Courgette, Feta & Chilli Salad - Fresh Christmas Side Dish

A zingy, fresh, utterly delicious salad that's quick, easy, and dressed at the last minute. Light ribbons of courgette with a chilli hit, creamy feta, and a lemony mint dressing, the perfect refreshing balance to your rich Christmas dinner.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Serves: 6-8 as a side dish
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Vegetable peeler, grater

This salad is the perfect light, crisp, and refreshing counterpoint to all the rich, hearty dishes on your Christmas table. It's quick and easy to prepare, and crucially, it's dressed at the last minute so it stays fresh and vibrant. Using a vegetable peeler to create long, elegant ribbons of courgette transforms this humble vegetable into something really special. The dressing is simple but punchy, lemon juice and zest, a finely chopped chilli (always taste it first to check the heat!), and a drizzle of olive oil. Fresh mint adds a wonderful aromatic note if you have it growing in the garden, which is likely at this time of year in New Zealand. Then comes the "feta snowstorm" - generous crumbles of salty, creamy feta cheese scattered over the top like festive snow. The combination is absolutely divine: zingy lemon, a gentle chilli kick, cool mint, and that gorgeous creamy feta with the fresh, crisp courgette ribbons. It's light enough that it won't weigh you down but interesting enough to be a real feature on the plate. This is part of my Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner series, where every dish is designed to be affordable, delicious, and impressive. Plus, if you're growing courgettes, this means one less thing to buy!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Light and refreshing: The perfect balance to rich Christmas mains , it cuts through heavy flavours beautifully
• Ready in 10 minutes: Possibly the quickest dish on your entire Christmas menu
• Dress at the last minute: Keeps fresh and vibrant right up until serving
• Use your garden: If you're growing courgettes, this is a brilliant way to use them up
• Beautiful presentation: Those courgette ribbons look elegant and restaurant-worthy

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 4 small courgettes (or 2-3 large ones)
• 100-200g feta cheese (half to whole block - use 200g if you're feeling generous!)
• 1 large red chilli
• Few sprigs fresh mint (optional but wonderful if you have it)

For the Dressing:

• Juice of ½ lemon
• Zest of ½ lemon
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the chilli: Cut the chilli in half lengthways. Before you do anything else, taste a tiny piece of the flesh to check how hot it is. Supermarket chillies can vary wildly, some are mild, others are scorching! If it's very hot, remove all the seeds and use just half. If it's mild and delicate like mine was, you can use the whole thing. Remove the seeds (they add heat but no flavour) and finely dice the chilli.

2. Make the dressing: Add the finely diced chilli to a large serving bowl. This is your dressing bowl. Grate the zest of half a lemon directly into the bowl, then squeeze in the juice of that half lemon. Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and a good grind of black pepper. Don't add salt yet , the feta will provide plenty of saltiness later. Whisk everything together with a fork. Making the dressing first, before adding the courgettes, makes it much easier to mix.

3. Prepare the courgettes: Trim the ends off the courgettes. Using a vegetable peeler, peel long ribbons from each courgette, turning it as you go to peel all sides. Keep peeling until you reach the seedy core in the middle. You can use the seedy core in cooking or discard it, it's too soft and watery for this salad. You should have a beautiful pile of elegant courgette ribbons.

4. Add courgettes to dressing: Add all the courgette ribbons to the bowl with the dressing. Using your hands or tongs, gently toss the ribbons through the dressing, making sure every ribbon is lightly coated. The courgettes will absorb the lemony flavours beautifully.

5. Add fresh mint (if using): If you have fresh mint, pick the leaves from a few sprigs and tear them roughly. Scatter them over the dressed courgette ribbons and toss through gently. The mint adds a wonderful freshness that goes perfectly with the lemon and feta.

6. Taste and adjust: Taste a ribbon of courgette. If it needs more lemon juice, oil, or pepper, add it now and toss again. Remember, you're not adding salt yet because the feta will be salty.

7. Pile up the salad: Use your hands or tongs to pile the dressed courgette ribbons up in the serving bowl, creating height and volume. It should look abundant and gorgeous.

8. Create the feta snowstorm: Just before serving (literally minutes before bringing it to the table), crumble the feta cheese generously all over the top of the salad. Let it fall like snow, covering the green ribbons with white crumbles. Use half a block (100g) for a lighter touch, or the whole 200g block if you're feeling generous, more feta is never a bad thing!

9. Final flourish: If you have a few extra mint leaves, place them on top as a garnish. Bring the salad to the table immediately while it's fresh, bright, and beautiful.

Chef's Tips

For the best flavour: Always taste your chilli first! Supermarket chillies can vary wildly in heat. Some are mild and sweet, others will blow your head off. Adjust the amount based on what you're working with.

Perfect ribbons: Turn the courgette as you peel to get long, even ribbons. Stop when you hit the seedy core - it's too watery for the salad.

Don't dress too early: The lemon juice will start to "cook" the courgette and make it soggy if left too long. Dress this salad no more than 15 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Salt timing: Don't add salt until after the feta is on, or you might over-salt it. The feta provides plenty of seasiness.

Room temperature: Courgettes and feta are both best at cool room temperature rather than fridge-cold. Take the feta out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.

Growing your own: If you have courgettes growing in your garden, this is a brilliant way to use them. In New Zealand summer (Christmas time), courgettes are abundant!

Substitutions & Variations

No mint? Use fresh basil or dill instead. Each brings a different but lovely flavour.

Different cheese: Use goat's cheese instead of feta for a creamier, tangier flavour. Parmesan shavings also work beautifully.

Add nuts: Scatter toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds over the top for extra crunch.

Cucumber version: Mix half courgette ribbons and half thinly sliced cucumber for extra freshness.

Extra vegetables: Add ribbons of carrot or very thin radish slices for more colour and crunch.

Lime instead of lemon: Use lime juice and zest for a different citrus note, works especially well with Thai basil instead of mint.

Pomegranate jewels: Scatter pomegranate seeds over the top for festive red pops of sweetness.

Olives: Add some pitted and halved Kalamata olives for extra Mediterranean flavour.

Storage & Reheating

Best served fresh: This salad is best made and served within 15 minutes of dressing. The lemon juice will start to break down the courgette if left too long.

Prep ahead: You can peel the courgette ribbons up to 2 hours ahead and keep them in the fridge in a sealed container. Make the dressing in the serving bowl. Toss together just before serving.

Leftover storage: If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. The courgette will soften and release water, but it's still tasty, just not as crisp.

Don't freeze: This fresh salad doesn't freeze well at all.

Christmas Day timing: Peel the courgette ribbons in the morning and keep refrigerated. Make the dressing in your serving bowl. 10 minutes before dinner, toss everything together and add the feta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use large courgettes instead of small ones? A: Yes! Use 2-3 large courgettes instead of 4 small ones. The ribbons will be wider but will work just as well.

Q: What if I can't find red chillies? A: Use green chillies, or use a pinch of dried chilli flakes instead. Start with less as dried chilli can be quite hot.

Q: My courgette ribbons are breaking. What am I doing wrong? A: Make sure your peeler is sharp. Dull peelers tear rather than slice. Also, stop when you reach the soft, seedy core - that part breaks easily.

Q: Can I make this without the feta? A: Yes, though the feta really makes this salad special. For a vegan version, use crumbled firm tofu marinated in lemon juice and salt, or use vegan feta.

Q: Do I have to use fresh mint? A: Fresh mint is lovely but not essential. The salad is still delicious with just the lemon and chilli. Don't use dried mint - it won't have the same fresh impact.

Q: Can I add other vegetables? A: Absolutely! Cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced radish, or ribbons of carrot would all be lovely additions.

You Might Also Like

Ultimate Roast Potatoes - The crispy, golden roasties that go perfectly with this fresh salad. Part of the Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner.

Peas with Caramelised Onions and Lemon Garlic Breadcrumbs - Another vibrant side dish from the Savvy Suppers series that pairs beautifully with this salad.

Roast Chicken with Gravy - Complete your Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner with this showstopping roast chicken and this refreshing salad on the side.

Enjoy!

Del x

A perfectly simple, utterly delicious, light, crisp, and refreshing salad to go with your Savvy Suppers Christmas meal. That little chilli hit and that creamy feta with that lemony mint dressing - Christmas wouldn't be complete without a little feta snowstorm! Part of my Savvy Suppers Christmas Dinner series.