An incredibly simple recipe, this gluten-free pasta salad will fool even the most gluten-loving of people. Not only that, it’s also vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free.
Now doesn’t that just look DELISH?!
It might be the middle of the winter for a lot of the world right now, but we are here in sunny Florida and enjoying the lack of winter for the first time in my life.
Now that I have over 200 recipes on this site (226 to be exact!), I feel like there isn’t a lot that I haven’t done already. Pasta salad was one of those things, so I decided to make a delicious version filled with fresh veggies, gluten-free rice pasta and free from dairy.
Let me tell you guys, I think I really nailed this recipe! It’s so flavorful and full of delicious spices from the fresh basil to the dried parsley and oregano. It really isn’t missing anything at all in my mind!
So if you’re looking for a side dish for a burger cookout or a barbecue get-together, then this is the perfect dish to bring! It also goes super-well with pretty much any main dish, whether it be some gluten-free shake ‘n bake chicken or some BBQ ribs!
Let’s get cookin’!
This pasta salad couldn’t be much easier to assemble, honestly. While the pasta is cooking according to the package directions, you can chop up all of the veggies. For this recipe you’ll need cherry tomatoes, a can of olives, fresh basil and half of a red onion.
I do recommend chopping the onion up pretty finely, since it is a raw. Once you’re done slicing and dicing, toss the chopped veggies into a fairly large bowl with some dried oregano, dried parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar.
Once the pasta is done, drain the water and rinse the pasta off with cool water. Toss pasta into the bowl with the veggies and mix until the pasta is well-coated by the ingredients.
Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, or until ready to serve. You can prep this ahead of time if necessary, and it stores well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days for some delicious leftovers!
What is the best/healthiest gluten-free pasta?
The only type of pasta I have no negative reaction to is rice pasta, which is why I use it exclusively. However, for taste, I have heard that the mixture of corn and rice pasta is the winner.
For those struggling with health issues, I do recommend avoiding corn. If this is the case for you, I would recommend a rice-based or other gluten-free grain based pasta that does not include corn or corn derivatives.
My pasta is super mushy even though I cooked it per the directions, what did I do wrong?
Gluten-free pasta can definitely be more finicky to cook. Sometimes the package directions cannot be trusted, and if you’re cooking at altitude, you probably know you can’t trust cook times anyway.
It’s best to keep a close watch when you try a new brand of pasta. I usually recommend taking it out a minute or two before you think it is done cooking. This helps to prevent that yucky mushy texture from forming.
If you give this gluten-free pasta salad a try, please let me know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest so you don’t miss a recipe!
If you’re looking for delicious dishes to eat with this pasta salad, then you will love these other recipes!
Gluten-Free Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb gluten-free pasta I used brown rice elbow pasta (8 oz)
- 6 oz fresh cherry tomatoes
- 1 can olives liquid drained
- 1 clamshell package fresh basil
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (2 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon each of Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions. Drain liquid and rinse with cold water to cool down.
- Slice tomatoes, olives, basil and onion. Add to pasta.
- In a small container, mix olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley, salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar together. Pour over pasta and veggies. Mix until well-coated. Place in fridge for one hour to let marinate before consuming.
