This easy and delicious recipe for keto friendly zucchini pasta salad is the perfect gluten-free and low-carb side dish for your healthy diet! It is completed with vegetables, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and a superb blend of spices. This summery meal is easy and delicious. It may be consumed as a snack or a side dish. With just 3.6g of net carbohydrates per serving, this is a nutritious alternative. Last summer, for my husband's birthday celebration, I reproduced my mother's linguine salad dish. Since spaghetti is one of his favorite foods, I typically make it with regular spaghetti, but today I decided to create a low-carb, gluten-free version for him. Therefore, I substituted vegetable noodles for linguine and devised my own spice mix reminiscent of Salad Supreme to make this amazing keto zucchini pasta salad. The look and flavor are almost the same. Raw zoodles have the same chewy consistency as regular pasta, and I've incorporated all the other components from the original recipe, including the cheddar and pepperoni bits, chopped veggies, and seasonings. This salad is a must-make for individuals who have a surplus of zucchini and other summer veggies. Owing to the fact that my husband grows zucchini in the summer, we consume it often during that season, although I consume it year-round due to its many health advantages. You can make noodles, pancakes, waffles, and soup, and it's inexpensive!
A medium zucchini should yield around 1.5 cups of zoodles. In addition, one cup of cooked zucchini has just 17 calories and around 2 grams of net carbs. It is an excellent source of minerals and energy, including vitamin A and several others. I put this nutrient-rich vegetable among my go-to components while preparing keto meals. Below is a list of the few ingredients I needed to prepare this raw zucchini salad. I prepared this recipe using green and yellow zucchini noodles, cheddar cheese, pepperoni, onion, cucumber, and bell peppers. My weekly linguine salad rotation consists of Italian dressing and McCormick's Salad Supreme spice. In contrast, I chose to manufacture my own seasoning and dressing with the same taste profile. I prepared the dressing using apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and raw garlic cloves. In addition, I seasoned the dish with a mixture of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, parmesan cheese, paprika, sesame seeds, salt, and black pepper. If you do not have access to sesame seeds, you need not worry. There will be no change in taste. If desired, you may also add the prepackaged Salad Supreme seasoning. During the heat, I have difficulty finding it. First, produce zucchini noodles using a spiralizer, then reserve them. My preference is for thicker noodles that can resist the dressing better. Using a julienne vegetable peeler, one may generate flawless linguine.
Note that you may cook the zoodles in the microwave for two to three minutes, but I like them raw. In addition to rendering the salad greens mushy while cooking, the dressing will also soften them. If you want to cook it, squeeze out as much liquid as possible before combining it with the other ingredients. In Step 2, you will julienne the pepperoni and cheddar cheese and dice the veggies. In a bowl, combine it with the zucchini noodles. Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine the spices in the right amounts with the oil, vinegar, and crushed garlic. The fourth step is to combine the veggies, cheese, and pepperoni in a large mixing bowl. It is necessary to combine spiralized zucchini noodles with the dressing and spices. If you want to refrigerate the salad before consumption, marinating the veggies in the dressing would be beneficial. Store in a container with a secure cover. The salad may be refrigerated for up to three days after preparation. The recipe card is available for printing below. Simply eliminating the pepperoni makes this meal vegetarian-friendly. You can make it dairy-free by substituting nutritional yeast for cheddar cheese. To lower the number of calories, pepperoni, and cheddar cheese may be eliminated. Below are the nutrition facts for the low-carb and low-calorie alternatives.
I used red onions, bell peppers, and cucumbers to create this salad, but you may use whatever veggies you choose. Vegetables such as black olives, kalamata olives, avocado, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. may also be included. Additionally, dry Italian sausage, cooked bacon, and other meats such as salami, ham, and prosciutto may be included. You might also try it with various kinds of cheese like provolone, fresh mozzarella, Asiago, feta, goat, etc. Freshly harvested herbs from the garden would be the frosting on the cake. To add flavor to your cuisine, use fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, or parsley. Alternately, you might add cayenne pepper or hot pepper flakes for more heat. Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini noodles
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, diced into small cubes
- ½ cup pepperoni, chopped (about 20 thin, small slices)
Instructions
- Make zucchini noodles using a spiralizer or vegetable peeler and set them aside. Next, cut the veggies, pepperoni, and cheddar for the toppings.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients to create a substitute for the Salad Supreme seasoning. Mix it with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and minced fresh garlic in a bowl.
- Mix everything together in a large bowl. Ensure that the sauce and spices have covered the noodles and veggies.
- Keep refrigerated until serving. It may be refrigerated for many days without getting mushy. Place in a container that will exclude air.
- To create a vegetarian pizza, use nutritional yeast for parmesan and eliminate pepperoni and cheddar. This variation will also be low in calories.