Marinated Zucchini Salad with Olives and Fresh Mozzrella

Circle B Kitchen

We were surprised at how scrumptious this salad turned out to be. The flavors and textures are spot on and make the perfect summer side dish. One of the beauties of this salad is that you can prepare the zucchini days in advance - it only gets better the longer it marinates. Just stir in the cheese and olives just before serving. I used baby zucchini from Trader Joe's and they were the perfect size for a salad. I recommend you use the smallest squash you can find and if need be, slice them in half or quarters lengthwise before running them through the mandoline. I only had a ball of fresh mozzarella on hand, but can imagine how delicious it would be with the buffalo mozzarella. Enjoy!

Reciped Adapted from Food52

4 medium yellow or green zucchini

Juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 balls buffalo mozzarella

16 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Fresh basil and oregano leaves (cilantro and mint work well, too), finely chopped

Cut the zucchini into ribbons with a mandoline or a vegetable peeler. Put them in a bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Cut the mozzarella into small pieces and add them, the olives, and the chopped herbs to the chilled zucchini. Stir well and serve!