Gluten Free Pasta Salad With Artichokes and Herbs is fresh, bright, and easy to make. Italian salad that is tossed with marinated artichokes, olives, fresh herbs, and a simple vinaigrette that brings everything together. It holds up well in the refrigerator, making it perfect for picnics, potlucks, or easy summer dinners. If you enjoy Mediterranean flavors like these, you might also love my Mediterranean Tuna Niçoise Salad.
Gluten Free Italian Pasta Salad At A Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: About 25 minutes (15 minutes prep + 10 minutes cook)
- 🍽 Servings: 6
- 🌍 Cuisine Type: Italian / Mediterranean
- 🥗 Flavor Profile: Bright and herb-forward with marinated artichokes, olives, fresh herbs, and a light vinaigrette
- 🌿 Dietary Info: Gluten-free (when using gluten-free pasta); vegetarian
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavors deepen as it sits.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A fresh Mediterranean pasta salad that's easy to make ahead and perfect for picnics, potlucks, or simple weeknight meals.
Save And Summarize This Recipe
This salad is the kind of recipe that fits easily into any summer table. It's fresh, make-ahead friendly, and pairs well with just about anything from grilled chicken to simple seafood. If you enjoy cold pasta dishes like this, you might also like my Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad or Tortellini Pesto Pasta, two other Mediterranean-style pasta salads that are easy to prepare and perfect for gatherings.
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For more Italian-inspired pasta recipes, try my Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad which has the same bright, summery flavors. My Penne Pomodoro is another simple pasta dish built around good tomatoes and olive oil, while the Feta Tomato Pasta is a quick weeknight favorite that comes together with just a handful of ingredients.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this gluten free pasta recipe:
- Cucumbers: I have tried all different kinds of cucumbers for this recipe. I found that using Persian cucumbers make all the difference. Persian cucumbers do not have seeds. They are similar to English cucumbers but small in circumference.
- Cheese: You can substitute or add Parmesan cheese or feta cheese to this dish. You can easily use mozzarella pearls or balls to save time, which is what I did when testing this recipe.
- Noodles: Any type of gluten-free noodles will work for the salad, play around with penne, fusilli, or macaroni and see what you love best.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Vegetables: If you want to stretch the pasta salad further, add in some chopped bell peppers, a can of chickpeas, white beans, or any other fresh veggies that you like to the mixture.
- Lemon juice: If you want to increase the tang of the dressing, add in the zest of one lemon and the juice of a half of a lemon.
- Meat: This Italian pasta salad calls for salami; however, chopped cooked ham, chicken, or another flavor of deli salami can all work.
How To Make This Gluten Free Pasta Salad: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1
Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add some salt to the water.
Step 2
Start by whisking the extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic cloves, dried oregano, dried basil leaves and, crushed red pepper (if using, in a small bowl until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3
Cook your favorite brand of gluten free pasta in boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the water and add them to a large mixing bowl. Set aside to cool down.
Step 4
Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, artichoke hearts, black olives, salami, mozzarella cheese, and fresh herbs to the bowl. Toss together.
Step 5
Add in the salad dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately or let it sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to meld the flavors and cool down.
Recipe Tips
- Take the time to cut the salami and mozzarella into smaller pieces so that each bite has all the delicious flavor of each ingredient.
Gwen's Pro Tip
Don't overcook the noodles. Make sure they still have a bit of texture to them.
While I love this salad for it's ease to prepare, I also love my Gluten-Free Italian Potato Salad which feeds a crowd and the Chickpea Orzo Salad.
Gluten Free Pasta Salad FAQ's
You can serve the salad immediately: however, if you have time, the pasta salad will taste best if it sits in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Of course. If you don't want to make your own, use what you have in the refrigerator but know that the flavor will change slightly the longer it sits.
You can easily add or reduce the herbs in the dressing or pasta salad. If you are looking for inspiration, this Asparagus Salad is delicious.
Other Easy Salads
This gluten-free pasta salad recipe is a great way to create a main dish that your whole family will love. Crunchy veggies paired with a simple vinaigrette make this a star for warm summer days.
Let me know your thoughts on this Gluten Free Pasta Salad by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Gluten Free Pasta Salad With Artichokes and Herbs (Italian)
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Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
- flakey sea salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 12 oz gluten free pasta
- kosher salt for the boiling water
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Persian cucumbers or one half English cucumber diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup pitted black olives halved
- 1 cup artichoke hearts quartered and then halved
- 8 oz salami diced
- 6 oz mozzarella cheese diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves torn or chopped
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove and add some kosher salt.
- Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together, except the salt and pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according the package instructions. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the veggies and herbs to the pasta and toss together.
- Dress the salad by pouring the dressing over the pasta and tossing to coat. Serve.
Penny says
I made this for dinner last night, and everyone loved it. The dressing has so much flavor is my new favorite.
Pia says
This taste so good! Will make this again for my mom.
Carynn says
So tasty! I added a little extra of the red pepper flakes because we like things spicy. This was the perfect side dish for our pizza night!
Anna M. says
This is now my new favorite pasta recipe. The whole family loved it.
Kara says
We made this yesterday for the 4th of July and it was great. Everyone loved it!