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–+ servings

Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad

Overhead photo of pasta salad with zucchini noodles and Italian vinaigrette dressing in a large serving bowl.
Elevate your summer dining experience with my Pasta Salad Zucchini recipe, a masterpiece of light and fresh Italian cuisine. With an artful combination of humble spiralized courgette noodles, luscious mozzarella cheese, and a medley of colorful veggies all dressed in a zesty vinaigrette, this simple and satisfying salad captures the essence of al fresco summer meals in every single bite!
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  • 3 medium Zucchini – spiralized, roughly chopped, salted, and thoroughly drained (SEE NOTES)
  • 2 Ears Grilled Corn on the Cob – kernels removed from cob (SEE NOTES)
  • ½ whole Red Onion – thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces Mozzarella Pearls (substitute: torn burrata cheese)
  • 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes – halved (about 25 tomatoes or 5 ounces)
  • ½ Cup Fresh Basil – roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
  • to taste Flaky Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper
  • to taste Italian Dressing (SEE NOTES)
  • Optional Mix-ins: Crispy Prosciutto or Crumbled Bacon, Grilled Chicken or Steak, Sliced Avocado, Chopped Cucumber, and more (SEE NOTES)

Instructions

  • Assemble Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the zucchini, corn, red onion, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil. Season with a pinch of pepper (do not add salt). Toss well to combine.
  • Add Salad Dressing and Toss Together: Add dressing to the salad to taste. Toss well to coat.
  • Garnish and Serve Pasta Salad Zucchini: Transfer salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Sprinkle with crispy prosciutto, flaky salt and more fresh basil. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Zucchini: If you don’t have a spiralizer you can use a vegetable peeler to create long strands of zucchini. Or, you can use a sharp knife to thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise. Make sure you roughly chop the zucchini noodles before using them in the salad - it will make the salad much easier to toss!
  2. Salting Zucchini Noodles: If you plan on immediately eating the zucchini salad, you can skip this step. Otherwise, I recommend salting the zucchini. Here's how:
    • Place the zoodles into a colander and sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt over the zucchini noodles. Toss well to distribute the salt evenly.
    • Let the veggie noodles sit for 20-30 minutes to allow the salt to draw the moisture out of the zucchini.
    • Rinse the zucchini noodles well to remove excess salt and then pat thoroughly dry using paper towels before using to make the pasta salad.
  3. Crispy Prosciutto: I typically use 3 ounces of torn prosciutto.
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Arrange the prosciutto in an even layer so that they are not overlapping.
    • Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the prosciutto is golden and crisped.
    • Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a wire rack. Allow prosciutto to cool.
  4. To grill corn: Wondering the best way to grill corn cobs? I got you covered. Check out this article on the three best ways for grilling corn. Alternatively, you can use the cobs raw - simply cut the kernels from the cob and proceed with the recipe.
  5. Option to Cook Zucchini Noodles: If raw vegetable noodles scare you, feel free to quickly cook them for a of couple minutes in large sauté pan. Just make sure you do not season them with salt! Place a saute pan over medium heat, add noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook the noodles! Allow them to cool slightly before proceeding with recipe.
  6. To Customize Pasta Salad: You can easily add whatever fresh summer produce you have on hand to this salad. You can substitute summer squash for the zucchini or use a combination of both. I encourage you to make this salad your own! Please see the article for a complete list of ingredients to add.
  7. Dressing: You can either use your favorite store bought Italian dressing, or you can make your own. I always recommend making your own so you can tailor it to your taste and control what is going into it. But, if you’re in a pinch there's absolutely zero shame in the store bought stuff. Use what works for you! (Please see homemade italian dressing recipe below.)
  8. Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
     
  9. Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can! 
DIY Italian Dressing:
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 Clove Garlic - minced
2 TBS Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1-3 tsp Honey
3/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
Coarse Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper
Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk well until combined. Taste and adjust sweetness with honey, and seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings - not including the salad dressing. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal    Carbohydrates: 16g    Protein: 16g    Fat: 14g    Saturated Fat: 8g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g    Monounsaturated Fat: 4g    Trans Fat: 0.003g    Cholesterol: 45mg    Sodium: 378mg    Potassium: 639mg    Fiber: 3g    Sugar: 8g    Vitamin A: 1102IU    Vitamin C: 38mg    Calcium: 320mg    Iron: 1mg
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian