Featured Recipe
Grilled Pepper Zucchini Salad
By Kate
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A colorful medley of roasted bell peppers and zucchini tossed with a tangy lime yogurt base, topped with a chili-lime vinaigrette and fresh cherry tomatoes. Includes optional crispy tortilla chips for crunch. Uses lime instead of lemon for brightness and replaces creamy yogurt with coconut yogurt for dairy-free variation. Roasting times adjusted for perfect char and subtle caramelization. Notes on peeling peppers easily and recognizing zucchini doneness included. Salad serves four and is vibrant, fresh, and textured with hints of heat and acid.
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Prep:
30 min
Cook:
27 min
Total:
57 min
Serves:
4 servings
salad
vegan
grilling
vegetarian
quick meals
Introduction
Bell peppers blister and pop in the oven, their skins bubble up before coming off with a snap. That smoky aroma, the tactile moment of peeling tender strips—it’s rewarding work. Meanwhile, zucchini goes from firm to golden-tender, caramelizing edges tell you it’s time. Whisking yogurt with lime zest gives a vibrant base, slightly tart but creamy, a cool offset to roasted warmth. The vinaigrette brings sharp green onion bite, sweet-sour lime punch, and a kick from red pepper flakes; a lively contrast. Adding cherry tomatoes gives the dish pops of juicy freshness, and crunch from crisp chips rounds the mouthfeel. Layers, colors, texture—each component prepped deliberately. No guesswork—timing and texture cues guide you. Like juggling a small symphony. Recipe breaks down efficiently, practical for weekdays yet elevated enough for guests.
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 multicolored bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 25 ml (1½ tbsp) olive oil
- 3 small zucchinis, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 cm thick pieces
- 1 cup (250 ml) plain coconut yogurt or regular plain yogurt
- 1 lime, finely zested
- 2 green onions, green tops only, finely sliced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lime juice
- 10 ml (2 tsp) agave syrup or maple syrup
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) crushed red pepper flakes
- 120 g (¾ cup) multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
- Crunchy baked corn tortilla strips or store-bought chips, optional
Yogurt Base
Vinaigrette
Garnish
About the ingredients
Changing pepper amount down slightly concentrates heat on zucchini; helps avoid watery salad from too many soft veggies. Using lime instead of lemon brightens flavors with a gentler citrus note. Shallot swapped for more subtle, less assertive onion. Coconut yogurt replaces regular for dairy-free fold-in; creamy but with a different tang profile. Olive oil split ensures peppers get enough fat to blister but zucchini isn’t drowning. Tomato choice multicolored cherry for interest; you can swap grape or regular, adjust size. Chips optional but add welcome crunch; homemade pita chips great but corn tortilla strips add a lively twist. Salt is withheld till all is cooked to avoid drawing excess moisture prematurely.
Method
Preheat and Roast Peppers
- Set oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 235 °C (455 °F).
- On one side of a large rimmed baking sheet, place pepper halves skin-side up. Drizzle with half the oil (12 ml). Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 17 minutes until skins blister, shiny with oil, beginning to char—listen for light crackles and pops indicating blistering.
- Meanwhile, toss zucchini chunks in remaining oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. They’ll brown better if dry—pat with paper towel if wet.
- Remove baking sheet carefully. Flip zucchini pieces evenly on other side of sheet. Return to oven for 11 to 13 minutes. Watch closely—zucchini should develop golden brown edges, shrivel slightly, but still retain some bite. If overly soft, they’re past prime roasting.
- Transfer roasted peppers to a covered container or bowl and allow to cool 8 to 10 minutes—steam helps loosen skin.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel off skins using fingers or a paring knife. If abrupt, skins won’t come off clean; resting time matters here.
- Cut peeled peppers into strips lengthwise. Set aside.
- Mix yogurt with lime zest and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. The zest brings aromatic oils; don’t skip. Coconut yogurt adds tropical tang; regular yogurt works fine if preferred.
- In a small bowl, whisk green onion tops, minced shallot, lime juice, syrup, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season lightly with salt. Balance acidity and sweetness well—adjust honey/agave or lime juice to taste.
- Spread the lime yogurt evenly over a large shallow serving plate or platter. Layer the pepper strips and roasted zucchini atop. Scatter cherry tomato halves around for bursts of acidity and freshness.
- Drizzle the chili-lime vinaigrette over everything. For texture and crunch, scatter baked tortilla strips or chips right before serving.
- Serve room temperature or slightly chilled. Resting allows flavors to marry but avoid reheating.
- If peeling peppers is tricky, place them in a bowl with plastic wrap on to trap steam after roasting—makes peeling effortless.
- No shallot? Use small white onion finely minced.
- For nut allergy or dairy-free, coconut yogurt is excellent. Regular yogurt guarantees creaminess but can be more tangy.
- If no oven, use grill pan or outdoor grill; peppers and zucchini take on smoky depth. Watch cooking times closely; grill heat varies.
- Leftover roasted veggies can be tossed with pasta or grain bowls.
- Adjust red pepper flakes quantity—remove for no heat.
- For extra texture, add toasted pumpkin seeds or crumbled feta (if no dairy restrictions).
Prepare Zucchini
Cool and Peel Peppers
Yogurt Base
Vinaigrette
Assembly
Tips and Substitutions
Technique Tips
Oven rack placement impacts even roasting. Middle rack ensures heat circulates properly—too low and bottom burns, too high and veggies dry too fast. Peel peppers while still slightly warm for best results—if fully cooled, skin sticks. Watch zucchini carefully; they go from perfectly roasted to soggy fast. Visible browning and slight collapse signal readiness. Stir yogurt gently with zest; too vigorous whipping breaks texture. Vinaigrette sharpness adjusted by tasting, critical to avoid overpowering the subtle roasted flavors. Assemble salad just before serving; chips get soggy rapidly if set on top too early. Use rimmed baking sheet to corral juices and oils—more surface area helps vegetables caramelize properly. A little patience, a sharp eye, and tactile cues—know what to look for, listen for the sizzle and pop, feel the tender give of roasted veggies under a fork.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use fresh veggies. Look for glossy skin on peppers. Zucchini should be firm. Press gently.
- 💡 When roasting, vegetable skins blister. Listen for crackling—good sign you’re on track.
- 💡 Pat zucchini dry before oiling. Avoid steam. Brown edges mean flavor; too soft? Toss.
- 💡 Peeling peppers? Steam helps. Use plastic wrap to trap heat. Skins slide off easier.
- 💡 Consider using a mix of yo...gurt types. Coconut adds tang but regular is creamy.
