Giada’s Zucchini Crudo Is 2023’s Version of Caprese Salad

It’s always a magical moment when you scroll through TikTok and see something that inspires you. I’m not talking about closet re-organization or makeup application, I’m talking about creating delicious food. Two days ago, I stumbled upon this TikTok post from famous chef, Giada De Laurentiis about making a zucchini crudo. I wasn’t sold on this idea immediately, but after watching the full video, I knew her dish was a winner and one I knew I needed to recreate.

It Starts With Zucchini

At the start of the video, Giada confirms that zucchini can be eaten raw, just like other vegetables. It’s why she calls this dish a crudo, the word for “raw” in Italian. She slices the zucchini thin, then covers it with lemon zest, salt, and pepper. The salt is crucial as it helps soften and tenderize the vegetable. At this point, she continues with her recipe, but note that I made a slight modification to her version, which you’ll see below. For the finishing touches, Giada adds fresh basil and creamy pieces of torn burrata. A healthy glug of extra-virgin olive oil is her last, perfect move that brings the dish, she's calling the new “Caprese salad,” together.

How It Tastes

Zucchini crudo delicious and ridiculously easy to make. It comes together quickly, requiring only a few ingredients. Even if you’re skeptical of eating raw zucchini, I’m certain after eating this dish, you’ll never doubt it again. 

All that being said, I did make a few changes to the original recipe. These small changes will help with texture and enhance the flavor of the dish and shouldn’t require too much extra time.

Tips for Making Zucchini Crudo

1. Prep your zucchini. Slice it thin (made easy with a mandoline slicer) for best results and if you have time, soften and pull some of the moisture from the zucchini slices by salting them a few minutes before assembling. Simply toss zucchini slices with salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain in a strainer then proceed with the recipe.
2. Use lemon juice. Giada uses the zest of lemon in her dish, but we recommend also using the fresh juice as well for an extra hit of brightness.
3. Customize it. Below we provide basic instructions and amounts for replicating Giada’s dish. Feel free to add more zucchini or more burrata and adjust other ingredients to suit your tastes. 
4. The EVOO matters. For this dish, we recommend using good quality extra-virgin olive oil. It’s used here as a finishing drizzle so having something super fruity and light would be perfect.

How to Make Zucchini Crudo

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• Pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
• 4 ounces burrata*, torn into bite-size pieces 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Toss zucchini slices with salt in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes then drain any liquid.
2. Spread zucchini slices out on a large plate. Sprinkle with lemon zest and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Scatter basil leaves and burrata on top. Drizzle olive oil over the salad and serve.

*NOTE: If you can’t find burrata, use fresh mozzarella as a substitute.