Cape Cod Zucchini Mint and (Vegan) Feta Salad

This zucchini, mint, and feta cheese (I used vegan cheese) salad makes a perfect side dish or interesting appetizer! I'm calling it Cape Cod zucchini salad because that is where I first was introduced to it.

We were staying with our good friends (Noreen and Avi) in Cape Cod last week. Luckily, we had gorgeous weather and got to do a lot of outdoor things such as enjoying an afternoon at the beach, a little hiking, and some outdoor partying with other mutual friends that we know from our wintering in Florida!

Our other good friend's ( Michel and Helaine's )backyard and ocean view- gorgeous!!

Noreen made an incredible raw zucchini and feta cheese salad. She found the recipe in the New York Times Recipe section and couldn't wait for us to taste it. 

Taste it? We devoured it!

I'm making my recipe with "vegan feta" that I found at Trader Joes and adapting the recipe to suit our tastes. You can find the original NY Times recipe here. 

No need to cook or fry the zucchini!! This tasty salad was made with raw zucchini and had just the right touch of mint, some other seasonings, and feta cheese. Once the mixture marinates, the zucchini softens ups and tastes perfect!

I used a "chopper" that I bought on Amazon to chop the zucchini to just the right size. This chopper works for chopping tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, red onion, onions, etc. I love it! You can view it on Amazon here (Amazon link). 

Photo from Amazon 

This is my recipe inspired and adapted by The NY Times recipe from contributor Ali Slagle who has written a popular cookbook called I Dream of Dinner (so you don't have to) .You can find the original NY Times recipe here Her recipe is called, Zucchini Salad With Sizzled Mint and Feta

My recipe adaptation: 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: None

Marinate Time: minimum 2 hours maximum 2 days (refrigerated)

2-3 medium zucchini, cut into tiny cubes ( the chopper works for that: look here )

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, lightly dry pan toasted until they begin to pop not burn

2 teaspoon of crushed dried mint

1 teaspoon of crushed dried oregano

3 ounces of crumbled vegan feta cheese

Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes , 1/2 cup of chopped lightly toasted walnuts, or 1/2 cup or more of chickpeas added to mixture. 

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the zucchini cubes, lemon, toasted seeds,  mint, oregano and crumbled feta. Stir well and marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Notes: 

I don't like to add oil to my recipes. If you like olive oil, you can add some!!

I am an affiliate for Amazon. If you click on a link on my blog and make a qualified purchase, I receive a small compensation at no cost to you. This helps defray the cost of publishing a blog. Thank you for your support!