This bright and fresh summer salad, highlighting seasonal beauties like zucchini and yellow squash, is a playful twist on your typical shaved vegetable salad. You will need a spiralizer, which is a fairly inexpensive kitchen tool that allows you to grate vegetables into long “noodles” using a rotating handle, in order to achieve these whimsical veggie strands. Don’t skip pressing and straining some of the liquid out of your vegetables—otherwise you’ll likely find yourself with a soupy salad given the high water content in zucchini and squash. For a striking presentation, plate the salad in a tight twisted pile on a bed of arugula, then sprinkle your finishing touches (cheese and toasted almonds) evenly over each serving.
How to Make It
Whisk together vinegar, lemon rind, juice, 1 tablespoon dill, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic in a medium bowl. Slowly stream oil into vinegar mixture in bowl, whisking constantly. Grate 1/2 ounce of cheese into bowl; whisk to combine. Set remaining 1/2 ounce cheese aside.
Spiralize zucchini and squash. Transfer zucchini and squash to a large fine mesh sieve arranged over a bowl (to catch draining liquid); gently press with a clean towel to extract liquid. Let stand and drain 30 minutes. Transfer zucchini and squash to a large bowl; discard drained liquids.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons dill, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, basil, and pepper to bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle salad with oil mixture; gently toss with tongs to combine. Shave remaining 1/2 ounce cheese; sprinkle evenly over salad. Sprinkle with almonds.