Fresh Zucchini Salad with Parmesan Cheese
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Fresh zucchini salad with Parmesan layers grilled zucchini ribbons with bright lemon dressing, blanched lemon peel, toasted almonds, and shaved Parmigiano. A simple summer side that turns garden squash into a star.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
40 minFresh zucchini salad with Parmesan is the dish that finally makes summer’s avalanche of squash worth celebrating. Long lengthwise planks of zucchini get grilled until tender with deep char marks, then dressed warm so they soak up the lemon vinaigrette like a sponge.
The move that lifts this above every other zucchini side is the blanched lemon peel. Strips of zest go into boiling water for just a few minutes, which mellows the bitterness and turns them into tender, sweet citrus ribbons. Scattered over the finished salad they add fragrant pops of lemon in every bite.
Toasted sliced almonds bring crunch against the soft squash, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano finishes things with salty, nutty richness. A clean, quick side that pairs with grilled chicken, fish, or steak.
Chef Tips
- Slice zucchini lengthwise into half-inch planks, not coins. Long planks stay put on the grates and pick up better char without falling through.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove only the yellow zest and avoid the bitter white pith underneath. Pith ruins the candied effect.
- Toast the almonds dry in a skillet over medium heat, shaking constantly, until fragrant and golden. They burn fast in the last 30 seconds.
- Shave the Parmesan with a vegetable peeler instead of grating for prettier ribbons that don’t melt instantly into the warm zucchini.
Variations
- Swap almonds for toasted pine nuts or chopped pistachios for a different crunch and color.
- Add torn fresh basil or mint leaves just before serving for an herbal lift.
- Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar in addition to the lemon dressing for deeper sweet-tart complexity.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
Remove the peel from lemon with a vegetable peeler, making sure not to include any white pith. (Reserve the lemon.)
Cut the peel into thin slivers.
Add to the boiling water and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
Drain and set aside to cool.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl.
Whisk into oil, pepper and salt to combine. Set aside.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Oil the grill rack.
Grill zucchini slices, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Arrange the zucchini on a platter and drizzle with the reserved lemon dressing.
Sprinkle almonds, cheese and the lemon peel.
Serve.
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