No-Mayo Gluten Free Italian Pasta Salad

This fresh and easy gluten free Italian pasta salad is the best satisfying side dish! Made with a mouthwatering homemade Italian dressing (with no mayo), fresh veggies, herbs, parmesan cheese, olives, and sliced salami or pepperoni. Perfect for summer BBQ’s! Vegetarian and dairy free option included in the recipe below.

The best gluten free pasta salad

There is something about a really good pasta salad that embodies summer like nothing else. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s portable, easy to make ahead of time, and best enjoyed cold, or maybe it’s that it reminds us to make the most of the season by getting outside to have some fun!

It’s one of the best side dishes to bring to a potluck, BBQ, or picnic, and with all the fresh ingredients it always hits the spot when the sun is out and tummies are grumbling.

We love how customizable it is based on what you have on hand or enjoy, so feel free take this recipe as a starting point and add or subtract ingredients as you like.

The homemade Italian dressing though?! That’s a must in my book – trust me, you’ll be hooked too once you try it!

Why you’ll love this gf pasta salad

It is:

• Simple and easy to make
• Full of bright, zesty flavors
• Easy to customize
• Satisfying and filling
• Gluten free with an option to make dairy free / vegetarian / vegan
• Fresh and satisfying
• Full of savory flavor
• SO super tasty!

Ingredients and substitutions

One of the best things about pasta salad (besides how delicious it is!) is how easy it is to customize. The Mediterranean inspired ingredients I share below can be considered a starting point, but I encourage you to adapt it to make the recipe your own!

For the pasta salad

• GF pasta – Almost any type of short past will work well for this pasta salad. Our favorite is this gluten free fusilli (also called rotini), but penne or farfelle are also great options.
• Chickpeas – Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, add a welcome bite.
• Olives – Any type of olives that you like work – green, kalamata, black, or castelvetrano (one of our favorites!). Not a fan of olives? Feel free to make this recipe without them.
• Tomatoes – Halved cherry tomatoes are the perfect pasta salad sized bite. Sweet and juicy!
• Cucumber – Cucumber adds a welcome burst of crunch fresh flavor.
• Red onion – Finely diced red onion adds the perfect zippy bite. Can be substituted with thinly sliced green onions or you an omit all together.
• Pepperoncinni peppers – Look for pre-sliced pepperoncinni peppers at the store to save a little prep time.
• Bell pepper – Green pepper is often what I reach for, but any color of bell pepper works. It adds delicious crunch!
• Parsley – Lots and lots of fresh parsley pulls in some lovely green, herbaceous flavor. Dill would also be great!
• Salami – While totally optional, salami is good for a little smoky flavor. Pepperoni is another great cured meat option.
• Parmesan cheese – Grated parmesan cheese adds umami flavor that coats every noodle. Leave out or substitute with a dairy free parm for a dairy free option.

For the homemade Italian dressing

• Olive oil – You could use avocado oil as well, but a nice olive oil adds such great flavor.
• Red wine vinegar – Red wine vinegar is ideal, but white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or even sherry vinegar will also work.
• Honey – A small amount of honey adds just a bit of sweetness to the dressing to round out all the other flavors. Feel free to substitute with maple syrup.
• Dijon mustard – For a little zip and zing.
• Italian seasoning – You couldn’t make Italian dressing without Italian seasoning. To keep it simple I use a pre-made blend, but you could also add equal parts basil, oregano, parsley, and rosemary for a similar effect.
• Garlic powder – For more robust savory flavor.
• Salt and pepper – A generous amount of both help ensure that the pasta salad is neither bland nor boring.

Optional add ins

If you want to leave some of the ingredients listed above, go for it! Feel free to make it completely your own.

Here are some other ideas for add ins:

• Cooked chicken or shrimp
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Asparagus
• Zucchini
• Thinly sliced fennel
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Feta cheese
• Mini mozzarella balls

How to make

Here’s the step-by-step

• Make the dressing. In a medium sized bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the Italian dressing. Set aside.
• Cook the pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain well, but do not rinse. Transfer still warm pasta to a large bowl and toss with about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Move to the refrigerator to chill while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
• Assemble pasta salad. When pasta has cooled, toss together with all pasta salad ingredients and remaining dressing.
• Season and store. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. Because gluten free pasta can be a little hard straight out of the refrigerator, allow pasta salad to sit out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before digging in for the best texture .
• Serve and enjoy! Top with extra parmesan, serve, and enjoy.

How to make a vegetarian or vegan version

With a few simple swaps you can easily make this pasta salad vegetarian or vegan.

Here’s how to make it vegetarian:

• Leave out the meat. Yup, that’s it!

Here’s how to make it vegan:

• Swap the honey in the dressing for maple syrup or sugar.
• Leave out the meat.
• Omit the parmesan cheese or substitute with a dairy free option.

Top tips for making the best pasta salad

• Salt your cooking water. It’s always a good idea to salt your pasta water to give the plain pasta a head start on building flavor.
• Don’t rinse your pasta. Rinsing your pasta rinses away a lot of the starch that helps the noodles hold on to flavor. Tossing the still warm pasta with some of the dressing without rinsing it is the best way to get max flavor out of your pasta salad.
• Wait for the pasta to cool before added all the other ingredients. This helps make sure all the other ingredients stay crisp and fresh. I like to use this time to finish chopping / prepping any remaining ingredients.
• Season generously. Using the boldly seasoned homemade Italian dressing is a great start to super flavorful pasta salad, but don’t be afraid to season generously with salt and pepper after the salad is dressed to your taste.
• Allow the pasta salad to sit for a few hours before serving. This helps infuse the pasta salad with TONS of flavor.
• Let the pasta salad sit at room temperature before serving. Gluten free pasta can harden up in the refrigerator. For the best texture let the pasta salad sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Can you make it in advance?

Yes! Absolutely. Pasta salad actually tends to taste better if left to marinate in the refrigerator for a little while before serving, which makes it the perfect side dish to prep the night before you plan to serve it.

How long will it last in the fridge?

Pasta salad is generally good for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator. The textures and flavors will likely be best the first 2-3 days.

Love this easy pasta salad? Here’s some other yummy recipes to try!

• Tuna Salad
• Smashed Chickpea Salad
• Lemony Chickpea Feta Salad
• Kale Chicken Caesar Salad
• Honey Mustard Chickpea Kale Salad
• No-Mayo Shrimp and Avocado Salad
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
• Easy Chicken Salad with Grapes

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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