Seed Oil Free Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Fresh Basil
This vibrant salad is everything a warm-weather dish should be — light, fresh, and genuinely beautiful on the plate. Delicate zucchini ribbons are tossed with fragrant basil, creamy torn mozzarella, and golden toasted pine nuts, then finished with a bright lemon and apple cider vinegar dressing built entirely on extra-virgin olive oil. That dressing is the real star here: no canola, no vegetable oil, no soybean oil — just honest, cold-pressed olive oil doing exactly what it was meant to do. Salting the zucchini first and letting it drain is a small but smart step that keeps the whole dish from turning watery, so every bite stays crisp and well-dressed. The result is something that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together with minimal effort and zero processed shortcuts. A pinch of flaky sea salt at the end ties everything together and makes the flavors pop in a way that's hard to explain until you taste it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 medium zucchini (about 1 ½ lb total)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- 2 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly shaved or torn
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For serving
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave each zucchini lengthwise into long, thin ribbons, rotating the zucchini a quarter-turn after each pass and stopping when you reach the seedy core. Place the ribbons in a colander set over the sink, toss with the kosher salt, and let stand for 10 minutes until slightly softened and some moisture has released.
- 2
While the zucchini drains, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a small plate to cool.
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