Easy Gluten Free Pasta Salad
A simple recipe to follow, this recipe for gluten free pasta salad is also dairy free and can be vegan if you choose the right pasta. Great to accompany picnics, BBQ's and summertime salads. This recipe also hold tips in the notes section on how to cook pasta the fool proof way. Need more than 2 servings? simply increase the recipe using the 2x 3x buttons.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Main Course, Salad, Seasonal, Side Dish
Cuisine: Dairy Free
Keyword: BBQ, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Pasta, Salad, Vegan
Servings: 2
Calories: 593kcal
Author: Glutarama
For the cooked pasta
- 150 g gluten free pasta penne or fusilli are ideal
- 1 litre(s) boiled water
For the salad
- 1 yellow pepper bell pepper
- 2 inch cucumber remove seeds
- 10 cherry tomatoes you can used jarred sundried tomatoes if you wish
- 100 g dairy free cream cheese
- 1 garlic (powder, puree or clove)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste to taste - don't hold back
- fresh chives to garnish
To make the pasta
Boil the kettle and pour 1ltr of boiled water into a large saucepan, bring back to the boil.
Add the weighed pasta and stir with a metal spoon to separate the pasta. Now leave it to rapid simmer on a medium high heat for 10-12 minutes depending on how soft you like your pasta.
NOTE: while the pasta cooks you can be chopping the pepper, cucumber and tomatoes into little jewel sized pieces and crush the garlic clove.
Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander place the colander over the empty saucepan off the heat and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper, now leave to cool while you continue to prepare the salad and dressing.
To make the creamy dressing
In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese, crushed garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
Once your pasta is room temperature, tip back into the saucepan and add the creamy garlic dressing, fold with a silicone spatula.
Finally, add your colourful chopped salad and fold through to combine.
If eating immediately, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped chives.
My Top Tips for cooking pasta
- always use your biggest saucepan - give the pasta room
- boil the kettle and add this to the pan, bring back to boil THEN add your pasta
- never stir with a wooden spoon, always a metal spoon or ideally a pasta spoon
- no need to season until cooked
- no need to add oil until cooked
- follow cooking times on packaging but rule of thumb is 10 minutes al dente and 12 minutes is soft for average sized pasta and spaghetti.
- use a large colander to rinse (hot tap if eating hot, cold tap if using for pasta salad)
- season and oil (olive oil to be authentic) in colander, give it a shake to coat and set aside until ready to serve.
Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1209IU | Vitamin C: 132mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg