Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan & Pine Nuts

It’s hot outside and after roasting a pork shoulder earlier this week at 1 million degrees, I felt like something with no heat required would be best.   Not to mention, many of you have zucchini coming out your ears this time of the year. 

When Obed asked me what was for dinner yesterday and I told him that he was grilling chicken and I was making a zucchini salad he was not super excited.  He didn’t have a problem with grilling the chicken, he was “poo, pooing” the idea of a zucchini salad.   I don’t think salad is in Obed’s vocabulary.

This is one of the simplest and refreshing salads that you can make.  That is my opinion anyway….whatever that is worth.   

For my salad I used two zucchinis and one yellow squash.  Trim the ends off the vegetables and run a vegetable peeler from top to bottom, slicing them into ribbons.    When you start to see seeds stop and start slicing from the other side, leaving the core.

Place zucchini and squash ribbons in a bowl, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.  Which I didn’t do because I didn’t want to turn the oven on, but if you feel so inclined I encourage you to do so.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Cheese makes everything better…..right?

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.  If you are the more organized type, you may want to do the dressing first, but after a long hot day I was not organized nor I did know my name.

Toss everything together a TA-DA you have a wonderfully crisp and light salad to go with your husband’s grilling. 

Yes ladies if you want to grill, feel free.  I am all about equality.  I just believe that I have an equal right not to sweat like a dog in front of a hot grill when it is 102 outside…..I am just saying.

The jury (Obed, aka Spousal Figure) came back with a ruling on the salad and declared it good enough to moan, grunt and have seconds…..and then pout when it was all gone.

It really is a wonderful salad and a quick and easy side dish after a long day.  You can even add some diced chicken breast have it as your main dish. 

Print Recipe

Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan & Pine Nuts  (adapted from Bon Appétit  | August 2010)

Dressing

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 tsp dry rosemary, crushed

Salad

• 2 large zucchini, trimmed
• 1 large yellow squash, trimmed  (about 2 lbs total)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Small wedge of Parmesan cheese

Whisk together dressing ingrediants ina  small bowl to blend. Set dressing aside.

Using vegetable peeler and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice vegetables into ribbons.  Place ribbons in large bowl. Add nuts and parm then dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional nuts and parm if desired.