Gluten-Free Pasta Salad
This gluten-free pasta salad is made with tomatoes, basil, mozzarella pearls, cucumbers, olives, and artichokes in a light Italian vinaigrette. It is a fresh vegetarian side dish for picnics, cookouts, potlucks, and easy summer dinners.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces gluten-free fusilli, rotini, or penne pasta
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- ½ cup black olives sliced or whole
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced or finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves sliced
Italian Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated red onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gluten-free pasta according to the package directions until tender. For pasta salad, cook it a little past al dente so it does not get too firm once chilled.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, grated red onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk until combined.
- Add the mozzarella pearls, tomatoes, cucumber, artichokes, olives, and red onion to the bowl with the pasta. If serving immediately, add the basil now; otherwise, add it shortly before serving.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of dressing, then pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Stir before serving. If the pasta has absorbed too much dressing, add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to loosen it up.
Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 588.8kcalCarbohydrates: 68.1gProtein: 13.5gTotal Fat: 30.7gSaturated Fat: 5.7gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 720.4mgPotassium: 175.6mgFiber: 3.6gSugar: 2.4g
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