This Gluten Free Tortellini Pasta Salad is easy to make with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, vegan feta, radishes and red onions. It’s perfect side for summer barbecues, potlucks and picnics. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan with grain-free and paleo-friendly options.
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Updated June 2021
Easy Gluten-Free Tortellini Pasta Salad
Summer is all about easy side dishes. This Tortellini Pasta Salad is easy to make and loaded with a ton of good stuff. Made with gluten-free tortellini, there’s also cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, radishes, red onions and some delicious vegan feta all tossed with a zesty lemon vinaigrette.
The dressing is super easy to whip up with just a few simple pantry ingredients. But if you’re in a pinch or don’t feel like making your own, you can easily use your favorite store-bought version instead.
Ingredients you need
For the healthy pasta salad
- Gluten Free Tortellini – any gluten-free or grain free pasta brand you like. We love these grain-free Ravioli or Gnocchi from Cappello’s or the Cauliflower Gnocchi from Trader Joe’s. Or if you want a chickpea or lentil based pasta, you can use Banza pasta shells that are made with chickpeas. For keto, there’s Almond Love or use your favorite low carb pasta you like.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes – cut in halves.
- Red onion – chopped.
- Olives – sliced.
- Cucumbers – chopped.
- Radishes – thinly sliced
- Feta – substitute with vegan feta cheese or omit. We like Violife Vegan Feta.
- Fresh basil – to add some fresh flavor.
- Salt and pepper – to taste.
For the homemade dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Garlic – grated
- Italian seasoning
- Pure maple syrup – or sub with any sticky liquid sweetener of choice. Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple syrup, coconut flower nectar syrup or date syrup or honey (if not vegan) all work.
- Salt and pepper to taste
How To Make Tortellin Pasta Salad
- COOK THE GLUTEN-FREE PASTA: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a resealable jar. Shake well and set aside.
- COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta and the rest of the salad ingredients.
- MIX IN VINAIGRETTE: Add the dressing and toss evenly coat. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- SERVE: Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Tips for success
- Cook the pasta ahead of time and store in a large reusable container in the refrigerator.
- Wash and chop the cucumbers and tomatoes in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make the dressing in advance and store in a resealable jar in the refrigerator.
Summer pasta salads variations
Pasta salads are always a delicious crowd-pleaser and perfect for lunch, a light dinner and spring and summer potlucks, picnics, cookouts and backyard BBQs.
- They’re quick and easy to make and can easily be customized to what you like or have on hand.
- Plus, they work for a variety of diets and can easily be made gluten-free, vegan, low carb, grain-free, keto or paleo depending on the pasta you use which we’ve included suggestions for below in the recipe card.
Want more gluten-free pasta salad recipes? Check out our Summer Pasta Salad, Broccoli Pasta Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad or our Avocado Spinach Pasta Salad.
How To Store This Gluten Free Pasta Recipe
This easy pasta salad will last in the refrigerator for up to four days, and it is perfect for meal prep. Divide the cooked pasta into reusable airtight containers. This is our favorite lunch container. Here are a few of our other favorites for storing food:
- Glass meal prep containers – Divided containers with 2 compartments are great if you want to include a portion of salad plus a side of protein or fruit.
- Jars with lids – Mason jars are great for portioning out salads and they make your fridge look Pinterest-worthy. We love these reusable plastic jar lids for everything you can put in a jar. And for dressings and sauces, these flip-top lids are a must-have!
- Silicone bags – The great thing about silicone bags is that they can be re-used, are dishwasher-safe and don’t absorb odors. We LOVE stand-up bags from Stasher for their 56-ounce capacity and the fact that they stand up minimizing any risk of leakage.
Can you freeze pasta salads?
Yes, you can freeze a pasta salad to preserve it. Here are a few tips:
- Only cook the pasta al dente.
- Be sure to freeze the pasta separate from the other ingredients and dressings for best results.
- Use freezer-safe plastic bags, silicone bags or freezer-safe containers.
- If you would rather freeze it all mixed up in a single container, the pasta may get mushy from the liquid during freezing/thawing.
To thaw: Thaw the pasta, dressing and vegetables in the refrigerator overnight before combining the ingredients. Toss all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and adjust seasonings / liquids as needed. Do not refreeze and serve on the same day.
More healthy salad recipes you will love:
This Tortellini Pasta Salad is easy to make with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, vegan feta, radishes and red onions. It's perfect side for summer barbecues, potlucks and picnics. Gluten-free, dairy-free with grain-free paleo-friendly options.
- 1 9-ounce package fresh gluten-free tortellini , or you can use any gluten-free or grain free pasta brand you like. We love these grain-free Ravioli or Gnocchi from Cappello's. If you are looking for a chickpea or lentil based pasta, you can use Banza pasta shells that are made with chickpeas. For keto, there's Almond Love or any low carb pasta brand you like.
- 1/3 cup chopped red onions
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1/4 cup sliced radishes
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 2/3 cup crumbled vegan feta , we like Violife Vegan Feta. Omit or use your favorite feta if preferred.
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- 3/4 cup Primal Kitchen Greek Salad Dressing OR Homemade Dressing below
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup , or sub with any sticky liquid sweetener of choice. Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple syrup, coconut flower nectar syrup or date syrup or honey (if not vegan) will work.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the homemade dressing: Combine all the ingredients together in a resealable jar. Shake well and set aside.
For the salad:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour dressing over and toss to evenly coat. Season as needed with salt and pepper to taste.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Recipe Video
Did you try this recipe?
Teresa -
Yum, this was a hit with our family! Thanks for all the suggestions and other swaps, my family couldn’t even tell it was healthy!
Melissa -
We have a lot of people coming over this weekend and all of these pasta salads look delicious! This Tortellini was my husband’s favorite!