Raw zucchini pasta salad kissed with bright lemon and fresh basil

Sun-sweet zucchini, fragrant basil, and a zippy lemon dressing come together in a chilled pasta salad that tastes like a garden in every bite. It’s quick (ready in about twenty minutes), totally plant-based, and it keeps your kitchen cool. Grab your pasta pot, a mandoline (or sharp knife), and let’s dive in.

• Ready faster than delivery (10 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook, that’s it)
• No mayo and no dairy, so it travels safely to picnics and potlucks
• Vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, and easily gluten-free with the right pasta
• A clever way to use up peak-season zucchini without turning on the oven

Recipe essentials

Serves: 4 – 6
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min

Pasta and veg

• 12 oz (350 g) short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
• 1 lb (450 g) zucchini (about 2 medium), sliced paper thin (⅛ in or thinner)
• ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, cut into fine ribbons

Lemon-mustard dressing

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (taste as you go)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Optional add-ins (pick one or mix a couple)

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas or white beans
• ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
• A handful of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• Shaved Parmesan (if dairy is welcome)

Cook the pasta

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil (about 1 Tbsp salt per 4 cups water).
• Cook the pasta one minute shy of package al dente. Drain, spread on a baking sheet, and toss with a splash of olive oil so the pieces don’t stick. Let it cool while you prep the veg.

Slice the zucchini

• Cold zucchini is firmer and slices neatly, so start with chilled squash.
• Use a mandoline with a cut-resistant glove, or a very sharp knife, aiming for 1/8”/3mm or thinner slices (1/16”/2mm preferred) – the thinner you get the slices the better they will bend around the pasta and absorb the dressing.
• Pat the slices dry if they feel wet.

Chop the basil

• Stack the leaves, roll them into a little cigar, then slice into thin ribbons. Wait to cut until you need them so the edges stay green.

Whisk the dressing

• In your serving bowl, whisk lemon juice and mustard until smooth.
• Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking (or shake everything in a jar) until the dressing looks creamy. Taste and adjust salt or pepper.

Marinate the zucchini

• Drop the zucchini ribbons into the dressing and toss gently with clean hands, separating the slices. Give them 5–10 minutes to soften and absorb the bright flavors.

Bring it all together

• Add cooled pasta and basil to the bowl. Toss until everything glistens. Hold back a tablespoon or two of dressing in the jar so you can freshen up the salad just before serving.

Finish and serve

• Fold in any optional extras, taste once more, and tuck in immediately. If making ahead, store pasta, basil, and zucchini-in-dressing separately (up to 24 hours) and combine right before eating for peak texture.

• Mustard: In this recipe, the mustard acts as an emulsifier for the olive oil and lemon juice so they evenly coat the pasta and zucchini and don’t separate, leaving the salad with an oily feel. The flavour is minimal at a small amount but should not be skipped.
• Zucchini varieties: This salad is a perfect place to use really fresh, unusual varieties of zucchini or summer squash including sunburst, yellow zucchini, stripped, bianco, or round. Cut round or patty pan squashes in half or quarters before slicing thinly.
• Salt matters: seasoning the pasta water is the easiest way to build flavor.
• Keep it cool: warm noodles gulp up dressing and turn gummy, so be patient.
• Brighten at the last minute: a quick splash of reserved dressing revives leftovers.
• Tiny upgrades: add a touch of lemon zest for extra sparkle or a pinch of red-pepper flakes if you like subtle heat.