Paleo
Vegan
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Three Herb Tomato Zucchini salad is the best of summer’s produce made into a healthy marinated vegetable salad! This easy zucchini salad recipe is paleo, vegan, and whole30 friendly. Quick to make and one of the best zucchini and tomato recipes I’ve ever eaten!
How, oh how in the world is it already AUGUST?! The second half of the year. The second part of Summer? Did you do go on vacation yet? Where to? Did you eat some amazing food and summer produce? Gah, that’s probably my favorite part of summer. As mentioned in my uber corny post about peaches and peach relish. Summer reminds me of road trips with fruit stands to stop at on the way. It also reminds me of when I was 12 and my dad and I dug in the dirt to build our own garden!
We planted peppers, tomatoes, corn, green beans, herbs, and more. I remember checking the progress of my tomato plants EVERY DAY! Until that very day, the day when those little ripe red tomatoes came to fruition, literally. We picked a few, washed them off, sliced them into pieces, drizzled with olive oil, then sprinkled with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt.
The taste of Summer on my palate! Freshness, flavor, and the fact that we grew our own made me savor the bite even more. Yes, even at 12 years old I was a foodie. Haha!
Now a-days, as soon as the garden explodes with fresh produce, I seem to crave marinated veggies. It’s engraved in my soul, all thanks to that one childhood memory.
See where I’m going with this, yes?
Tomato and Zucchini Salad (with a Smack of Sumac)
I’m sure we’ve all made some version of the old summer staple, cucumber salad. It’s delicious and everything, but to me, it lacks zippy flavor. Cucumbers are mostly water, you know. So this year, I decided to make something different; something healthier and I don’t know; zippier. (Is that even a word?) One of those zucchini and tomato recipes that you can create, take to a potluck or picnic and not worry about having to bring any leftovers home.
Marinated veggie Salad Tip! To achieve that no leftovers allowed goal, I decided to focus in on using sumac in the dressing. It gives the salad more tart, citrus-y flavor. Fresh herbs help balance the flavors and provide extra antioxidants!
What is Sumac?
If you think Sumac is a rapper who died a few years ago, you’re wrong. You’re thinking of Tupac. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist a Corny Cotter moment!)
Sumac are any one of about 35 different species of flowering plants. Sumac berries are dried and turned into a powder that is used a lot in Middle Eastern and South Asian recipes (Sumac Chicken Thighs, anyone?) and it has some great health benefits, too. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and it can help lower blood sugar levels.
So adding sumac to the tomato and zucchini salad for the health benefits was sort of a no-brainer. The fact that it adds such great flavor to the dressing gives it an extra star.
Ingredients Used in This DELICIOUS Marinated Vegetables Salad Recipe:
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Red and yellow cherry tomatoes
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zucchini
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shallot
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garlic
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olive oil
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lemon
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sumac
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chive, basil, and parsley
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sea salt and black pepper
Simple enough.
Three Herb Tomato Zucchini Salad
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Prep Time: 10 -
Total Time: 10
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Yield: 4 -
Category: salad -
Method: chop -
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Three Herb Tomato Zucchini salad is the best of summer’s produce made into a healthy marinated vegetable salad! This easy zucchini salad recipe is paleo, vegan, and whole30 friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (red and yellow)
- 1 zucchini (or 2 small)
- 1 shallot sliced (or 1/3 c red onion chopped)
- To soak in 2 tbsp lemon
- 1/2 c chopped fresh herbs combined
- Chive
- Italian parsley
- Basil
- 3 -4 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil (see notes)
- 2 tsp sumac
- Pinch of smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 tsp garlic or two cloves
- Sea Salt and crushed pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp extra Lemon juice
- Lemon slices to garnish
Instructions
- Wash and slice your tomatoes and zucchini. Place in a large serving bowl.
- Slice your shallot (or red onion) and soak in 2 tbsp lemon juice. Set aside.
- Chop your herbs and place in a small bowl. Toss together.
- Combine your olive oil, sumac, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon to juice together in a bowl. Whisk together. Pour over your tomatoes and zucchini.
- Add in your soaked shallot slices (discard the lemon juice), herbs, and toss again.
- Garnish with extra lemon slices and salt/pepper to taste.
- Serve right away or store in air tight container for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Feel free to use summer squash or larger tomatoes if desired. The more the salad soaks in the dressing, the more flavorful it becomes, but the tomatoes will also become a bit softer.
- 2-3 tbsp of olive oil is sufficient, due to the water content of the zucchini, but feel free to add an additional tablespoon to really coat all the vegetables, like a dressing.
Keywords: salad, zucchini, paleo, whole 30, vegan, healthy, tomato salad, herbs marinated
What’s your favorite Summer salad? Best childhood Summer memory? No really, I want to know! I’m sure many of you have some pretty awesome stories!
In the meantime, soak up this Summer and the FARMER’S MARKET VEGGIES! And don’t forget to vote for my charity! It would mean the WORLD!
Cheers,
LC
What vibrant pops of color! Love how refreshing this is and so easy!
★★★★★
I can eat this all day long!
and you so should!
I just picked tons of zucchini AND tomatoes from my garden this weekend, so perfect timing for this recipe!
Oh yay! Keep me posted on if you try this Brittany!
This is a great little post with some valuable tips. I totally agree. The way you bring passion and engagement into the things you do can really change your outlook on live.
★★★★★
Perfect summer salad! My summer salad go-to involves tomatoes as well (sun-dried or fresh), and asparagus, artichokes, romaine… yum. Favorite childhood summer memory = my visits to Martha’s Vineyard (and I still go there to this day).
Oh I love that memory Liz! Thank you for sharing. Martha’s Vineyard is still on my bucket list!
If you do plan to go, you better consult me for my top recommendations! 🙂 xo
I see 3 garlic cloves in the picture. I also see two different shades of red spice in the picture, I am assuming one is the sumac. However, in the recipe, no mention of how much garlic or sumac to use. Can you please specify, especially the sumac? Thank you.
Just updated it. THANK YOU! Sorry my recipe plugin had a glitch and deleted part of the ingredients.Phew! Glad you got it Rita!
I wish I could get a garden to grown in Phoenix. Everything just needs too much water!
Oh man, you need one of those indoor gardens, right? Brutal heat! p.s how are you?
This is EXACTLY what we need right now. Vegas finally moved in, but she arrived sick AF. Fresh, light meals are the name of the game. Le sigh.
Your garden sounds like a dream.. I bet you have so many good memories with your dad there. It’s been years since I had my own garden.. it’s been reduced down to an herb patch, so I can appreciate your herbacious zucchini salad here. SO fresh and packed with flavor. This is how I looove salads! So beautifully captured!
Oh i think we should start our own traveling garden. LOL! yes?
So good with the zucchini and tomatoes from my garden!
★★★★★
What a beautifully striking and healthy salad! Tomatoes and zucchini are the best combination in the world!
Pinned.
I could look at these pictures for hours.
YUM! This has me wishing summer would last longer!
This dish, looks very attractive, I will try it.