zucchini substitute
for dressing.

Snap peas at 1:1 cup, halved lengthwise or sliced thin, take vinaigrette without breaking down — hold 6+ hours at 40F. Sweet pea pop pairs with sesame, mint, lemon, or feta. Best in spring salads with grain bases or Asian-style noodle salads. Skip in heavy creamy dressings that mute the pea sweetness.

Snow peas at 1:1 cup, sliced thin on the bias, mimic zucchini ribbon shape with crisp pea bite. Hold dressing 5-6 hours at 40F. Absorbs 4-5% dressing by weight (lighter than zucchini). Best in Asian-style salads with sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger; skip in Italian-Mediterranean preparations where pea reads off-register.

Raw okra at 1:1 cup, sliced thin crosswise, takes light vinaigrette dressing for 3-4 hours at 40F before mucilage thickens the pool. Best in Southern-style salads with tomato, corn, cucumber, lime. Skip in creamy or oil-heavy dressings where mucilage clouds the dressing pool. Slice just before plating to control slime.

Carrots at 1:1 cup, julienned or shaved, hold dressing 8-12 hours at 40F. Sweet-earthy flavor pairs with vinaigrettes and creamy dressings. Absorbs 5-6% dressing by weight. Best in slaws, ribbon salads, banh-mi-style preparations, or grain salads with citrus dressings. Skip in delicate herb-oil dressings where carrot sweetness dominates.

Cucumber at 1:1 cup, sliced or shaved into ribbons, takes dressing for 3-4 hours at 40F before water-weep dilutes the pool. Salt-and-drain 15 minutes pre-dress to control. Best in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern salads with yogurt, tahini, or lemon-mint dressings. Skip in heavy oil dressings that mute cucumber's clean flavor.