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Recipe by Tiffani Thiessen - Mediterranean Charred Vegetable Salad with Tzatziki Vinaigrette & Spiced Pita Chips

This salad is a sun-drenched escape in every bite — smoky charred vegetables, cool ribbons of squash, and a creamy tzatziki vinaigrette that lingers like a summer breeze. Crisp spiced pita chips add the perfect crunch, while fresh herbs and tangy olives bring it all to life. It’s vibrant, textured, and impossibly dreamy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Mediterranean
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Pita chips:

  • 1 (3oz/80g) whole wheat pita bread
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac
  • 1/4 teaspoon za’atar 

Tzatziki Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt 
  • 1 (2.5 inch) piece English cucumber, coarsely grated 
  • 1 small lemon, zested 
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Salad:

  • 1 (6oz/170g) bag Fresh Express Sweet Butter lettuce blend
  • 1 (6oz/190g) head broccolini 
  • 1 orange bell pepper, trimmed and cut into ½” dice
  • 1/2 cup (105g) red cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste 
  • 1 small yellow squash
  • 1/2 cup (70g) pitted Castelvetrano olives 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Garnish:

  • Flaky salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Ground sumac
  • Small sprigs fresh dill 
  • Shaved Manchego cheese

Instructions
 

For the pita chips:

  • Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350F. 
  • Split the pita in half so that you have two whole, thin rounds. Lay one on top of the other and cut into ½-inch squares. Place onto a baking sheet.
  • Drizzle the pita with olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Spread into a single, even layer. 
  • Bake in the oven for 8-9 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. 
  • Remove from the oven and immediately season with salt, sumac and za’atar. Using a spatula, gently toss. Cool completely on the baking sheet.

For the tzatziki dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
  • Set aside if using immediately or refrigerate in a airtight container until ready to serve. 

For the salad:

  • Preheat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking.
  • Into the dry skillet, add the broccolini, bell pepper and cherry tomatoes. Sear for 2 minutes before stirring and flipping the vegetables to sear for 2-3 minutes on the remaining sides. Remove the blistered tomatoes and lightly-charred broccolini and pepper into a small bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine and set aside to cool completely. 
  • For the yellow squash, trim both ends. Using a vegetable peeler, start at the top of the squash and apply just enough pressure to peel downward to create a ribbon. Continue to create squash ribbons until you hit the seedy middle. Flip and peel ribbons from the opposite side (discard the remaining flesh of the squash or save for another use). Place the ribbons in a bowl of very cold water until ready to assemble the salad.
  • To assemble the salad, add the Fresh Express butter lettuce into a large, shallow serving bowl. Add the cooled charred vegetables, olives and herbs. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the tzatzkiki dressing to lightly coat, and toss to combine. 
  • Gently pat dry the squash ribbons and tuck into the salad. 
  • Season the salad with flaky salt, freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkling of sumac.
  • Drizzle 2-3 more tablespoons of dressing all over the salad, or more as desired. 
  • Garnish with the toasted pita chips, fresh dill and shaved Manchego cheese.