With the arrival of the heat, the desire for cold dishes is great, and since zucchinis grow abundantly during this period, we can’t help but eat them often. To serve them differently, I thought of pairing them with a fresh grilled zucchini rice salad and lots of goodness for a complete dish for the whole family. I also added hard-boiled eggs, tuna in olive oil, some cherry tomatoes, and olives to make it even tastier, but you can also add basil pesto or your favorite ingredients. Just a bit of extra virgin olive oil is enough for dressing, but if you can’t do without it, a tablespoon of mayonnaise is always allowed. Here are more ideas for cold dishes on beautiful days.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients for Grilled Zucchini Rice Salad
- 1.5 cups rice for salad
- 4 zucchinis
- 4.2 oz canned tuna (2 small cans)
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsps leccino olives
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools for Preparing the Grilled Zucchini Rice Salad
- 1 Electric Grill
- 1 Pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Colander
Steps to Prepare the Grilled Zucchini Rice Salad
Let’s start by grilling the zucchinis. Turn on the electric grill to maximum power. Then wash and dry the zucchinis, remove the ends, and slice them lengthwise into slices about 0.5 inches thick, not too thin, and cook a little at a time. Place to cool on a plate or tray.
In a saucepan, cover the eggs with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat, pour out the water, and rinse with cold water, leave for a minute in cold water, then peel them and let them cool.
Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of salted boiling water. I choose good salad rice that holds cooking well, cook it according to personal taste, and drain. Place in a bowl, add two tablespoons of oil, and stir, spreading it out to cool.
Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes, leave the olives whole as they are small, but they can also be cut in half. Dice the grilled zucchinis as well.
When the rice is slightly warm, add the vegetables, tomatoes, zucchinis, and olives, the tuna in olive oil or natural if you prefer, and the sliced eggs, and mix well. Leave in the fridge for a few hours before enjoying, or if you’re in a hurry like I sometimes am, an hour in the freezer, and maybe stir a bit after half an hour.
