Zucchini Ribbon Salad – Chris Ciolli
You know how plain Mozarella, especially fresh mozarella tastes like nothing. It’s over-encompassing flavor is nada, zero, zilch? Not so with Buffalo Mozarella. It’s an origin-protected cheese for a reason… So worth the price difference (almost double) for so much more flavor.
Anyway, I love buffalo mozarella, but caprese salads lack a certain amount of fiber to fill up on, to make them a meal and my husband isn’t a big fan of fresh basil (sad, really). One of my favorite solutions to this cooking conundrum is a mozarella and zucchini ribbon salad. It’s crunchy, healthy, packed with nutrients and healthy fats and filling enough to function as a light meal. Score!
Buffalo Mozarella and Zucchini Ribbon Salad Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 zucchini
- 2 Medium sized tomatoes or 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup black kalamata olives (if desired)
- 1 8-10 oz ball of fresh mozarella di bufala (fresh mozarella made from cow’s milk is edible, but not nearly as tasty).
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or finely minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small glass jar.
- Shake well and put aside.
- Slice zucchini lengthwise into ribbons with a food processor, or if you’re old school like me you can use a vegetable peeler and explain to yourself in soothing tones that don’t own excess kitchen appliances because your kitchen is tiny and outlets are scarce).
- Slice tomatoes into wedges or cherry tomatoes into halves
- Pit the olives, if desired.
- Arrange the zucchini ribbons in the middle of a salad bowl with the tomatoes around the outer edge.
- Cut buffalo mozarella in half and place in the center of the salad.
- Sprinkle olives over the top of the salad.
- Drizzle with the dressing you prepared earlier.
