Zucchini Cucumber Mint Salad! Whether you’re looking for a simple lunch salad or a refreshing side dish, this salad is a must-try for anyone craving a burst of flavor in every bite.

Bursting with freshness and flavor, this Lebanese-inspired Zucchini Cucumber Mint Salad is a true summer sensation. The zesty combination of lemon, mint, and sumac creates a light and bright taste profile that will tantalize your taste buds. Each bite is complemented by the toasty crunch of pine nuts, adding a nutty depth to the dish. The fresh herbs infuse the salad with a wonderful vibrancy, elevating it to a whole new level of culinary excellence.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

Embark on a culinary love affair with this delectable Lebanese-inspired salad that captured our hearts from the very first bite. Inspired by the culinary geniuses at America’s Test Kitchen, this recipe is a testament to flavor perfection.

Curious about combining zucchini and cucumbers in a salad? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Trust us when we say, this unique pairing is a match made in culinary heaven. The mild and subtle flavors of zucchini seamlessly blend into the salad, creating a flavor harmony. You won’t even realize the zucchini is there – it’s like a delicious veggie ninja in disguise!

We love sneaking in some extra veggies and this recipe is a great way. Even the pickiest eaters become fans of this refreshing dish. Give it a try and experience the magic for yourself!

Tips for Success:

Flavor Profile: This Lebanese inspired Zucchini Cucumber Mint Salad is a refreshing salad. The lemon, mint, and sumac make for a light, bright, yet flavorful flavor. The pine nuts add a toasty nutty crunch. The fresh herbs add a wonderful vibrant freshness.
Draining the Zucchini: It is important to drain the sauteed zucchini by placing it in a sieve over a bowl and place it in the refrigerator to cool down. The removes any excess water which prevents watering down the dressing. Sauteed zucchini tends to leak moisture as it becomes cool. This step is important and makes a big difference in the end product.
Toasted Pine Nuts: We recommend that if you do not plan to consume the salad in one sitting that you keep the toasted pine nuts separate (do not add to the salad) and add them to individual servings to stir in.
Amount of Fresh Mint: The amount used is .5 oz which is the size you typically see in most grocery stores in the small clam shell-sized containers. This is approximately ¼ cup finely chopped.
Sumac: Sumac Spice is deep red berry color. It comes from sumac berries which have been crushed into a coarse powder. It tastes tangy, earthy, and citrusy. We do not recommend you leave it out, but if you cannot locate it, you can substitute it with some lemon zest with the understanding that the flavor of the dish will be changed accordingly.
Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 3 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.

This salad cannot be frozen.

Pantry Products:

Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

Large skillet
Fine mesh sieve

If you try this delicious salad, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Zucchini Cucumber Mint Salad

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Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Total Time: 28 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Category: Salad, Side
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

Bursting with freshness and flavor, this Lebanese-inspired Zucchini Cucumber Mint Salad is a true summer sensation.

Inspired by America’s Test Kitchen

Instructions

If including toasted pine nuts, simply place the pine nuts into a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lighted toasted. Be careful as pine nuts burn easily. Immediate remove from the skillet to cool as they will continue to toast (and possibly burn) if left in the skillet.
If using the same skillet that the pine nuts were toasted, rinse the pan with water to remove any pine nut fragments. Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat, as soon as the skillet is hot, add the diced zucchini and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Sauté over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then after 4 minutes immediately remove the sauteed zucchini from the pan and place into a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl to collect any moisture and place the sauteed zucchini with the strainer and bowl into the refrigerator to cool for a minimum of 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, add all the Dressing Ingredients, whisk until smooth and emulsified, set aside.
In a large bowl, add all the Salad Ingredients, the cooled, sauteed zucchini, and the toasted pine nuts, gently mix, then pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently mix. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Servings: 4

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