Italian Zoodle Salad
Pasta is one of the most well-known Italian staples, there is no question about that.
However, these days people are thinking a lot more about their health and trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I think it is time we embrace this by figuring out ways to create some of the foods that we love but doing so in a healthier way.
One of the ways we can do this is by making…zoodles. No, that is not a typo.
Zoodles, otherwise known as zucchini noodles, are where you take zucchini and shave it down to give it the appearance of pasta. Not only do zoodles provide a carb-free alternative to pasta, but they are much quicker to cook because you don’t need to wait for water to boil.
There are many ways to serve zoodles, but I’ll be turning them into a tasty salad with a balsamic dressing and some ricotta salata, keep it nice and light.
So, how will I be turning zucchini into noodles? I want to introduce you to a device that might change the way you think about vegetables, the spiralizer.
The spiralizer pushes vegetables in a spiral pattern through small blades that shred the vegetables into thin, noodle-like strands.
What’s great about the spiralizer is that it works on just about any hard vegetable that you can think of, be it zucchini, beets, carrots, potatoes, daikon radish, cucumbers, and butternut squash.
It even works great for apples, which you can spiralize and then toss in a hot pan with some butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of lemon juice. Serve that with some ice cream, and you’ve got apple pie spaghetti!
I’m telling you, vegetables will never be the same once you get to know your spiralizer.
Anyway, enough chit-chat, let’s get to the recipe!
Italian Zoodle Salad
2 large or 4 medium zucchini
3 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup of thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup of grated ricotta salata*
*You’re likely familiar with ricotta, that slightly curdled cheese that belongs in lasagna, well ricotta salata is the salty, crumbly version that is beautiful in salads.
Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini
Trim the ends off of your zucchini, cut them into thirds, then load them into your spiralizer with the thin noodle attachment. (For my spiralizer, that means pressing one side of the zucchini against the spiked handle and the other against the hole on the attachment.)
Twist the spiralizer, pushing the zucchini through to make those long noodles. Transfer to a salad bowl.
Step 2: Prepare the Dressing
Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl, then while constantly whisking, slowly stream in the oil until you get a thick, stable emulsion.
Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
(White balsamic vinegar has a much more mild flavor than darker balsamic, so it’s great for letting the natural flavors of the raw zucchini shine.)
Step 3: Toss then plate
Toss the zucchini strips with the dressing, then pile onto a plate or serving platter, then top with the pine nuts, basil, and ricotta salata.
What you have is a bright, summery zucchini pasta salad that is so full of flavor that you might not even miss the pasta!
