Cretan zucchini meze Calories

To make Cretan zucchini meze, use a vegetable peeler to shave washed zucchini into long ribbons. Soften the ribbons in olive oil, let them cool, then fold in yogurt before serving.

Cretan zucchini meze is generally served cold or at room temperature. Let the cooked zucchini cool before adding yogurt, since mixing yogurt into hot zucchini can make the meze runny.

Serve Cretan zucchini meze with bread and other cold mezze, or alongside grilled fish or meat. Its cool, creamy texture works well as part of a Mediterranean-style spread.

No. Cretan zucchini meze uses cooked zucchini ribbons with yogurt, while tzatziki is usually made with grated cucumber and yogurt. They are both cool, yogurt-based dishes, but their main vegetables and textures differ.

Cretan zucchini meze can turn watery if the zucchini is overcooked or yogurt is mixed in while the zucchini is hot. Cool the cooked ribbons first, and combine them with yogurt closer to serving time.

Yes. You can cook the zucchini ribbons ahead and chill them, then mix in the yogurt shortly before serving. Keeping the two components separate helps the meze retain a thicker texture.

Yes, yellow summer squash can be used in Cretan zucchini meze if it is firm enough to shave into ribbons. Choose a fresh squash with a compact center so the strips hold their shape when cooked.

Yes. You can leave out the yogurt and serve the olive-oil-cooked zucchini ribbons on their own, though the result will be less creamy than the yogurt-based meze.

Store leftover Cretan zucchini meze in a covered container in the refrigerator. If you are preparing it in advance, keep the cooked zucchini and yogurt separate until serving to reduce excess moisture.