This raw salad pairs fresh, crisp zucchini and yellow squash with a spicy Thai dressing for a dish that will catch your tastebuds by surprise.
I’ve never been one for raw zucchini, or raw squash of any kind for that matter. This salad changed all of that. I don’t remember what actually inspired me to make this salad, considering that the raw ingredients didn’t actually appeal to me. But that doesn’t really matter now, because all I can think of when I remember this salad is fresh, crunchy summertime vegetables, punctuated by a spicy savory Thai dressing.
I decided to cut the vegetables into matchstick-like pieces, but you could just as easily dice them. Either will work. Just be sure to do the same to all of the vegetables to maintain a consistent texture across the salad. In other words, it’s matchsticks for all or dicing for all.
If you’re not familiar with Thai cooking, fear not. There’s nothing in this recipe that you can’t find on the shelves of your local supermarket. Both Thai fish sauce and Chili Garlic Sauce should be nestled amongst the soy sauces in the international aisle. And I know that the smell of fish sauce is a bit tough to take when you first take a whiff. My recommendation is this…don’t take a whiff! Just mix it into the dressing, holding your breath the whole time, and then trust that the flavor will mellow and a distinctive, pleasant flavor to the dish. Seriously, trust me.
If you prefer to make this salad vegetarian, replace the fish sauce with extra soy sauce.
The recipe:
The salad:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, cilantro and mint.
The dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, agave nectar and chili garlic paste.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve.
Other zucchini recipes:
Quick Mushorom, Zucchini & Thyme Saute with Fried Egg
Grilled Zucchini Roll with Goat Cheese, Roasted Peppers & Capers
Tricolor Thai Salad Recipe with Zucchini & Yellow Squash
Ingredients
The Salad:
- 1 medium zucchini cut into matchsticks
- 1 medium yellow squash cut into matchsticks
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1 tablespoon minced mint leaves
The Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic paste
Instructions
The Salad:
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, cilantro and mint.
The Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, agave nectar and chili garlic paste.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Vanessa
I love the idea of this, it looks so simple, healthy, and delicious, but I do not like anything spicy! Do you have any suggestions in lieu of the chili garlic paste? Thanks!
Dara
Hi Vanessa, you could either leave it out or replace it with a bit of finely grated garlic.