This raw courgette ribbon salad is fresh and full of flavour. Thin ribbons of raw courgette (zucchini) are lightly marinated in a flavoursome lemon and herb dressing. It's an easy, healthy side dish, ideal for barbecues and summer dinners.
At a glance
Recipe Summary: Raw courgette ribbon salad
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0
Servings: 4
Key ingredients: Courgettes (zucchini), olive oil, lemon, herbs
Nutritional highlights: A healthy Mediterranean-style recipe with healthy fats, fibre and folic acid
Allergy info: Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan
Convenience: A simple no-cook 10 minute summer salad
In the last few years, this has become one of my favourite ways to eat courgettes. It took me a while to catch on to the fact that you can eat courgettes raw, and now I find it so convenient, and it makes a nice change from cooked courgettes when the season is in full flow. As I grow my own, I often have a glut of courgettes, and I experiment a lot with courgette recipes!
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Why eat courgettes raw?
- There's no need to cook the courgettes for this simple 10 minute summer salad recipe. It saves time and it saves heating the kitchen up in summer!
- Courgettes are perfectly healthy when they are raw, and you can eat the peel too which provides extra fibre
- Courgettes are a good source of folic acid, and this is much better preserved in raw foods
- Shaved courgettes, or courgettes made into ribbons have a nice texture which is perfect in a salad
- Raw courgettes can taste a little bland, but that's why we're going to zhuzh them up with a dressing of lemon and herbs
You can also make a quick and easy coleslaw with raw courgette
Ingredients
A full list of ingredients along with metric and US measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Courgettes are also called zucchini - they are the same vegetable. They are a type of summer squash, technically a fruit rather than a vegetable as they contain seeds. In the UK they are in plentiful supply between June and September. Most gardeners will know that there can be just a few days growth between courgettes and marrows!
This easy summer salad needs small to medium-sized courgettes as they have a firmer texture and are less watery. They also have fewer seeds and thinner skins.
If yours are bigger than about 25cm, save them for courgette soup or this lovely courgette and tomato dish. Or if they've turned into marrows, there's also the option of marrow soup or this tasty marrow curry.
If you've got yellow courgettes (or zucchini), those will be great too.
Lemon. You'll need a fresh lemon for this recipe. The dressing contains lemon zest as well as juice - the zest adds a lovely light lemony flavour, and the juice adds acidity.
Olive oil. I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil as it has more nutrients and flavour when used unheated. You could also use another healthy oil if you prefer.
Herbs. Fresh herbs add a lovely flavour to this no-cook summer salad, and there are several options. Mint goes really well with courgette, as does basil. I also really love courgette salad with thyme, but make sure you use only the soft thyme leaves from the tips not any woody stems. Parsley leaves would be another good option.
Seasoning - to taste
How to make courgette ribbons
There's no spiralizer needed for this recipe. You can use a vegetable peeler to make courgette ribbons, any standard peeler will work. Trim the ends, then just peel the whole length of the courgette into long thin strips. If the courgette is quite long, you might find it easier to cut in in half first. Then just keep peeling...
Work your way around the courgette so that you peel it right to the centre. You can include the skin in your courgette ribbon salad (it adds extra colour and nutrients) but discard the very centre of the courgette, which is soft and seedy. The courgette ribbons should be about 1mm thick, but it's really not crucial, and if some of them break partway down, your salad will still taste every bit as delicious. (This youtube link has an upbeat video of making courgette ribbons if you want to see it in action)
Of course, if you prefer and you have one, you can make the ribbons with a spiralizer or a mandoline (please take care!!)
Lemon dressing for raw courgette salad
Courgette ribbon salad has a really simple fresh tasting dressing that takes only a minute to prepare. Pop the lemon zest, juice and olive oil in a jar with a lid, along with some seasoning, and give it a good shake to mix.
Assembling the salad
Place the ribbons of courgette in a serving bowl, and gently mix in the chopped herbs. Add the dressing and toss it through until the courgettes are evenly coated. I find it easiest to use my hands, but you could use spoons or salad servers if you prefer.
Expert tips
- You can use a flavoured oil to make this courgette ribbon salad if you prefer. Oil flavoured with garlic, herbs or even chilli will all work well
- If you want to make courgette ribbon salad a bit more substantial, then some grated parmesan, toasted almonds or pine nuts all go really well. Feta and raw courgette is also a good combination
- Add some other veggies if you like. A few raw peas add extra sweetness, or you could add a few shaved asparagus spears
Storage and serving
Raw courgette ribbon salad is nicest eaten within 10 or 15 minutes of making as the courgettes will be crunchier. If they start to soften, they will release some of their water, which will dilute the dressing and spoil the recipe.
If you do want to prep ahead, make your courgette ribbons and store them in the fridge in an airtight container with a paper towel in the bottom to absorb any liquid. Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar and store in the fridge, and then mix everything together at the last minute.
This lemony courgette ribbon salad is a healthy summer side dish. How about serving it at a BBQ alongside some burgers (these lentil burgers or turkey burgers would both fit the bill). It also goes really nicely with this homemade healthy spinach quiche, or simple spatchcock chicken recipe. And lemon and courgette with fish is a great combination - oven-baked salmon or pan-fried white fish would be delicious.
Frequently asked questions
It's easy to make courgette strips or ribbons with just a standard vegetable peeler. Just trim the ends off the courgette, and keep peeling. If you prefer, you could also use a mandoline or a spiralizer.
Zucchini or courgette makes a lovely, healthy salad. It can be eaten as a fresh, raw salad with a light dressing. You can also use cooked zucchini in a salad if you prefer. They can be griddled or grilled before tossing in a dressing.
There's no need to peel zucchini. Leaving the skin on retains more of the fibre and nutrition. However, if the zucchini are huge and overgrown, the skin may be rather tough and should be removed.
Other easy, healthy summer salads
Why not try some of these other summer salad recipes?
Other courgette recipes you might enjoy
You might also like this post with lots of courgette recipes if you've got a glut!
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Recipe
Raw Courgette Ribbon Salad
Ingredients
- 400 g courgettes Washed and ends trimmed
- Few leaves mint, basil or thyme Removed from stem and torn into small pieces
Lemon dressing
- 3 tablespoon olive oil Extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest Finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the courgette lengthwise into ribbons. Work around the courgette until you are left with the small seedy centre which you should discard. Include the peel in the salad.400 g courgettes
- Add the dressing ingredients to a lidded jar, and shake well to mix.3 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
- Arrange the courgette ribbons in a serving bowl, and gently mix in the torn herbs. Pour over the dressing, and toss gently until thoroughly mixed.Few leaves mint, basil or thyme
Notes
- Try to use fresh herbs, lemon juice and zest, as they are key to the flavour of the salad.
- It's best to tear rather than chop soft herbs such as mint and basil as they bruise easily and will discolour.
- Serve the salad immediately. If you want to prep ahead, make the courgette ribbons and store in the fridge in a sealed container lined with a paper towel. Store the dressing in the fridge and mix into the courgettes at the last minute.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
J. says
We enjoyed this simple salad, a great way to eat raw courgettes.
Wendy says
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.