The marinated raw zucchini is a quick and appetizing summer recipe, perfect to serve as a carpaccio as an appetizer or side dish, or to enrich sandwiches, salads, bruschetta, cold pasta… Flavored with an emulsion of oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), and a chop of aromatic herbs, the marinated zucchini is prepared in just a few minutes without cooking, and with its fresh and aromatic taste, it will win over everyone, even the most skeptical, like myself! I have to admit that before trying it, I wasn’t entirely convinced of the goodness of this zucchini carpaccio – the idea of eating raw zucchini didn’t appeal to me – but I had to change my mind. Thanks to the marinade it’s dressed with, very similar to the one used in the zucchini dressing or in grilled zucchini in green sauce, the marinated raw zucchini has a delicious flavor and retains a very pleasant crunchiness on the palate.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Fall
- Energy 131.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 4.74 (g) of which sugars 0.06 (g)
- Proteins 3.89 (g)
- Fat 12.24 (g) of which saturated 1.79 (g)of which unsaturated 0.29 (g)
- Fibers 1.65 (g)
- Sodium 101.83 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Marinated Zucchini Carpaccio
- 21.16 oz zucchini
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- A few leaves mint
- A few leaves basil
- 5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Peeler
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Food Chopper small
- 1 Baking Dish
How to Prepare the Marinated Zucchini
To prepare the marinated zucchini carpaccio, you will need to slice the zucchini very thinly lengthwise. I find it helpful to use a peeler, but if you prefer, you can also use a mandoline. Wash and trim the zucchini, dry them well, then place them on a cutting board and slice them lengthwise with the peeler to form very thin slices (1-2).
Set them aside. Peel the garlic clove, remove the central core (3) – which is the most indigestible part – and place it in a small chopper. Add the basil, parsley, and mint (4). Blend everything well to get a very fine chop (5).
Of course, you can achieve the same result by chopping everything with a knife, but with a mixer, it’s faster; the important thing is to use a small one, otherwise, you will have difficulty chopping small quantities of ingredients. I have a very practical one because it is cordless and charges via USB.
Remove the blade and add a nice pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, the oil, and the vinegar (or lemon juice if you prefer) (6). Emulsify everything by whisking vigorously with a fork to dissolve the salt well (7).
Take a baking dish large enough to hold all the zucchini. Lay a first layer of raw zucchini at the bottom, overlapping them slightly (8). Dress them with one or two tablespoons of emulsion (9).
Create another layer of zucchini on top (10) and dress them in the same manner. Continue this way until you finish the zucchini and top with the remaining dressing. Cover the baking dish with a sheet of plastic wrap (11) and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour (but the longer they rest, the more flavorful they become).
Serve the marinated raw zucchini carpaccio as an appetizer or a side dish, or use it to enhance your dishes.
Storage
You can store the marinated zucchini in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Tips and Variations
Instead or in addition to the used herbs, you can enrich the dressing with oregano, marjoram, thyme, chives, or crushed dry chili pepper.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I avoid chopping the garlic?
Yes, if you prefer, you can cut the garlic into large pieces and distribute them here and there, to remove them just before serving the zucchini.
Yes, if you prefer, you can cut the garlic into large pieces and distribute them here and there, to remove them just before serving the zucchini.
Alternatively, how to dress the raw zucchini carpaccio?
You can try other sauces, like salmoriglio, chimichurri, or Greek yogurt sauce!
You can try other sauces, like salmoriglio, chimichurri, or Greek yogurt sauce!
