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zucchini salad tossed with chili oil, pistachios, feta, basil, and mint on a red place on a red surface.
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Zucchini Salad with Cheater’s Chili Oil

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 6 (as a side)
Calories: 227kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (or other chili flakes, see Note 1 for heat levels)
  • 4 fairly firm medium-sized zucchini or a mix of zucchini and summer squash (about 24 ounces or 700g)
  • 1 cup (16g) fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup (8g) fresh mint leaves (can sub with more basil, or dill or flat-leaf parsley)
  • 1/2 cup (70g) roasted shelled pistachios (or almonds) (see Note 2)
  • 1 large lemon, zested
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 ½ to 2 ounces (40 to 60g) vegan feta, crumbled (see Note 3)

Instructions

  • If your nuts aren’t pre-roasted, start by toasting those first. Preheat your oven to 350ºF/175ºC and spread the nuts out on a sheet pan. Roast pistachios for 8 to 10 minutes, or almonds for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, you can toast them in a frying pan for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing frequently (though they toast less evenly this way).
  • Make the chili oil. Add the chili flakes and olive oil to a small saucepan. Turn the heat to low. Once it’s at the most gentle simmer (tiny slow, barely-there bubbles), simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl or jar to stop cooking.
    Tip: If you have an electric stove, pay close attention because it may burn if you don't pay attention to it.
  • Trim the ends and tops of the zucchini. Slice the zucchini using one of these methods (see Note 4). Transfer sliced/chopped zucchini to a large bowl.
    Option 1: For ½” pieces, slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Then slice both halves in half, lengthwise, so you have four quarters. If zucchini is fat, slice again so you have eighths. From there, slice the zucchini into ½” (~1 cm) pieces.
    Option 2: For skinny batons, cut the zucchini crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Slice each piece in half, lengthwise, then into ¼”-thick slabs (.5 cm thick). Now slice those slabs into ¼”-thick batons.
  • Make the herby pistachio topping. Chop the pistachios. Stack the leaves of basil and roll them up like a cigar, then finely sliver the leaves (i.e., chiffonade). Do the same for the mint. For any small leaves, you can tear them with your hands.
  • In a bowl, combine the basil, mint, chopped pistachios, lemon zest, and a few pinches of flaky salt and a generous amount of pepper. Mix together to combine. Slice the zested lemon in half and set aside for the next step.
  • Assemble. Drizzle the zucchini with about 2 tablespoons of the chili oil. Squeeze on about ½ tablespoon lemon juice, and gently toss with a spatula.
    Add the herby pistachio topping and feta, and toss to combine. Taste, adding flaky salt or pepper to taste, or more chili oil for richness or lemon juice for tang.
  • Store leftover chili oil in a jar in the fridge. It will last several weeks, though you may need to briefly leave it out at room temp to return the oil to its liquid state.

Notes

  1. This amount of red pepper flakes will make for a pretty spicy salad. If you want less heat, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, or use a moderate chili flake like Aleppo pepper or gochugaru. My favorite is to use 2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper for a spicy salad with lots of nutty flavor. 
  2. If you are allergic to nuts, you can use pepitas.
  3. The vegan feta adds a really nice creamy element plus a slightly salty tang. My favorite brands are Violife and Trader Joe’s brand, which is very reasonably priced. If you don’t have access to it, you can either (a) make my homemade Tofu Feta (you’ll need to make it in advance, as it marinates in the fridge for 1-2 days) or (b) replace the feta with one medium or large avocado, torn into chunks with your hands or diced.
  4. Option 2 (skinny batons) takes more time but might be ideal for you if you want smaller pieces of zucchini.