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Gluten-free Italian Pasta Salad

Gluten-free pasta salad with salami, mozzarella, and crunchy vegetables tossed in Italian dressing. Cooked GF rotini or penne, then chilled for a firm, flavor-melded salad you can serve as an Italian side dish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gluten-free pasta (rotini or penne)
  • 1 lb gluten-free pasta (rotini or penne) Use a certified gluten-free brand.
Salami
  • 8 oz salami Cube before mixing.
Mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese Cube and pat dry if very wet.
Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halve.
Cucumber
  • 1 cup cucumber Dice.
Black olives
  • 0.5 cup black olives Slice.
Red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion Dice.
Gluten-free Italian dressing
  • 1 cup gluten-free Italian dressing Choose gluten-free to keep the recipe celiac-friendly.
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese Grate fresh if possible.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
Black pepper
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions (it may take longer than regular pasta) until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool it fast.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, salami, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss gently so the mix is evenly distributed.
Dress and season
  1. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning, then toss to coat thoroughly. Make sure no dry pasta remains on the bottom of the bowl.
Taste and chill
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld and the pasta firm up.
Finish before serving
  1. After chilling, toss again and adjust dressing if needed for the right consistency. Serve cold, with any extra dressing added a splash at a time.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the cooked GF pasta thoroughly and cool it completely before mixing—this helps prevent clumping and keeps the vegetables crisp. Refrigerate in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because pasta and dairy won’t hold texture well. For a dairy-light swap, use part-skim or lactose-free mozzarella and reduce the Parmesan slightly while keeping the dressing balanced.