This salad came about partly because I like making zucchini ribbons, and partly because I bought a bunch of local produce at the farmers’ market last weekend.

I knew that I was going to be eating out a lot this week for my birthday so when I went to the market on Saturday, I tried not to buy too much. But then the heirloom tomatoes looked so beautiful, the zucchini was extra green, and there was an adorable child selling microgreens. I ended up blowing my budget.

That’s okay, though, because I used everything that I bought to make this salad on Saturday night. I used a vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini into thin ribbons. Then I sliced heirloom tomatoes and sprinkled flaky sea salt and pepper on top. I topped the salad with the microgreens, a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few scoops of ricotta cheese. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten.

When you have fresh ingredients, you don’t need much else. I’m glad that I let the taste, texture, and flavor of the produce speak for itself instead of burying them under other ingredients.

The zucchini was crispy and crunchy, the tomatoes were juicy and sweet, and the microgreens added more texture and brightness. The ricotta paired well with the tomatoes, zucchini, and olive oil. It was sort of like deconstructed lasagna, just lighter and waaay better for a hot summer day.

Anyway. Make this salad as soon as possible. It doesn’t require any cooking, which is the hallmark of a great summer recipe. It’s perfect for nights when it’s almost 100 degrees outside and you spent the day toasting under the sun.

Here’s a song that I’ve been jamming out to lately. It doesn’t have much to do with this salad, but it’s still wonderful.

Heirloom Tomato and Zucchini Ribbon Salad (from me, to you)

Ingredients

2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 medium zucchini, sliced into ribbons
1 cup of microgreens
juice of half a lemon
olive oil
ricotta cheese, Maldon sea salt, and pepper for topping

Directions

Slice the zucchini with a vegetable peeler and place it in a small bowl. Toss it with some sea salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes. Place the zucchini ribbons at the bottom of a bowl and top with the tomato slices and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place the microgreens on top, squeeze on the juice of half a lemon, and drizzle with olive oil.

Use a small ice cream scoop to put dollops of ricotta cheese around the outside of the salad. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Enjoy!