This Marinated Squash is piled on top of fluffy, lemon-scented ricotta and showered with salty pistachios. The charred pieces of summer squash or marinated zucchini soak up the flavors of a simple, garlicky lemon vinaigrette, making this one amazing summer side dish, that tastes great at room temperature and gets better as it sits. One of my very favorite recipes to enjoy this time of year.
Read on to learn a little more about how to work with summer squash and/or zucchini – or just jump ahead to the recipe!
Do you have to peel yellow squash?
Nope. Sure don’t. Unlike the densely thick-skinned fall and winter squash, summer squash varieties like zucchini and yellow squash can be eaten just as they are – raw and unpeeled. I really adore them for this fact, actually. Easy is always so very, very appreciated in My Kitchen Little.
I’ve recommended her book before, but Cara Mangini’s book, The Vegetable Butcher is an indispensable resource for anyone who seeks some great information about veggies and how to cut/cook/enjoy them.Â
Can Summer Squash be eaten raw?
Yes, and as I mentioned briefly above, it’s one of my favorite attributes of this wonderful seasonal produce. I love serving summer squash totally raw in fact, as part of a charcuterie platter or in a salad. Actually, you can use them in place of crackers or chips, if you’re trying to go low-carb, or gluten-free. Shaving squash into long ribbons and piling them up on a plate with a simple vinaigrette or creamy dressing of some sort if just a really great summer salad, I think.
Winter squash like Kabocha, Delicata, Butternut, and Acorn are much heartier, denser and not made for eating raw. Those babies need some oven lovin’ if you know what I mean. But yellow squash and zucchini alike are extremely tender and very water-filled. This makes their texture and inherent consistency much more suitable for enjoying in their raw forms.
Serving Suggestions for this Marinated Zucchini
I could basically eat this whole tray of squash all by myself and call it dinner. But typically, sharing is better – it’s meant to be a side dish, I suppose. That said, I’ve got some summery main course inspiration here for you. These My Kitchen Little recipes go wonderfully with this simple squash side dish, complementing the tangy, bright, slightly charred flavors perfectly.
Blackberry Balsamic Pork TenderloinÂ
Crunchy Monterey Ranch Unfried Chicken
Lemon Butter Chicken with Herbs (I especially recommend this pairing, as the lemon in both would be wonderful together)
If you want to turbo-boost the flavors in this recipe, you could swap out the ricotta for some fluffy whipped feta or goat cheese. Or you could try my incredibly easy method for making whipped mozzarella. If it’s not abundantly obvious, I’m a huge fan of whipped cheeses of all varieties (I’ll link these alternatives in a sec).Â
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
The thing about this recipe, is that it’s not like some set-in-stone sort of dish. No, it’s uber flexible and rife for the riffing. Don’t care for ricotta or maybe you have some feta or goat cheese to use up? Swap either of those in, or maybe even some whipped mozzarella. I’ve detailed how to make each of these things in the linked posts here, and you could easily scooch those in here, if you so choose.
Substitutions and alternative ingredient options
You could even pile this marinated squash over top of my Yogurt-Whipped Polenta
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 summer squash, halved lengthwise (zucchini or yellow squash)
2 TBSP + â…” cup olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
Scant tsp sugar
The juice of 1 lemon, divided
1 cup good quality ricotta
½ cup chopped shelled pistachios
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
How to make this Marinated Zucchini (or yellow squash) with Lemony Ricotta and Pistachios
This recipe is super easy. It’s a one-pan sort of thing, and you’ll need a bowl to whisk together the dressing/marinade, a plate/tray to rest the squash. Pretty simple if you ask me, and really tasty. I’ll detail the step-by-step here for you:
Directions
Cut each squash half into 4 equal pieces. Add 2 TBSP of the oil to a large skillet set over med-high heat. Place the squash pieces, flesh side down, into the pan and let them sear/cook until charred; about 5 or 6 minutes (don’t move them!). (TIP: I use a fish spatula to really help loosen them from the pan once they’re done. BEST KITCHEN TOOL EVER.)
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the remaining â…” cup olive oil, a good pinch of salt and pepper, the garlic, crushed red pepper, sugar, and the juice of half the lemon. Whisk to combine.
When the squash are nice and charred, turn them and spoon about â…“ of the garlicky vinaigrette over them. Let this cook for about 30 to 45 seconds – just long enough to knock the rawness off the garlic. Just don’t burn it!
Transfer everything to a dish/tray/plate and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the squash. Let it sit and soak up those flavors as it cools; about 10 to 15 minutes is fine (the longer the better).
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta, juice of the other lemon half, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pile this onto a platter or large plate. When the warm squash have marinated for at least 10 minutes, pile them on top of the ricotta, juices/marinade and all. Top with some chopped pistachios and some mint leaves, and enjoy.
If you like the looks of this Marinated Squash with Lemony Ricotta and Pistachios, you might also enjoy perusing this collection of amazing squash recipes:
Warm Squash and Radicchio Salad Easy Sauteed Squash with Hot Honey Fried Feta Brown Butter Creamed Corn-Stuffed Zucchini Boats Feta and Butternut Squash Galette Garlicky Orange Chili Squash with Sage Tunisian Harissa Chicken & Olive Skillet Balsamic Brown Butter Scallops with Squash Puree “Pulled” BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches Two-Ingredient Squash and Caramelized Onion Soup Grilled Summer Squash with Hazelnuts & Parmesan 
Spicy Pork Tacos with Roasted Zucchini Healthier Chocolate Hazelnut Zucchini Bread
Additionally, I’ve got a really wonderful recipe in my cookbook for a raw shaved squash salad with pickled pepper vinaigrette that is a personal favorite of mine. You can grab my book on Amazon and cook your way through the seasons, with a nod to Appalachia … Just tap the photo below.
Marinated Squash with Lemony Ricotta and Pistachios
A gorgeous and flavorful way to make the most of the bounty of squash you’ll see all summer long, this recipe is easy and fast. Warm, charred squash soaks up the flavors in a garlicky vinaigrette and is perfect served atop some fluffy, lemon-scented ricotta.Â
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
Ingredients
- 3 or 4 summer squash, halved lengthwise (zucchini or yellow squash)
- 2 TBSP + â…” cup olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- Scant tsp sugar
- The juice of 1 lemon, divided
- 1 cup good quality ricotta
- ½ cup chopped shelled pistachios
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut each squash half into 4 equal pieces. Add 2 TBSP of the oil to a large skillet set over med-high heat. Place the squash pieces, flesh side down, into the pan and let them sear/cook until charred; about 5 or 6 minutes (don’t move them!). (TIP: I use a fish spatula to really help loosen them from the pan once they’re done. Best kitchen tool EVER.)Â
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the remaining â…” cup olive oil, a good pinch of salt and pepper, the garlic, crushed red pepper, sugar, and the juice of half the lemon. Whisk to combine.Â
- When the squash are nice and charred, turn them and spoon about â…“ of the garlicky vinaigrette over them. Let this cook for about 30 to 45 seconds – just long enough to knock the rawness off the garlic. Just don’t burn it!
- Transfer everything to a dish/tray/plate and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the squash. Let it sit and soak up those flavors as it cools; about 10 to 15 minutes is fine (the longer the better).
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta, juice of the other lemon half, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pile this onto a platter or large plate. When the warm squash have marinated for at least 10 minutes, pile them on top of the ricotta, juices/marinade and all. Top with some chopped pistachios and some mint leaves, and enjoy.
