Paleo Italian Pasta Salad

The classic Italian Pasta Salad gets a Paleo makeover with all the flavors you love! The perfect lunch, dinner, or side dish is sure to be devoured by all. Whole30 friendly, too!

I need you all to know that this vibrant, bright, and fantastically flavor meal has devoured by both myself and my husband EVERY DAY for the past week.

Obsessed much?

Heck yes…..

So here is the deal. Me and traditional Italian Pasta Salad were really good friends back in the day. As a kid, I would absolutely devour it. Kind of a weird food to love at a young age, but this is probably where the obsession with tangy foods began. Even in this modern day, I can eat jars of pepperoncinis or marinated artichokes on a daily basis.

Recently, a friend of mine shared with me a recipe she was currently loving: Zucchini noodles, bell pepper, pepperoni, tomatoes, and Italian dressing. She is describing how much she and her husband love this meal, and my mouth was literally watering.

YOU GUYS. Serious flashbacks of my childhood and my beloved favorite Italian Pasta Salad. These cravings were hitting me hard.

So hard that the next day, I promptly went to the store to set about making my own version.

So here I am, noshing on yet another bowl of this “Pasta” salad, and literally licking my plate clean.

It has all the goodies: Zucchini noodles for a base, uncured salami chunks, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, pepperoncinis, slices of prosciutto, bell pepper chunks, olives, fresh basil, and the easiest yet most delicious Italian dressing ever.

This has been my “go-to” summer meal. Took it with us on a quick trip to North Carolina the other day, devoured it after getting home late from said trip, packed it with us for dinner during our kids’ swim meet last night, and I have no intentions of forgetting about this meal.

Husband wants this everyday for lunch, too. We were thrilled to realize this is Whole30 compliant and will make a great addition to our repertoire when we start another round in September!

Best part, is that it’s super easy to throw together. I’ve been keeping a stash of the dressing in my fridge, and all I have to do is toss in the salad ingredients.

Enjoy you guys!

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Paleo Italian Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Print

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

• 3 large zucchini
• 1/2 cup diced uncured salami
• 4 slices prosciutto torn or cut into smaller pieces
• 1/2 diced green bell pepper
• 2/3 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts drained
• 1/3 cup pepperoncinis optional
• 1/4 cup olives whole or sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Slice off the ends of the zucchini, and use a spiralizer to create noodles. Using paper towels, squeeze out any excess water from the zucchini noodles. Place in a large bowl.

2. Toss in the salad ingredients: salami, prosciutto, bell pepper, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pepperoncinis, olives, and basil leaves. 

3. Make your dressing by placing ingredients in a small bowl or glass jar with a lid. Shake until smooth. Pour over the noodles (you may have extra dressing), and toss. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Salad does not hold well after 8 hours.