Compensation for this post was provided by Huhtamaki Inc. for the Chinet® brand via AOL Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Huhtamaki Inc. for the Chinet® brand or AOL.
Let the countdown to summer begin! We officially only have 5 weeks until school is out for summer here in So Cal and I can hardly wait. I am already planning long, leisurely beach days with the kids and lots of al fresco dining with friends and family.
I swear there just isn’t anything more relaxing than dining in the open air! When the weather is hot and I am yearning to get outdoors I have a few go-to, no cook recipes that are easy to make, but so delicious that my friends and family think I slaved away in the kitchen all day. This Zucchini Carpaccio with Spinach and Basil Salad totally fits the bill – easy, fast and boy does it make a delicious impression!
The only thing that could potentially wreck my summertime vibes after a day full of great food, friends and sun would be a mountain of dishes to haul home and wash. So, this year I am making things a bit easier on myself and keeping a stash of Chinet® Classic White™ plates and napkins on hand in our picnic basket.
The convenience that comes with a short cut like paper plates used to leave me with a bit of guilt, but I don’t even feel bad about taking the convenient route now knowing that the Chinet® products I am packing are eco-friendly and compostable! All I have to worry about is relaxing and having a good time, bring on summer!
For more entertaining inspiration visit mychinet.com!
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PrintEasy Zucchini Carpaccio with Spinach and Basil Salad
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 cup torn basil leaves
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼-½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 large basil leaves, chiffonade
Instructions
- With a mandolin, slice the zucchini into thin rounds. Place the slices into a large colander set over a bowl and toss with ¾ teaspoon salt; leave uninterrupted for 20 minutes to drain.
- Rinse the slices well, drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the spinach and basil. Toss gently to combine then sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle 1 ½ tablespoons oil and lemon juice over the greens and toss together.
- Arrange the greens on a platter and top with the zucchini. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and chiffonade basil over the top. Serve immediately.
Tina McClelland says
Loved this! I altered two things.
- lightly cooked the zucchini before adding to salad
- added cooked portobello mushrooms
Delicious! Will make this one of my favorite salads.
thismess says
Your swap ups sound AMAZING!!! Thank you for letting me know how much you enjoyed it 🙂
Hafsa says
Wonderful recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂