Tangy Zucchini and Celery Salad

I never thought much about eating zucchini raw until a neighbor brought over a marinated salad at a summer potluck. I’d always sautéed it or baked it into bread, but slicing it thin and letting it sit in a tangy dressing? Game changer.

This zucchini and celery salad is one of those recipes that sounds too simple to be good, but that’s exactly why it works. The vegetables stay crisp, the dressing has just enough sweetness to balance the vinegar, and it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. I make it when my garden is overflowing with zucchini, or when I need a side dish that I can prep the night before and forget about until dinner.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For this salad, you’ll want to pick smaller to medium-sized zucchini rather than those giant ones you sometimes see at the farmer’s market. The smaller zucchini tend to have fewer seeds and a firmer texture, which means they’ll hold up better in the salad and won’t get mushy. Look for zucchini that feel heavy for their size with smooth, unblemished skin – avoid any that have soft spots or wrinkled ends. You don’t need to peel them since the skin adds nice color and texture to the salad, but give them a good wash before slicing.

Options for Substitutions

This refreshing salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Zucchini: Yellow squash works perfectly as a swap for zucchini – they have a similar texture and mild flavor. You can also use cucumber for a crunchier bite, though it will add more moisture to the salad.
• Green bell pepper: Any color bell pepper will work here. Red or yellow peppers add a slightly sweeter taste, while orange peppers fall somewhere in between.
• Rice vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar make good substitutes. They’re a bit more acidic, so you might want to add an extra teaspoon of sugar to balance things out.
• Wine vinegar: Red or white wine vinegar both work fine. In a pinch, you can use more rice vinegar instead and the salad will still taste great.
• Vegetable oil: Canola oil, grapeseed oil, or even a light olive oil will work just as well in this dressing.
• Fresh basil: If you have fresh basil available, use about 1 ½ teaspoons of chopped fresh basil instead of dried for a brighter flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this salad is not slicing your vegetables thin enough, which prevents them from properly absorbing the dressing – aim for thin, uniform slices so everything marinates evenly and stays crisp.

Skipping the full chilling time is another common error, as this salad really needs at least an hour in the fridge for the flavors to blend and the vegetables to soften slightly in the vinegar mixture.

To get the best texture, make sure to drain any excess liquid that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl before serving, and if you’re making this ahead, wait to add the zucchini until a few hours before serving since it releases water as it sits.

For extra flavor, give the dressing a quick whisk right before pouring it over the vegetables to make sure the oil and vinegar are well combined.

What to Serve With Zucchini and Celery Salad?

This light and crunchy salad is perfect alongside grilled chicken breasts or pork chops, especially during the summer months when you’re firing up the grill. The tangy-sweet dressing makes it a great companion to richer main dishes like BBQ ribs or baked salmon, since it helps cut through the heaviness. I love serving this salad at cookouts with burgers and hot dogs, or packing it for picnics since it holds up well and tastes even better after sitting for a bit. It also works nicely as a side for sandwiches or wraps if you’re looking for something refreshing instead of the usual potato salad or coleslaw.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The vegetables will marinate in that tangy dressing and develop even more flavor over time, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to potlucks the next day.

Serve: Give the salad a good stir before serving since the dressing tends to settle at the bottom. It tastes great cold straight from the fridge, which makes it an easy grab-and-go side dish for lunch or a quick dinner addition.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 340-380
• Protein: 3-4 g
• Fat: 16-18 g
• Carbohydrates: 50-54 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 cups zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1/2 cup celery (thinly sliced on a bias)
• 1/4 red onion
• 1/4 green bell pepper

For the dressing:

• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I use Marukan for a milder acidity)
• 3.5 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like Wesson)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (crush in your palm to release the oils)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

• 2 cups zucchini
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/4 red onion
• 1/4 green bell pepper

Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds—uniform thickness ensures even marinating and a better texture throughout the salad.

Thinly slice the celery on a bias, which creates an elegant presentation and increases surface area for the dressing to penetrate.

Finely dice the red onion and green bell pepper into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks and flavors evenly.

Add all prepared vegetables to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Build the Dressing

• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 3.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, rice vinegar, wine vinegar, vegetable oil, and water.

Crush the dried basil between your palms to release its essential oils—this step makes a noticeable difference in flavor intensity.

Add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then whisk everything together until the sugar is completely dissolved and the dressing is well emulsified.

I find that a bit of whisking helps the flavors meld better than just stirring.

Step 3: Combine and Marinate

• vegetables from Step 1
• dressing from Step 2

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetables in the bowl and toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated.

Make sure to get all the liquid distributed throughout so every bite carries the flavor.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours—I recommend at least 90 minutes so the vegetables have time to soften slightly and absorb the dressing’s flavors.

The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes, and the vegetables will release their own juices to meld with the dressing.

Tangy Zucchini and Celery Salad

Delicious Tangy Zucchini and Celery Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 42 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 2 cups zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1/2 cup celery (thinly sliced on a bias)
• 1/4 red onion
• 1/4 green bell pepper

For the dressing::

• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I use Marukan for a milder acidity)
• 3.5 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like Wesson)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (crush in your palm to release the oils)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

 

• Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds—uniform thickness ensures even marinating and a better texture throughout the salad. Thinly slice the celery on a bias, which creates an elegant presentation and increases surface area for the dressing to penetrate. Finely dice the red onion and green bell pepper into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks and flavors evenly. Add all prepared vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, rice vinegar, wine vinegar, vegetable oil, and water. Crush the dried basil between your palms to release its essential oils—this step makes a noticeable difference in flavor intensity. Add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then whisk everything together until the sugar is completely dissolved and the dressing is well emulsified. I find that a bit of whisking helps the flavors meld better than just stirring.
• Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetables in the bowl and toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Make sure to get all the liquid distributed throughout so every bite carries the flavor. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours—I recommend at least 90 minutes so the vegetables have time to soften slightly and absorb the dressing's flavors. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes, and the vegetables will release their own juices to meld with the dressing.