Mediterranean Zucchini w/ Minted Whipped Feta

Golden roasted zucchini paired with a creamy minted whipped feta, topped with pistachios and bright flavors of lemon and sumac.

Why You'll Love Mediterranean Zucchini w/ Minted Whipped Feta

The zucchini salts for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then sears flesh-side down before finishing in the oven until golden. The whipped feta is just feta, lemon, mint, and garlic blended smooth with olive oil.

Tips and Tricks

• Letting the zucchini sit with salt helps draw out moisture, making for better roasting.
• Use fresh herbs for the whipped feta to keep flavors vibrant.
• Don't skip the pistachios-they add a wonderful texture contrast.

Variations

• Try swapping pistachios for toasted almonds or walnuts for a different crunch.
• Use goat cheese instead of feta for a creamier whipped cheese.
• Add a drizzle of honey for a subtle sweetness to balance the tartness.

Substitutions

• If you don't have sumac, lemon zest or a splash of lemon juice works well.
• For a dairy-free version, try whipped cashew cream in place of feta.
• Use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of pistachios.

Best served with

• Grilled steak
• Roasted chicken
• Crusty bread
• Quinoa salad

How to Store Leftovers

• Store leftover minted whipped feta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep roasted zucchini separate if possible and reheat gently in the oven or enjoy cold.

Common Questions

Mediterranean Zucchini w/ Minted Whipped Feta

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Sometimes the best dishes come from what's already in the fridge. This zucchini recipe is quick, fresh, and bursting with herbaceous brightness from the whipped feta and mint.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Salting 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 570

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2-3 Zucchini sliced in half lengthwise
• 4 oz Feta
• 1 Lemon juiced and zested
• ¾ cup Mint packed leaves (¼ cup julienned and ½ cup roughly chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic roughly chopped
• Sumac to taste
• ¼ cup Pistachios roughly chopped
• Olive oil as needed
• Kosher salt to taste
• Flaky salt to finish

Equipment

• Paper Towels
• Plate for serving
• Food processor
• Frying pan (oven-safe preferred)
• Baking Sheet

Method

 

1. Lay zucchini skin side down on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Season with kosher salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Blot the top with paper towels to remove moisture.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, place zucchini flesh side down. You should hear a sizzle; if not, remove zucchini and let the oil heat more.
3. Cook zucchini until flesh begins to turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Flip zucchini so the flesh side is up and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. While zucchini cooks, add feta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ½ cup chopped mint to a food processor. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil until you reach your desired creamy consistency.
6. Remove zucchini from oven. Plate with dollops of minted whipped feta, place zucchini on top, and garnish with crushed pistachios, julienned mint, flaky salt, lemon zest, and sumac. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1335mgPotassium: 1613mgFiber: 10gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 2824IUVitamin C: 84mgCalcium: 742mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Storage: this dish is best fresh, right out of the oven while the zucchini is warm and the feta is cool. You can whip the feta up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then roast the zucchini and assemble just before serving.

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