Vegetarian Recipe: Zucchini and Tomato Salad

Every week on the Good Food Blog we celebrate Meatless Monday by sharing a vegetarian recipe from our archives.

Jacques Pepin is the author of Fast Food My Way, published by Houghton Mifflin. He first shared this recipe for Zucchini and Tomato Salad on October 2, 2004.

Photo: Vanessa Pike-Russell

Zucchini and Tomato Salad

4 servings

• 2 small, firm zucchini (each about 5 ounces)

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 cups diced (1/4-inch) tomatoes

• 2/3 cup diced (1/2-inch) mozzarella cheese, preferably buffalo mozzerella

• About 1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, cut down the length of each zucchini to remove long, thin strips. Stop when you reach the seeds in the center, pivot the zucchini, and repeat on the other 3 sides. Discard the seedy centers and put the zucchini strips in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of the salt, mix well, and set aside until serving time.

In another bowl, mix together the tomatoes, mozzerella, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and the pepper.

At serving time, arrange the zucchini strips on four plates to create a border around the edge. Spoon some of the tomato salad into the center of each plate and serve immediately.