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Gluten Free Veggie Pasta Salad (Dairy Free too)

Do you want something light, delicious and healthy for dinner tonight? Try out this Gluten Free Veggie Pasta Salad that’ll satisfy your craving without sacrificing flavor.

Packed with vitamins and minerals from the colorful mix of vegetables. It’s a nutritious yet tasty meal that the whole family will love!

Best of all, it takes less than 25 minutes to make – no sweat required. Let's get cooking!

This easy to make veggie pasta salad is loaded with fresh flavor and tangy Italian dressing.

It’s the perfect side dish that’s also budget friendly for your next holiday, cookout, baby shower, or work potluck. This veggie pasta salad is always a winning recipe for your family and friends.

Growing up we always loved a good veggie pasta salad in the summertime.

Surprisingly, we were never served it the same way twice since this is such a versatile dish.

A large white serving bowl of bow tie pasta noodles, diced bell peppers, broccoli, olives, cucumbers, and purple onion with dressing.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • This easy pasta salad recipe is easily customizable so you can make it exactly the way your guests will LOVE it
  • It's a fun way to get in more fresh veggies
  • Great for kids and adults alike
  • This gluten-free pasta salad goes with just about ANY main dish that you want to serve it with

Ingredients Needed

Get more information on these simple ingredients in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post

  • oil-- you can use your favorite cooking oil, we like to use extra virgin olive oil for this gluten free pasta salad recipe
  • box gluten free dry pasta-- we used the Jovial brand pasta noodle. Others have had success with the Tinyada and Barilla brands too. Use whatever your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta is
  • zucchini
  • bell peppers -- you can use red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, orange pepper, or green pepper, whatever you prefer
  • broccoli
  • cherry tomatoes
  • garlic cloves
  • red onion
  • salt and black pepper
  • gluten and dairy free Italian dressing-- we like using Primal Kitchen Italian Vinaigrette, but you can use whatever brand you prefer and have on hand. We also like to use a homemade Italian dressing.
  • black olives
  • optional: carrots, bacon bits, pepperoni slices, dairy free Parmesan cheese
A close up of veggie pasta salad in a serving bowl.

How to Make Gluten Free Veggie Pasta Salad

  1. Place water and 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot; follow package instructions to make pasta noodles. Cook until slightly underdone or al dente.
  2. Drain and rinse gluten free pasta noodles over cold water then set aside.
  3. Meanwhile prep veggies and place 2 tablespoon oil in a large heated stove top pan. Place diced peppers, zucchini, and broccoli in pan and saute for a few minutes. Add in onion, garlic, olives, tomatoes, and seasonings, Saute to your level of doneness; I like my pasta salad veggies slightly crunchy in this cold, pasta salad.
  4. Once pasta and vegges are done combine in a large serving bowl and gently toss. Drizzle with dairy free Italian dressing and gently mix until everything is evenly coated.
  5. Top your classic Italian pasta salad with dairy free Parmesan cheese and serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator up to a few hours. This salad is best the day of.
A serving bowl filled with delicious veggie pasta salad.

Storage

This veggie pasta salad is best enjoyed the day that you make it. If you MUST keep leftovers, we would only keep them a day, or two MAX.

That would be pushing it.

Between the dressing and the water released from the vegetables, the pasta will be breaking down in no time.

Veggies in a stove top pan.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, and no. You can prep your vegetables a day or two in advance and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator until you're ready to maek the salad.

Don't make the gluten free pasta until you're ready to make the rest of the salad. Don't add the dressing until you're ready to serve.

Gluten free pasta likes to break down even faster than traditional wheat pasta, especially when it's doused in dressing and is mixed with other vegetables (even faster with high water containing veggies).

A large bowl of gluten free bow tie pasta.

What other things can I add in?

The options to add to make this the best pasta salad are endless.

It's all about what you're interested in and what your tastebuds will enjoy.

Here are some other ideas that we enjoy:

  • carrots
  • corn
  • bacon bits
  • pepperoni
  • artichoke hearts
  • english cucumber
  • sun-dried tomatoes
  • diced fresh tomatoes
  • kalamata olives
  • grape tomatoes
  • chickpeas or garbanzo beans
  • dairy free mozzarella cheese
A serving bowl filled with delicious veggie pasta salad.

Tips

  • Garnish with fresh herbs like fresh basil, green onions, fresh parsley, or even rosemary.
  • Keep in mind that when serving this, you'll want it chilled. In the summer months you may find that room temperature is a bit warmer than during the winter, so you'll really appreciate the cold salad.
  • Instead of an Italian salad dressing, you can use any salad dressings that you prefer.
  • This simple recipe is great to serve at parties, gatherings, potlucks, summer bbq's, etc

more gluten + dairy free meal ideas

A serving bowl filled with delicious veggie pasta salad.

more gluten + dairy free meal ideas

lastly

If you've been looking for a budget friendly and yummy veggie pasta salad recipe, this is it.

You'll want to pin this recipe now. You can enjoy this for Easter, Mother's Day, the Fourth of July, or any other fun occasion.

Be sure to tag me and use the hashtag #eatingglutenanddairyfree when you post one of my recipes on Instagram. We love, love, love seeing your food pics.

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Veggie pasta salad in a bowl

Veggie Pasta Salad

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Servings: 12 servings
Author: Eating Gluten and Dairy Free

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon oil, divided
  • 1 12 oz box gluten free dry pasta several brands work see suggestions in the post
  • ½ zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 bell peppers, diced into small pieces
  • c broccoli, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • half red onion, diced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 8 oz bottle gluten and dairy free Italian dressing Primal Kitchen brand tastes great
  • 1 2.25 oz can sliced black olives
  • optional: carrots, bacon bits, pepperoni slices, dairy free Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Place water and 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot; follow directions on the box of pasta noodles. Cook until slightly underdone.
  • Drain and rinse gluten free pasta noodles over cold water then set aside.
  • Meanwhile prep veggies and place 2 tablespoon oil in a large heated stove top pan. Place diced peppers, zucchini, and broccoli in pan and saute for a few minutes. Add in onion, garlic, olives, tomatoes, and seasonings, Saute to your level of doneness; I like my pasta salad veggies slightly crunchy in this cold, pasta salad.
  • Once pasta and vegges are done combine in a large serving bowl and gently toss. Drizzle with dairy free Italian dressing and gently mix until everything is evenly coated.
  • Top with dairy free Parmesan cheese and serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator up to a few hours. This salad is best the day of.
  • If needed veggies can be prepped ahead 1-2 days.

Nutritional Disclaimer

These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.

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