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An easy zoodles recipe, tossed with lemon juice, oven dried tomatoes and creamy feta can be on the table in just 15 minutes. Add a loaf of crusty bread and you have a simple vegetarian meal for a hot summer’s evening.
TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 15 MINUTES
Zucchini is one of the first vegetables planted in our summer garden. They flourish in the heat. In fact they do so well that more than one unsuspecting pedestrian has been presented with a large zucchini as they have wandered past the front garden this season. Whilst this strategy has been quite successful in reducing the number of zucchinis entering the house, there is only so much pasta or cake I can make before the family starts to protest.
Last Christmas, my sister kindly bought me a spiraliser that turns raw vegetables into spaghetti-like ribbons, or zoodles, and makes short work of our monster zucchinis (admittedly I did send her a picture of the one I wanted with the caption “My Christmas Present”).
The resulting zucchini noodles are firm and crunchy, and work surprisingly well in a salad. The other big advantage of zoodles is that they can be made in advance and sit happily in the fridge until required, which is just one of the tricks I use when prepping my salads ahead of time.
And whilst I’m on the subject, make sure you grab my free guide crammed with other salad prep tips from my Resource Library. Simply click the link below or request the library password at the end of this post.
I have made quite a few zoodle salad recipes this summer, tossing the long zucchini strings with pesto, tamari salad topping and various dressings. However, my favourite incarnation so far has been this easy zoodles recipe with a lemony feta dressing. It is light and zesty, making it perfect for dinner on a hot summer’s evening.
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Ingredient Substitutions for this easy zoodles recipe
This zoodle salad recipe is very simple, with few ingredients, but that doesn’t mean you cannot substitute ingredients to suit your personal tastes.
- I haven’t tried it myself, but I do think that you could use spiralised cucumber in place of the zucchini zoodles. If using cucumbers, I would remove the watery core and spiralise the rest of the cucumber.
- A firm, crumbly goats cheese can be used in place of the feta.
- I’ve used my oven dried cherry tomatoes here because I always have some on hand in summer when I make this recipe. However shredded slow roasted tomatoes, semi-sundried tomatoes or even ripe fresh cherry tomatoes will work just as well here.
- Use other soft fresh herbs in place of the basil, or a mix of herbs. Try dill, parsley and/or a few snipped chives.
- If zucchini noodles are a step too far, replace them with spaghetti. I think a good wholemeal spaghetti would work well here.
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Frequently asked questions about zoodle salad recipes
Do zoodles taste like pasta?
Pasta is (usually) made with wheat flour whilst zoodles are made from vegetables. In terms of ingredients therefore they are very different.
However raw zoodles are firm and retain some crunch, or bite, which makes them similar in texture to properly cooked pasta. When coated with a dressing or sauce, some people may find it difficult to distinguish between pasta and zoodles.
Can you freeze zucchini noodles?
Zucchini noodles can be frozen, but once thawed they will be limp and watery as zucchini softens considerably in the freezer. Defrosted zoodles would be better incorporated into zucchini dishes such as crustless zucchini quiche or lemon zucchini bread.
Can you eat zucchini raw?
Surprisingly, zucchini is actually quite delicious raw. It is slightly crunchy and takes well to dressings, which makes it an ideal ingredient for salads.
Are zucchini noodles good for you?
One serving of zucchini will provide 32% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, and is also a good source of Vitamins B6, riboflavin, folate, and manganese. It is high in fibre, and is gluten free, making it an ideal vegetable to include in a healthy diet.
What is the best spiraliser to buy?
A spiraliser is a handy gadget to have in the kitchen. It is not just good for an easy zoodles recipe with raw vegetables like this one. Zoodles made from vegetables like potato, beetroot and sweet potato can be cooked and used as the base of main meals or side dishes. Personally I have spiralised potatoes, tossed them with rosemary and garlic, and oven roasted them as a crunchy side dish. Delicious!
I have a stand spiraliser with suction pads that keep it stable whilst in use. If you are unsure as to whether a spiraliser is the right gadget for you though, why not purchase a cheap handheld version which will still allow you to produce some great dishes.
You can read more about the various types of spiralisers on the market at the moment here.
Tips & Tricks for my lemon feta easy zoodles recipe
Don’t let the zoodles scare you. This easy zoodles salad recipe is very simple to put together, and makes a great mid-week meal in the height of summer. I leave you with a few final tips to ensure your success.
- The salt in the creamy feta dressing draws moisture out of the zucchini, so the salad softens quite quickly once dressed. If you wish to make this zoodle salad recipe ahead, prepare the zucchini and dressing separately, then dress the salad just prior to serving.
- The zucchini can be spiralised up to 24 hours ahead. Once spiralised, keep the zucchini noodles in an airtight container in the fridge until required.
- The dressing can also be made up to 24 hours ahead; keep it in a jar in the fridge.
- Add a loaf of crusty bread to turn this into a simple vegetarian meal for four people.
Looking for more zucchini recipes?
This easy zoodles recipe is a great way to use up a glut of zucchini, but as zucchini seem to grow overnight I find I am always looking for ways to use up the excess. If you also find yourself in this position, why not try:
- 21 of the Best Recipes to Use Up A Zucchini Glut
- Crustless Zucchini Quiche
Enjoy!
Made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below.
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Easy Zoodles Recipe with Lemon & Feta
This easy zoodles recipe, tossed with lemon juice, oven dried tomatoes and creamy feta can be on the table in just 15 minutes. Just add a crusty loaf of bread to the salad for an easy vegetarian meal on a hot summer’s evening.
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine Australian
Keyword easy zoodles recipe, vegetarian zoodles recipe, zoodle salad recipes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 508kcal
Author Tania @ The Cook’s Pyjamas
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 15 – 30 ml (1 – 2 Tablespoons) lemon juice ^
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 75 g (1/2 cup) feta crumbled
- Salt & pepper
For the salad
- 2 – 3 large zucchini approx. 800g
- 110 g (1 cup) oven dried cherry tomatoes *
- 25 g (1 cup) basil leaves picked
- 100 g (3/4 cup) feta crumbled
Instructions
For the dressing
Blitz all of the ingredients for the dressing together in a blender or food processor. I use a hand held blender for this task.
Process until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
Set the dressing aside.
For the salad
Spiralise the zucchini using your preferred gadget.
Place the raw zucchini noodles into a large bowl.
Roughly chop or tear the basil leaves. Set aside.
Pour the dressing over the noodles and toss the noodles gently through the dressing to ensure the zoodles are well covered with the dressing.
Add the torn basil, tomatoes and crumbled feta to the bowl.
Toss everything gently to distribute the basil, tomatoes and feta through the zoodles.
Serve immediately.
Notes
- ^ I like a very tart, lemony dressing on this salad, so I use 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. If you prefer less lemon, use the lower amount of juice specified.
- * Semi-sundried tomatoes, sundried tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes can all be used in place of the oven dried cherry tomatoes.
- The zucchini can be spiralised up to 24 hours ahead. Once spiralised, keep the zucchini noodles in an airtight container in the fridge until required.
- The dressing can also be made up to 24 hours ahead; keep it in a jar in the fridge.
- This salad softens quite quickly once dressed, as the salt in the feta draws some of the moisture out of the zucchini. If you wish to make this ahead, prepare the zucchini and dressing separately, then dress the salad just prior to serving.
- Add a loaf of crusty bread for a simple vegetarian meal for 4.
Update Notes: This post was originally published on 16th February 2016. It was substantially updated on 9th April 2019 to include ingredient substitutions, FAQ’s, nutritional information and to improve the readability of the text.
