Zucchini Salad With Sizzled Mint and Feta

Name: Zucchini Salad With Sizzled Mint and Feta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar; 1 teaspoon honey; Salt; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (any color); 2 teaspoons dried mint or oregano; Big pinch of red-pepper flakes; 3 ounces feta, crumbled into big pieces

By Ali Slagle

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Zucchini Salad With Sizzled Mint and Feta — Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4(589)
Comments: Read comments

Crunchy and tart like salad-e Shirazi yet sturdy enough to sit out for a couple hours, this salad dresses snappy raw zucchini and salty feta simply, with vinegar and oil. But while summery salads can be ephemeral, this one has staying power because its seasonings — a za’atar-like combination of dried mint, sesame seeds and dried chile — bloom in the olive oil for a rich undercurrent of flavor. Serve this dish as a side or build it into a whole meal by adding cooked grains, beans or another protein.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1pound zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into ½-inch pieces
1½tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
1teaspoon honey
Salt
¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
3tablespoons sesame seeds (any color)
2teaspoons dried mint or oregano
Big pinch of red-pepper flakes
3ounces feta, crumbled into big pieces

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, stir together the zucchini, vinegar, honey and a big pinch of salt.
Step 2
In a small skillet or saucepan, cook the olive oil and sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until the seeds are fragrant and golden, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mint, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Immediately scrape the oil over the zucchini and stir to combine.
Step 3
Top the mixture with feta, then season to taste with salt. The salad can stay out at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or be refrigerated for up to 2 days. (The sesame seeds will lose their crunch, but not their flavor.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

589 user ratings

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Comments

Kaydee1 year ago

This is delicious - wonderful flavor and texture! I bought green and yellow squash at the farmer's market today & a small Walla Walla (sweet) onion. Added a few thin-slices (translucent) of the onion in Step 1. Added dried oregano and red-pepper flakes w/ the hot sesame seed/EVOL in step 2, then added a few finely cut fresh mint leaves in Step 3. For extra crunch added some roughly chopped pistachios. Definitely a keeper!

Katharine1 year ago

Delightful! I sub’d 2tsp finely chopped fresh mint and it’s splendid.

lauren1 year ago

Great salad. Delicious flavors. I added some chick peas sautéed with mild spices and red wine vinegar to complement the spices. Made the dish more substantial.

Raluca1 month ago

I grilled the zucchini in a pan because I don’t like eating it raw. Didn’t have sesame seeds, nor the patience to sizzle the mint, so I just threw the oil in with the rest of the dressing and used fresh mint instead. It was delightful, can’t wait to make it again!

Daisy2 months ago

I’m sorry this dish is…weird. Three tablespoons of sesame is too much. Leaves the dish heavier tasting, since sesame seeds are a fatty seed

JessL_HB_4 months ago

Great and quick! Made it as a summer main dish, substituted large cubes of fried halloumi for feta, and sizzled fresh mint leaves from the garden instead of dried, which added some great crunch.

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