Restaurant-Inspired Zucchini Noodle Salad Bowl

Do you have a favorite go-to order at a restaurant? Something you try once on a whim because it sounds delicious…and then it is! Fast forward, you become obsessed with this one dish. (And you order it every time you go there, paying no attention to any of the other menu items lol. Why fix what ain’t broke?)

Well for me, it’s the zucchini noodle bowl at Le Pain Quotidien. Le Pain Quotidien is a restaurant rooted in preparing fresh, plant-forward, nutrient-dense food in a community setting. The zucchini noodle bowl is a newer addition to their menu- it’s fresh, summery, and you just feel good eating it since it’s bursting with veggies, herbs, and healthy fats (avocado and slices of smoked salmon). It really doesn’t get any better.

So- since I cannot get myself to a Le Pain Quotidien every day, (the closest one to me is an hour away. SIGH!) I had to take it upon myself to study the dish and its flavors so I could replicate it at home. And since I’m a foodie, I changed just a few small ingredients here and there for fun. The dish will satisfy a craving for the LPQ bowl, but it’s not an exact copycat version. Let’s call it “inspired”.

Instead of green onions, I added mint for freshness and no worries of bad breath!

I threw in a handful of arugula for a nice peppery bite and some extra dark leafy greens.

LPQ uses this amazing fresh cheese similar to a burrata in texture, but I used a sheep’s milk yogurt that will be gentler on the stomach of anyone who is lactose intolerant (hi, that’s me. I try to be mostly dairy free, but sometimes I live a little).

Make this recipe work for your preferences like I did. If there isn’t an ingredient you care for, swap it out! Vegetarian? Don’t add the smoked salmon. (Alternatively, chicken would be really nice in this if seafood isn’t your vibe.)

Let’s get to the recipe! Once all your ingredients are washed/cut/prepped its very quick to throw the bowls together. There is nothing left to say except “bon appetit!” This would be the epitome of a perfect cold dish for a summer picnic. Whip it up while the days are still warm and long!

Zucchini Noodle Salad Bowl

Ingredients (makes 2 bowls)

• 1, 6 oz container of Bellwether sheep’s milk yogurt or other plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 1 lemon
• 2 handfuls of arugula
• Olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 medium tomato (heirloom, better boy, or early girl type)
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 an avocado
• 10 olives
• 2 tablespoons capers
• A few sprigs of dill
• A few sprigs of mint leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Smoked salmon (optional, but recommended)
• Equipment: Spiralizer and/ or vegetable peeler

1. Thoroughly wash and dry all produce
2. Transfer yogurt to a bowl- add a squeeze of lemon juice, and pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. The yogurt should be bright, tangy, and savory. Chill in the fridge.
3. Add a handful of arugula to the bottom of each bowl you will be serving from. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Run zucchini through the spiralizer and add 1 zucchini’s -worth of noodles to each bowl.
5. Peel carrot into thin strips and add to the bowls.
6. Dice tomato, julienne the mint leaves, and break up the sprigs of dill, adding half of each to the bowls.
7. Slice avocado and split between the bowls.
8. Slice olives in half and split between bowls.
9. Add 1 tablespoon of capers to each bowl.
10. Add dollops of yogurt to each bowl.
11. Finish with salt, pepper, and a final squeeze of lemon.
12. If so desired, add a protein like smoked salmon!

Let me know if you make this one! I can’t stop making it (and may or may not be eating it right now). Have a great weekend!

XO,

Alexandra