Learn how to make the best gluten free pasta salad with this easy and flavorful recipe! With these expert tips you will learn how to prevent mushy GF pasta, the ideal way to store and serve, along with the best Italian-vibes mix-ins, like tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, salami, and mozzarella and a zesty sun-dried tomato dressing bringing it all together.
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Zesty Sun-Dried Tomato Gluten Free Pasta Salad
When making a recipe for gluten-free pasta salad you may be tempted to just swap out your favorite GF pasta in a traditional recipe. Why this will certainly get the job done, the end result won’t live up to expectations.
Since GF starches are different, using some simple tricks turns disappointing attempts into a success. Now you can make this sun dried tomato pasta salad taste just as good as the version we grew up eating. (Isn’t that always the goal?)
Here are some expert tips consider, which also work well for making gluten-free macaroni salad made with mayo:
- Unlike with regular pasta, when using gluten free pasta leave the water unsalted. GF pasta soaks up too much of the salt while boiling and can leave your pasta much more salty than you may like.
- For best texture, cook the pasta to just al dente. Part of what makes a good pasta salad is when the noodles remain firm. Nobody wants mushy pasta!
- To help keep your noodles al dente, rinse with cold water after pouring them into the colander. This will stop the pasta from further cooking.
- My favorite store brand gluten free pasta is Barilla. BUT, recently I discovered Rummo GF pasta and game-changer! Seriously, the best texture. You can use gluten-free rotini, bowties, penne, or macaroni noodles.
- A pasta salad with gluten-free noodles is best served at room temperature. GF pasta gets harder upon refrigeration, so make sure you set out your salad 30-45 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Since the dressing does not contain mayo, it can sit out longer.
This cold pasta salad recipe is loaded with fresh veggies, making it the perfect dish for a hot summer’s day, a picnic, or holidays like Memorial Day or 4th of July. If you are looking for other ideas to serve with it I have tons of gluten-free salads to check out!
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Combine the cooked pasta and other goodness
Begin by boiling the pasta to just al dente. Once it is done cooking, pour it in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Combine the cooked pasta with the additional ingredients. At this point, you may omit any add-ins out or make some of additions suggested below!
Zesty sun-dried tomato dressing
Pour all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake to combine. Mix with salad ingredients, cover securely, and refrigerate 1-24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving so the pasta is soft and tender.
Other Ways To Jazz Up Flavor
This adaptable gluten free cold pasta salad is great for adding additional flavors or modifications. In fact, leftovers are great are with grilled meats, such as chicken or fish.
- Meats – canned Tuna, grilled chicken, pepperoni, prosciutto
- Veggies – red, yellow or orange peppers, cucumber, green onions, banana peppers, baby spinach
- Pepperoncini
- Sunflower seeds
- Kalamata olives
- Fresh basil
- Feta cheese
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Gluten-Free Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounce gluten-free rotini or penne pasta, GF Rummo or Barilla brand recommended
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 12 ounce marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella, cubed in ½" pieces
- 1 cup thick cut salami or summer sausage, chopped in bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup black or Kalamata olives, halved
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- ½ small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 8 Italian sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
- ¼ cup Italian sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained from jar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and leave water unsalted. Boil pasta to just al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.12 ounce gluten-free rotini or penne pasta
- In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, mozzarella, salami, olives, tomatoes, onion, sun dried tomatoes, and parsley. Set aside.15 ounce can chickpeas, 12 ounce marinated artichoke hearts, 8 ounce fresh mozzarella, 1 cup thick cut salami or summer sausage, ½ cup black or Kalamata olives, 1 pint grape tomatoes, ½ small red onion, 8 Italian sun dried tomatoes in oil, ½ cup fresh Italian parsley
- In a pint-sized jar add all dressing ingredients. Shake vigorously to combine.¼ cup Italian sun dried tomatoes in oil, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pour dressing over pasta salad ingredients. Gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to let flavors marinate. Set out 30-45 minutes before serving to take chill off and soften pasta.
Notes
Dairy-Free Modification
Making a dairy-free gluten-free pasta salad is very simple. All you need to do is eliminate the fresh mozzarella, or use a dairy-free cheese alternative. When making the homemade Italian dressing, skip the Parmesan cheese, or replace it with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast.Make-Ahead and Storing
It even tastes better if you let it sit up to overnight before serving. However, while traditional recipes will keep in the fridge 5-7 days, I don’t recommend this for a GF pasta salad. You may make the salad up to 24 hours before serving. When it’s time to serve, let it sit out for 30-45 minutes, stirring a couple times, so it comes to room temp. This softens the bite of the pasta. Also, leaving the tomatoes uncut helps persevere this pasta salad recipe for longer. Otherwise the juice from the tomatoes make the salad watery upon sitting.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
