Summer Zucchini Rice Salad
This is an easy summer salad that I love. Zucchini is one of my favorite summer foods and we get it from our farm share weekly. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it.
This recipe is loosely adapted from Smitten Kitchen, which is my absolute favorite cooking blog. The author, Deb, has an incredibly funny and engaging writing style, and her recipes range from everyday and easy to wedding cakes, so depending on my mood I can make an a quick dinner on a Tuesday or a project.
Zucchini is one of my favorite summer foods and we get it from our farm share weekly. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. The original recipe for Zucchini Carpaccio Salad is where I drew my inspiration. I didn’t make ribbons with the zucchini for this version, but you should try it that way if you haven’t — it’s delicious! I also wanted this to be heartier than the original recipe so I added rice. I didn’t have any greens so I left them out but you could add them if you like. If you don’t have pepitas use whatever you have on hand. I had planned on adding slivered almonds until I realized I didn’t have any on hand…oops!
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked brown rice
3 medium zucchini or summer squash
1/4 cup pepitas
1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons grate parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Recipe
Cook the rice to package directions. Remove from heat and cool in a large bowl.
While the rice is cooking, chop the zucchini/squash into small pieces. I chopped mine into small squares, but you could also do matchsticks. Add the zucchini/squash and pepitas to the cooled rice.
Make the dressing. Zest half of the lemon and then add the juice to the same bowl. Mince the garlic and add it to the bowl along with the cheese. Mix everything together and then slowly whisk in the olive oil. By adding the olive oil slowly while you whisk, the dressing with emulsify and won’t separate so easily. Add salt and pepper to tase.
Add the dressing to the rice, zucchini, and pepitas mixture and mix. Serve room temperature.
