AIP zucchini noodle pasta salad, no-cook, with clean-label salami, olives, and artichokes

This salad exists for the days cooking is not going to happen: the potluck where the only safe dish is the one you bring yourself, the long drive with nothing decent at a gas station, the afternoon too hot to stand near a stove. Cut the zucchini into noodles, toss everything with the dressing, and let it sit cold in the fridge until you want it. That is the whole plan, and deep into a long elimination phase, a dish that asks this little of you earns its keep.

The savor comes from brine and salt instead of cheese, which is why the bowl stays interesting to the last bite. The olive oil here is a source of polyphenols, plant compounds studies have connected to inflammation running quieter, and the zucchini itself is a fair source of vitamin C and potassium even served raw.

The salami is the one ingredient that asks for real label reading, since most commercial versions hide paprika or seed spices, and finding a clean one is a small act of respect for the animal it came from as much as for your own healing body. Toss it together, let the colors settle in the bowl before you serve it, and let this be the easy, unfussy meal it actually is.

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, spiralized (yellow squash works too)
• Artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• Diced clean-label salami (see the swap note)
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Black olives
• Red wine vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dried oregano
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Fine sea salt

A note on swaps: the cherry tomatoes are omitted, since tomato is a nightshade, and the black pepper is omitted as well. The zucchini noodles stand in for the pasta. The salami must be clean-label and AIP-compliant, with no nightshade spices such as paprika, no seed spices such as fennel or pepper, and no added sugar; most commercial salami contains paprika and will not pass, so read the label or fall back to prosciutto or ham. The red wine vinegar, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, parsley, and basil are all AIP-friendly as written. Cured meat, olives, and the marinade can be high in histamine, so this one is flagged low_histamine: no.

Method

Put the spiralized zucchini, artichoke hearts, salami, red onion, and olives in one large bowl.

Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil, then the oregano, parsley, basil, and a good pinch of salt.

Toss everything together until the noodles are well coated.

Cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors marry and the zucchini softens slightly. Toss again and taste for salt just before serving.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*