A refreshingly crunchy mix of cucumbers, zucchini and snap peas are served over a bed of seasoned yogurt in this easy salad/appetizer.
There’s so much to love about this season like the beautiful long sunny days, the relaxed feeling in the air, the anticipation of time spent outdoors picnicking, barbecuing or simply hanging out in the backyard, and with all of this of course comes the food. It’s the season for quick fresh meals, the kind you can whip up in a matter of minutes and go enjoy with a cool drink on the patio. That’s where this chopped cucumber, zucchini and snap pea salad comes into play.
Easy to make ahead, with a cooling crunch it’s a summer salad that embodies the freshness and lightness of the season.
Forget about those bland and/or overly cloying mayo or sour cream filled cucumber salads you may have had before, this seemingly simple salad will win you over with its lively layers of tastes and textures.
Think of this salad like a bit of a deconstructed tzatziki. The first layer is a creamy bed of well-seasoned yogurt. It provides the base for which to build the flavors on without being too heavy. The creamy yet tart flavor of yogurt offers a nice contrast to the cooling crunch of the rest of the salad.
Next up is a jumble of cucumbers, snap peas and zucchini that are finely chopped and tossed with a quick and easy lemon dill dressing. The addition of snap peas and zucchini gives the salad a satisfying crunch while remaining light and refreshing.
Season it all with a drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt and you have yourself a meal. Add a few grain-free chips on the side and call it an appetizer. Prepare the yogurt and vegetables separately the night before and you have an easy picnic or party ready dish to bring along. It’s really quite versatile and that’s the real beauty of it.
Serves 6
Sylvie Shirazi
A refreshingly crunchy mix of cucumbers, zucchini and snap peas are served over a bed of seasoned yogurt in this easy salad/appetizer.
20 minPrep Time
20 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill fronds (plus more for garnish)
- 2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley leaves
- ¼ cup/60ml extra-virgin olive oil
- The zest from half a lemon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 small Persian cucumbers, seeded and cubed
- 1-2 small zucchini, seeded and cubed
- 5oz/142g snap peas, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups/ 340ml thick, strained or Greek style yogurt (I like goat yogurt)
- 1 Tablespoon/ 15ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon/ 5ml lemon juice
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving if desired
Instructions
- Place dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest and sea salt in the bowl of a small food processor and process until smooth.
- In a large bowl toss chopped cucumbers, zucchini and snap peas with dill lemon oil until well coated.
- In another bowl whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to taste.
- Spread seasoned yogurt into the center of a serving plate and pile cucumber, zucchini and snap pea mixture in the center. Drizzle with more oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with more dill and lemon wedges on the side for serving if desired.
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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