Published May 31, 2016 | Last Updated October 6, 2022 By Barbara Bianchi 65 Comments

Healthy Lemony Marinated Zucchini Salad

Name: Healthy Lemony Marinated Zucchini Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 pound of zucchini (thinly sliced lengthwise); 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced); 2 tablespoons pistachios; 10-20 Kalamata olives; 2 slices bacon (cooked and chopped); 2 tablespoons goat cheese; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves (finely minced or pressed); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 garlic clove (minced); ½ cup good extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons Braggs apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped); 1 teaspoon gluten free Dijon mustard; 1 clove minced fresh garlic; salt and pepper to taste

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Zucchini is delicious raw, especially when it is marinated before being added to a salad.

This healthy and delicious lemony marinated zucchini salad is the perfect side dish to bring to a summer cookout or on a picnic!

The zucchini is topped with slivers of red onion, crumbled goat cheese, toasted pistachio nuts, Kalamata olives, and crispy bacon.

So much tastiness in every bite!

Many of the zucchini recipes I’ve shared here on the blog have been made with cooked zucchini, but zucchini is equally as delicious raw, especially when it is marinated before being added to the salad.

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Instructions including tips for healthy ingredients

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

First, slice the zucchini into very thin slices. I use this mandoline slicer. I love this simple tool for cutting up thin strips.

As you can see in the pictures below, the food holder on the mandoline protects your hand from the blade while you slice.

I also often use this cut protection glove (not pictured) which really helps protect fingers from getting nicked.

The middle picture is a view of the back of the mandoline where you can see where the slice comes out.

Once you’ve sliced up the zucchini, place all the slices in a shallow baking dish with the lemony marinade for at least two hours.

Just before you’re ready to serve your salad, finish prepping your ingredients.

Cook bacon and drain on a paper towel. You can cook your bacon in the oven with no mess and no fuss.

Then toast some pistachios in a small pot in sizzling garlic butter. Slice up the red onion (I used the mandoline again to make evenly thin slices).

Drain the zucchini and discard the marinade.

Now here is the fun part. Roll up each slice of zucchini and divide among four plates.

Then you’ll add the rest of your healthy ingredients.

Are red onions healthier?

Arrange the slivers of raw red onions atop each plate of zucchini. Raw onions are so good for you.

You can read more about the health benefits of onions here. And they add such pretty swirls of color.

Is goat cheese good for you?

Next, sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. It adds a lovely creaminess.

Because goat’s milk is closer in comparison to human milk than that of a cow, some people with low tolerance to cow’s milk can tolerate goat’s milk. Read more about goat cheese here.

The goat cheese I used is a Chèvre from the Vermont Creamery. This is a wonderfully tasty cheese. Vermont Creamery proudly states that their goats’ milk comes from high quality, sustainable, and environmentally sound farms.

It really turns this salad into something special.

I know pistachio nuts are healthy, but are they gluten free?

After the goat cheese, top the salad with toasted pistachios. I love the buttery crunchiness they add to the salad. (If you’re concerned about nuts manufactured on shared equipment with gluten containing products, Nuts.com prominently labels which products of theirs are certified gluten-free).

Which bacon is healthiest?

Now for the chopped bacon. I’ve always recommended no nitrate bacon, and lately I have been using sugar free bacon from U.S. Wellness Meats.

You may be able to find sugar free paleo friendly bacon at your supermarket.

What are the health benefits of Kalamata olives?

Finally, add a handful of Kalamata olives to each plate. They’re good for you too.

There you have it: a delightful summer salad with super healthy ingredients.

What is the healthiest and best dressing for this zucchini salad?

I think this salad is delicious with a very light vinaigrette.

For the vinegar, I used Bragg’s apple cider vinegar. It’s one hundred percent gluten free and one hundred percent nourishing to your body.

Raw apple cider vinegar has a host of health benefits from improving digestion to alleviating heartburn to maintaining healthy skin. It alkalizes the body, balancing your pH, to help you fight off disease and inflammation.

I especially like Bragg’s because it contains the “mother” of the vinegar: strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria.

To soften the sharp taste of the apple cider vinegar, I mix it with a little olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice.

Pro tips and recipe notes

Some tips about olive oil! To be sure that you’re buying a high-quality olive oil, look for an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO); otherwise, it has been chemically refined. For the freshest olive oil, check the harvest date on the label and make sure it is within one year. The oil should come in a dark glass bottle and be stored in a cool, dark cabinet.

With the vinaigrette made, we’re ready to dig in! John and I couldn’t resist adding extra slivers of red onion and a little more bacon to our salads.

I can’t wait for you to try it.

I’m looking forward to many beautiful days the summer has in store. We’ll be able to eat our meals outside and enjoy our garden.

I’m looking forward to planting vegetables and grilling on the barbecue and coming up with many more tasty recipes. 🙂

I hope you have an opportunity to slow down and enjoy this fun salad with family and friends. What are you most looking forward to these upcoming months?

Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy week!

More fun zucchini recipes!

Zucchini Lasagna Recipe That Really Rocks Think lasagna with zucchini instead of noodles. Everyone in my family loves this dish, and I’m sure you will too. Each mouthful keeps you salivating for the next bite.

Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups Rolling up grilled zucchini with bolognese sauce and fresh parmesan really takes grilled zucchini to the next level.

Bacon. Corn, And Zucchini Sauté This easy zucchini sauté is a delicious side dish where the veggies really sing.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats Beautiful green sticks of zucchini hollowed into boats and filled with sausage and Gruyere cheese are so incredibly tasty and fun to eat too!

7 Healthy & Delicious Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) Recipes These zoodles recipes will make you a fan for life. Turning zucchini into noodle-like swirls makes a healthy pasta substitute and I include lots of tips so they won’t be soggy. Which one will you make first?

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