Easy Zucchini Pasta Salad With Homemade Italian Dressing
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Last Updated on October 31, 2023
Zucchini pasta salad is my favorite pasta salad to make, and not just because it’s gluten-free. It’s loaded with flavors from the tangy homemade vinaigrette. This zucchini noodle salad is my go-to for any event in which I need to make food. You’re going to love it!
Zucchini Pasta Salad
Every time there is a large gathering with food, my friends and family request that I bring my homemade zucchini pasta salad! It’s always a crowd-pleaser, and I even come prepared with printed recipe cards to hand out because people always ask for the recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When you are on a gluten-free diet, Italian pasta salad is pretty-much off the table. Thankfully, there are various different AIP pasta substitutes that can be used in place of gluten-filled pasta, such as zucchini. This type of squash makes a great pasta substitute, and of course it’s full of more nutrients than rotini pasta.
What’s great about this healthy summer pasta salad is that it’s so easy to make! I like to make it a day in advance so all the vegetables have time to absorb the delicious from-scratch Italian dressing.
How to Make Zucchini Noodles
If you’ve never spiralized zucchini before, you might be wondering what tools work best for this. I have a spiralizer attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer that works great for making zoodles.
You can spiralize zucchini and other vegetables using less-expensive tools like a vegetable peeler with a spiral attachment, hand spiralizers, and small electric vegetable spiral slicers.
Easy Zucchini Pasta Salad
This gluten-free zucchini pasta salad will please your taste buds, and you won’t even miss the regular pasta, I promise! It’s not only good for you and packed full of vegetables and flavor, it really hits the spot when you are craving Italian pasta salad.
Ingredients for Zucchini Pasta Salad
Here’s what you need to make zucchini pasta salad.
- fresh zucchini (organic preferably)
- grape or sweet cherry tomatoes
- red onion, sliced thinly
- cucumbers (any type you prefer or have on-hand)
- kalamata olives (or a mixture of black olives, green olives, etc.)
Note: to make is compliant for the autoimmune protocol, omit the tomatoes.
Note: You can choose to slice the grape tomatoes in half as the juices from the tomatoes will mix with the dressing for additional flavor. I leave them whole because I cannot eat nightshade foods, and it’s easy enough for me to pick the tomatoes out.
Also, you can use a variety of different tiny tomatoes (like orange and red ones) if you prefer. I remove the green stems unless I purchase a package that has the stems removed already.
Homemade Italian Dressing Ingredients
You won’t be using a bottle of Italian dressing, instead you will be making your own vinaigrette! This delicious dressing is great on green leafy vegetables too. I often make a double batch and store in a Mason jar in my fridge.
- extra virgin olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- garlic cloves
- dried oregano
- dried parsley
- raw honey (optional, or other natural sweetener if desired)
- sea salt
How to Make Zucchini Pasta Salad
This delicious recipe is easy to make for your next summer barbecue or light meal (perfect for lunch!). Here’s how you make it.
- Start by spiralizing the raw zucchini to make it into “pasta.” Place it into a large mixing bowl.
- Next, using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the red onion.
- Then, chop the cucumber and dice it into small chunks.
- Combine all fresh vegetables and olives into a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, add all the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette and combine well.
- Finally, pour the dressing over the Italian pasta mixture and stir.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferrably overnight to let the flavors meld. Stir every few hours (if you remember) to help blend the ingredients for thorough marination. Your zoodles should still be al dente, just a little softer from the acid breaking it down.
Zoodle Salad with Italian Dressing Optional Additions
Here are some optional additions to change up the flavors in the zucchini pasta salad. You can go for a more mediterranean zucchini pasta salad by adding fresh mozzarella, fresh herbs, etc.
- use cucamelons instead of or in addition to cucumbers
- parmesan cheese
- red peppers & green peppers
- red pepper flakes
- artichokes
- feta cheese
- capers
- chickpeas
- fresh mozarella balls
- pepperoni
- green onions
- sundried tomatoes
- lemon zest
- fresh cracked black pepper
How to Serve this Zoodle Salad
As I mentioned, I make my zucchini pasta salad recipe for crowds at the request of my guests who love it. So, it’s usually a potluck item I bring with me for large gatherings. But you can also serve it anytime – at a picnic or BBQ as it makes a delightful summer side dish.
How to Store Zoodle Salad
Since I make this Italian salad the night before, the acidity of the dressing breaks down the firmness of the zucchini pasta, so it’s best served the next day. However, it will last up to 3 days in an airtight container, it will just become less firm and fresh.
Depending on how cold your refreigerator’s settings are, sometimes the oil in the dressing can get a little clumpy. If that happens, just dish up the zucchini salad and let it sit for a bit to come to room temperature. I have really sensitive teeth, so I pop it in the microwave for about 10 seconds so I can bite into it without an issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
If this is your first time making Italian zoodle salad, you might have some questions that we haven’t answered yet.
Should I peel the zucchini first?
Nope! There is no need to peel the zucchini first. The green skin adds some nice color to this dish.
What type of cucumbers work best for Italian pasta salad?
English cucumbers, also known as seedless or hothouse cucumbers, are often preferred due to their crunchy texture and minimal seeds. Another good option is Persian cucumbers which are smaller in size and have thin skin. They offer a similar crispness to English cucumbers but with a slightly sweeter taste.
Will another type of vinegar work?
The best type of vinegar to use when you are making homemade Italian dressing is apple cider vinegar. I haven’t tried another type, but I know that it would definitely change the flavor outcome of the zoodle pasta salad.
Can I used bottled Italian dressing instead?
Of course you CAN use bottled dressing, but why would you want to? Trust me, you’ll love this homemade dressing recipe and want to use it all the time!
PrintZucchini Pasta Salad With Homemade Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 medium-large zuchinni
- 16 oz package of grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 large cucumbers
- 2 jars of kalamata olives (or a mixture of pitted olives)
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2–3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp raw honey (optional)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (more to taste)
Instructions
- Spiralize the zuchinni to make it into “pasta.”
- Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the red onion.
- Chop the cucumber and dice it into small chunks.
- Combine all vegetables and olives into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, add all the ingredients for the dressing and combine well.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and stir.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferrably overnight to let the flavors meld. Stir every few hours (if you remember) to help blend the ingredients for thorough marination.
