It’s summer, it’s hot, and the crave for something fresh, healthy and vibrant is at an all time high. I need a salad! But salads can be monotonous and boring, so here’s a glammed-up version of a small handful of simple ingredients thrown together to create some incredible flavors, and almost as importantly a variety of textures. And the rising cost of produce……that’s starting to play a factor in all of the food I’ve been cooking. This is cheap to make, and you won’t find a salad like this is an drive thru that I know of.
Let’s also talk about substitutions for a minute. This is a salad that screams “substitute” if you don’t have one of these ingredients. Greek Yogurt can be used in place of Labneh; Pesto or Chimichurri in substitution of the Zhoug (although Zhoug is a little spicier, so if you go this route, add a pinch of red pepper flakes). And feel free to try pistachios, walnuts or almonds in place of the Hazelnuts. Side note – Zhoug can be purchased pre-made at Trader Joe’s and it’s actually really good. It’s becoming a staple item for me from TJs.
Check out the video below for step-by-step instructions!
Squash “2 Ways” Summer Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Zucchini medum sized
- 2 Yellow Squash medium sized
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon Whole lemon zested; Half of the lemon juiced
- 1/2 cup Hazelnuts chopped; substitute other nutes
- 1/4 cup Labneh or greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp Zhoug or chimichurri, pesto
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dill Chopped, Garnish at serving
Instructions
- Using a mandolin (you can also use a vegetable peeler to get thin strips), thinly ribbon half of the zucchini and halfof the squash. Set aside in a bowl. Chop the remaining half of the zucchini andsquash into small bite sized pieces and set aside separately.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan, and once shimmering, add the chopped zucchini and squash. Cook, stirring periodically until just a little color starts to appear. Remove from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel to absorb any extra olive oil.
- Once cooled, add the cooked zucchini and squash to a large mixing bowl with the raw ribbons, and gently toss to combine. To that, add the lemon zest, hazelnuts, labneh, zhoug and lemon juice, and again, gently toss to combine. The ribbons are a little fragile so be careful mixing this salad. I just use tongs and gently toss everything until well incorporated. Use salt and pepper to your liking.
- Add a few pinches of freshly chopped dill, not only for garnish but I absolutely think the flavor goes great here.
