used cucumbers instead of zucchini! & cilantro instead of parsley!
Those sound like tasty variations Lynda!
Recipe’s look great and I would like to try them.
I hope you love them all when you do Bella!
Recipes look so easy
I hope you find a few to try Sherry!
This looks so good, thanks for the tip that I can zoodle ahead of time.
You’re welcome, enjoy!
Definitely want to make this salad. Can a different cheese be used instead of feta? What would you recommend?
I’ve only tried it with feta. If you don’t like feta you could always skip the cheese or add a bit of shredded mozza (or another mild cheese).
could you use blue cheese??
Absolutely! Blue cheese would be great with the freshness of the zucchini in this salad.