Raw zucchini makes incredible salads, and we love this fresh zucchini noodles salad with a Mediterranean-inspired Greek yogurt dressing, feta cheese, tomatoes, and olives!
Zucchini doesn’t get enough credit for salads! I love raw zucchini salads, so I’m obsessed with this zucchini noodles salad with a spicy Greek yogurt dressing, feta, and tomatoes. Since the zucchini goes in raw, it holds a bit better than cooked zucchini noodles, which are better enjoyed right away. Once dressed, this salad is good for a couple of days.
If you’ve not made zucchini noodles before, I’ve got you covered with a quick tutorial below (with and without a spiralizer). This salad is tasty served by itself, or you can add some protein with poached shrimp, lemon dill baked salmon, or sliced juicy chicken breasts. As a side note, I also love this lemon herb zucchini salad, which slices the zucchini into coins instead of spiralizing them.
Key Ingredients
- Zucchini: You can use store-bought zoodles or make them (noodles made from zucchini). Use fresh, firm zucchini for the best results. I have shared how to make zucchini noodles below.
- Cucumber, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Olives: The extra veggies we add to this zucchini salad are inspired by a classic Greek salad. For the olives, I use Kalamata, but green Castelvetrano olives are also really delicious.
- Feta Cheese: Like a classic Greek salad, we add lots of feta. You can crumble it onto the salad or do what I did in our photos and add larger cubes.
- Greek Yogurt Dressing: My dressing starts with plain Greek yogurt, then I mix in a garlic clove, crumbled feta, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, honey, and to add a tiny bit of spice, some Sriracha.
How to Make a Mediterranean Zucchini Noodles Salad
I highly recommend using a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles for this recipe. If you don’t have one, I’ve included tips below for making zoodles without (a mandoline or peeler work in a pinch).
A spiralizer creates long, curly zucchini noodles in minutes. My model is from Paderno (it was around $30). To make zoodles:
- Secure the spiralizer to your countertop (mine has suction cups). Trim the ends of the zucchini and press it firmly into the spiralizer.
- Turn the handle until all the zucchini turns into noodles. Since your noodles will be long, use scissors to cut the noodles around 12 inches long.
- Use the zoodles immediately in the salad, or store them in the fridge or freezer. I have included storing tips below the recipe. I also like making a double batch and saving them for my garlic parmesan zucchini noodles recipe.
Once you have your noodles ready, you can toss them with the dressing (which is as simple as stirring everything together) and the extra veggies, then top with feta cheese. Easy, fresh, and so delicious!
Mediterranean Zucchini Noodles Salad
- PREP
- TOTAL
You can make this Greek-inspired zucchini noodles salad in 20 minutes! The yogurt-based dressing has just the right amount of kick from garlic, feta cheese, lemon, and Sriracha hot sauce. The salad is perfect to eat immediately or make up to 2 days in advance.
You Will Need
Zucchini Salad2 medium zucchini, about 2 pounds
1/2 medium hothouse cucumber, sliced into half moons
2 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges
1/4 medium red onion, sliced thinly into half moons
2 ½ ounces feta cheese, cubed, about 1/2 cup
15 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Yogurt Dressing1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon crumbed feta cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon honey
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Prepare zucchini: Trim and spiralize the zucchini (see notes below for doing this without a spiralizer). Then, cut the spiralized zucchini into long noodles to be about the length of spaghetti.
2Make the dressing: Stir yogurt, garlic, feta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Sriracha, and honey together. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, and/or Sriracha as needed.
3Make the salad: Add zucchini noodles, cucumber, tomato, red onion, cubed feta cheese, and olives to a large bowl, then toss with two-thirds of the yogurt dressing. Add more dressing if needed.
4Enjoy the salad immediately, or keep it refrigerated for up to one day. The noodles will soften slightly over time but will still have crunch. If making ahead more than a day, for the crispiest salad, keep the salad and dressing separate and toss the day of.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Making zucchini noodles without a spiralizer: The spiralizer is not the only way to make noodles. You can use a julienne vegetable peeler or a mandoline. You can also use a standard vegetable peeler to make wide noodles or ribbons.
- Storing raw zoodles: Store your raw zucchini noodles in an airtight container lined with paper towels (the paper towels help absorb extra moisture). Refrigerate and use within 3 days.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I made this recipe. I don’t have a spiralizer so I made zucchini ribbons with my vegetable peeler. I had no feta, red onion or lemon zest. I used shallots and bocconcini cheese. It was excellent. thank you
I’m new to zoodling… do you need to cook them first or just stay raw?
Hi Katie, For this salad, we leave the zucchini raw. For a cooked zoodles recipe, check our zucchini pasta with parmesan.
Tried to print out the recipe but there is no way to do this online.
If you click the print button in the top right corner of the recipe it will take you to a printer friendly page.
To reduce the amount of water at the bottom of the bowl, try salting the zoodles and letting them drain in a collander for 20-30 min. You’ll be amazed at how much water will drain off them.
Great tip, Katy!
This was very good. I suggest serving it in a tall bowl. There always seems to be a lot of water at the bottom of these zoodles recipes. I make it right into the bowl, layering the ingredients and dressing as I go, and then leave it alone— don’t mix. Guests won’t experience the water at the bottom of the bowl quite so quickly.
I made this salad for our family reunion and it was the hit of the day. There are five members that are diabetics and the low sugar and carbs for this recipe was the biggest hit of all meals. I will be passing on the recipe and website to them. I also made the Easy Homemade Garlic Cheese bread and had to make more as it was also a great hit. I will be making this for my husband for many other dinners as he wanted more and it was gone. I am looking forward to trying out more of your recipes. Thanks for making my dinner the best.
Excellent. Added grilled chicken to this. Very filling. This would be great to bring to a summer potluck. Used my new spiral machine for the first time to make this. ??
This dish was fantastic. Simple to make and delicious to eat. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you!!!