AIP Friendly Coconut Ranch Sardine Salad
Ranch dressing is one of those things that feels completely off the table when you're navigating the autoimmune protocol — dairy, buttermilk, and conventional seasonings make most versions a hard no. This one flips the script entirely by building that creamy, herby dressing from coconut cream, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and a generous handful of chives, dill, and parsley. The result is surprisingly close to the real thing: cool, tangy, and loaded with bright herb flavor. Garlic-infused olive oil brings that savory depth without the actual garlic, which keeps things protocol-friendly while still tasting like something you'd actually crave. The salad itself is crisp and satisfying — romaine, cucumber, radishes, and scallion greens all tossed with flaked sardines for a serious hit of protein and omega-3s. Sardines get a bad reputation, but nestled into all that crunch and coated in herby coconut ranch, they're genuinely delicious and make this a complete meal for two without any extra effort. A final squeeze of lemon over the top before serving pulls everything together and keeps it feeling fresh and bright.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the coconut ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup coconut cream
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
Ingredient noteAIP excludes seed-derived spices such as dill seed, but the dill in this recipe is dill weed - the leaf herb, not the seed - so it is likely AIP-compliant.
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For the salad
- 2 cans (4.375 oz each) sardines in olive oil, drained and flaked
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- ½ english cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut cream, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic-infused olive oil until smooth and uniform, about 30 seconds.
- 2
Stir in the chives, dill, parsley, salt, and ground ginger until evenly distributed. Let the dressing rest for 10 minutes so the herbs hydrate and the flavors come together.
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