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Gluten-Free Italian Pasta Salad

Gluten-free Italian pasta salad made with rice or chickpea rotini, crisp veggies, and zesty Italian dressing. You’ll get an al dente bite (less mushy) after a cold-water rinse and a 30-minute chill for flavor to set.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gluten-free rotini (rice or chickpea-based)
  • 1 lb gluten-free rotini (rice or chickpea-based) Use package directions for al dente; rinse and cool completely to prevent mushiness.
Pepperoni
  • 4 oz pepperoni Halved.
Salami
  • 4 oz salami Cut into strips.
Provolone
  • 4 oz provolone Cubed.
Bell peppers
  • 1 green bell pepper Diced.
  • 1 red bell pepper Diced.
Black olives and tomatoes
  • 1 cup black olives Sliced.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved.
Onion
  • 0.5 red onion Diced.
Italian dressing and seasonings
  • 1 can (16 oz) gluten-free Italian dressing Use as written for the dressing base.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper To taste.

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the gluten-free rotini to al dente per package directions, since GF pasta can turn mushy if overcooked. Use boiling water and watch closely for the al dente stage.
  2. Drain the pasta, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and cool completely. This helps stop cooking and keeps the pasta firm for tossing.
Assemble and dress
  1. Combine the cooled pasta with pepperoni, salami, provolone, both bell peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Toss gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  2. Mix the gluten-free Italian dressing with Italian seasoning. Stir until the seasoning is well dispersed.
  3. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so flavors meld.
  4. Toss again before serving and add more dressing if needed. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if required.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water until fully cooled—GF pasta absorbs dressing quickly, so this prevents it from getting soft. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best texture, stir once after 24 hours and add a splash more dressing if dry. Freezing isn’t recommended due to pasta texture changes. If you want a dairy-free pasta salad, swap provolone for a dairy-free cheese alternative (and choose a dairy-free Italian dressing).