Salads · 30 min
Lemon-Garlic Zucchini Salad with Walnuts & Ricotta Cheese
- 30 min
- 2–6 servings
- 508 kcal / serving
This zucchini noodle salad offers a crisp bite with a bright lemon-garlic dressing and creamy ricotta. It comes together quickly for a simple weeknight meal.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- ½ small pkgfresh basil
- 1 clovegarlic
- 1lemon
- ½ (15 oz) pkgricotta cheese
- ¼ cupwalnuts
- 3 mediumzucchini squash
- lemons
From the pantry: black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, salt
Cookware
chef's knife · citrus juicer (optional) · colander · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · grater · julienne peeler (optional) · measuring cups · measuring spoons · mixing bowls · stainless steel or cast iron skillet · stirring spoon · whisk or fork
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More recipes with: zucchini
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- ½ small pkgfresh basil
- 1 clovegarlic
- 1lemon
- 3 mediumzucchini squash
- lemons
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- ½ (15 oz) pkgricotta cheese
Pantry & dry goods
- ¼ cupwalnuts
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Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| fresh basil | ½ small pkg | 1 small pkg | 1 ½ small pkgs |
| garlic | 1 clove | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| lemon | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| ricotta cheese | ½ (15 oz) pkg | 1 (15 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (15 oz) pkg |
| walnuts | ¼ cup | ½ cup | ¾ cup |
| zucchini squash | 3 medium | 6 medium | 9 medium |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Wash all produce and dry well.
- Trim the ends of the zucchini, then cut into noodle-like sticks using a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or regular peeler; transfer to a colander and sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture, letting the colander drain over a bowl.
- Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice into a medium bowl, then set both aside.
- Peel and mince or press the garlic, add it to the bowl with oil, lemon juice, and pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Coat a skillet over medium heat and toast the walnuts, stirring frequently for about 2–4 minutes until fragrant.
- Strip the basil leaves from the stems and cut them into thin ribbons.
- Squeeze the zucchini over the sink to remove excess water, then wrap in a clean towel and press to extract as much moisture as possible.
- Toss the zucchini noodles with the dressing in a bowl until evenly coated.
- To serve, arrange the zucchini on a plate, scatter the toasted walnuts on top, add small dollops of ricotta, and sprinkle with basil ribbons.
Two tips
- Prep ahead: dry the zucchini well and refrigerate the noodles and dressing separately until ready to combine.
- If you don’t have walnuts, try a crunchy topping of almonds or another favorite pantry nut.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 508 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 115 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.