Vegan Zucchini Ribbon & Cherry Tomato No-Cook Salad

Let's be real — sometimes you don't want to turn on a single burner. It's spring, the kitchen is warm, the zucchini at the farmers market is calling your name, and the last thing you want is to sweat over a stove. This Vegan Zucchini Ribbon & Cherry Tomato No-Cook Salad is your answer. It's fresh, it's gorgeous, and it takes exactly 20 minutes — no heat required.

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Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings: 4

Course: DINNER

Cuisine: American

Calories: 150

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Basil Vinaigrette:
½ oz 14g fresh basil leaves
1 small clove of garlic
1 tablespoon 15ml red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons 30ml extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Zucchini Ribbon Salad:
4 medium zucchini
8 oz 226g cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup Kalamata olives pitted
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

No stove. No oven. Here's what actually matters:
Vegetable peeler — The star of the show. A Y-peeler works best for wide, even ribbons.
Mini food processor or blender — For the basil vinaigrette. You could use a hand blender in a tall cup too.
Large mixing bowl — Big enough to toss everything without sending cherry tomatoes flying across your kitchen.
Sharp knife and cutting board — For halving the tomatoes and chopping the parsley.
Measuring spoons — Nothing fancy, just standard.
That's it. No fancy gadgets, no specialty tools. Just basics, and you're set.

Method

Step 1: Blend the Basil Vinaigrette
Toss the basil, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt into your mini food processor. Pulse until smooth — it takes maybe 30 seconds. The vinaigrette should be bright green and smell absolutely incredible. Set it aside while you prep the salad.
Step 2: Make the Zucchini Ribbons
Trim both ends off each zucchini. Hold the zucchini flat on your cutting board, then use your vegetable peeler to shave it lengthwise into long, wide strips. Work your way down until you hit the seedy center, then flip the zucchini and do the same on the other side.
Pro tip: The seedy center gets watery and soft, so stop when you get there. You want those firm, outer ribbons — they hold the dressing without going limp. Repeat with all four zucchinis.
Step 3: Assemble the Salad
Add the zucchini ribbons to your large bowl. Toss in the halved cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and chopped parsley. Drizzle the basil vinaigrette over everything and toss gently to coat — you want every ribbon to get some of that green goodness.
Serve immediately for the best texture and freshness.

Notes

Caloric Breakdown (Per Serving)

Here's a rough breakdown for one serving (based on 4 servings total):

Component	Approx. Calories
Zucchini (1 medium)	~20 kcal
Cherry tomatoes (2 oz)	~15 kcal
Kalamata olives (2 tbsp)	~35 kcal
Basil vinaigrette	~65 kcal
Fresh parsley	~5 kcal
Total per serving	~150 kcal

Low-calorie, high-flavor, high-volume eating — that's the kind of math I can always get behind.