Grilled Vegetable Salad (AIP Modified, Paleo, Whole30)

This Grilled Vegetable Salad is anything but lettuce-in-a-bowl, and it may completely change how you think about salad. A quick sear on a hot grill transforms summer vegetables like zucchini, asparagus and red onion into something richer. They’re smoky and just a little charred, while still keeping that satisfying crunch. Paired with crisp cucumbers and briny Castelvetrano olives, every bite is a contrast of warm and cool, soft and snappy, bright and savory. I love serving it over a swoosh of my dairy-free labneh (made from coconut yogurt), which turns the lemony dressing into something creamy and light. AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30 eaters, this one’s for you. And it comes together fast, since the grill isn’t for heavy lifting here, just a quick turn to bring out summer’s best.

How this recipe fits AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30

This grilled vegetable salad is designed for AIP Modified and is fully compatible with Paleo and Whole30 and Plant-Based Whole30. It’s built around summer vegetables, olive oil, fresh herbs and bright lemon, with sunflower seeds (instead of nuts) adding crunch for those following AIP Modified. If you’re following AIP Core, simply omit the seeds and the salad remains fully compliant. Like most of my recipes, it leans on seasonal produce and minimally processed ingredients, making it an easy fit for elimination-style and anti-inflammatory kitchens alike.

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Start by prepping the veggies. Cut the ends from two zucchini and slice them in half lengthwise. Then cut the woody ends off a bunch of asparagus and slice a medium onion into half-inch rounds or half-rounds. Toss everything with a tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt.

You can grill the vegetables on the stove using an indoor cast-iron grill pan or take the grill pan outside to a traditional outdoor grill. If you’re using an outdoor grill, you’ll want the pan to make sure that the vegetables don’t slip through the grates. Heat the cast-iron grill over high heat and sear the vegetables until they are charred on the outside but still firm. The asparagus will turn bright green, the onions will begin to soften and the zucchini will get dark grill marks but still be toothsome and crunchy. I’ve made this many times on an indoor grill and I’m always surprised how the cast iron gives the same smoky charred flavor.

Remove the vegetables to a cutting board and let them cool until they’re easy to handle. Then, chop them into quarter-inch pieces. Toss them together in a large bowl and set aside.

The dressing is a simple lemon vinaigrette with lots of fresh lemon zest. It’s punchy and bright and will wake up all of the vegetables and give a strong contrast to the char from the grill. Whisk together the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil plus two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, the zest of one lemon plus a half teaspoon of salt.

Toss the grilled vegetables with diced cucumbers, roughly chopped Castelvetrano olives and sunflower seeds plus handfuls of chopped parsley and basil. If you’re following AIP Core (the original AutoImmune Protocol) leave out the sunflower seeds.

To serve, toss the salad with the dressing and layer with a dollop of my dairy-free lemony labneh or a store-bought Greek-style coconut yogurt. If you have time, I recommend making the labneh. It’s thick and creamy, and the lemon infusion in the labneh balances out the flavor of coconut and pairs beautifully with the lemon dressing on the salad. You can serve this grilled vegetable salad one of two ways – spread all of the yogurt onto a platter and spoon the salad over the top, or spread a dollop of yogurt on a salad plate and layer scoop a serving of salad on top. Then, top with additional fresh basil and parsley, if you like.

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Grilled Vegetable Salad with Dairy-Free Labneh (AIP Modified, Paleo, Whole30)

5 from 1 vote

A grilled vegetable salad made with zucchini, asparagus, red onion, cucumbers, olives, fresh herbs, and lemon vinaigrette. Designed for AIP Modified, Paleo and Whole30, and built around whole, seasonal ingredients.

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Total Time:35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Christina Marche

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
• 1 medium red onion, sliced at one quarter-inch
• 2 medium zucchini, ends removed and cut in half lengthwise
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup diced Persian or hothouse cucumbers
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• ¼ cup finely chopped basil
• 1 cup dairy-free labneh or greek-style coconut yogurt

Instructions

• Heat a grill pan on the stove over high heat, or set a griddle or heavy skillet on the grill. (A grill-safe pan is needed to keep the onions and asparagus from slipping through the grates of an outdoor grill.)
• Toss the asparagus, onion and zucchini in one tablespoon of olive oil, seasoning generously with salt. Grill each vegetable in batches until charred in spots but still firm, then transfer to a cutting board and chop into ½-inch pieces.
• In a small bowl, whisk the remaining olive oil with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt to make the dressing.
• In a large bowl, combine the grilled vegetables with the cucumbers, olives, sunflower seeds, parsley, and basil. Toss with the dressing and season to taste.
• For individual servings, spread a spoonful of dairy-free labneh or coconut yogurt onto each plate and top with salad. For family-style, layer the yogurt on a platter and pile the salad on top. Garnish with more herbs if you like.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: AIP Modified, Paleo, Plant-Based Whole30, Whole30

Adapted from the recipe “Grilled Green Chopped Salad with Pine Nuts and Chevre” from The Apricot Lane Farms Cookbook by Molly Chester.