This Summer Pasta Salad is an easy side dish perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, cook-outs and picnics. Made with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, olives, fresh basil, parsley and a zesty homemade vinaigrette. Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free with grain-free, low carb, keto and paleo-friendly options.
Easy Summer Pasta Salad Recipe
The sun is blazing and summertime calls for quick and easy meals! This Summer Pasta Salad is easy to make with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, olives, fresh herbs and a zesty homemade vinaigrette. Pasta salads are always a delicious crowd-pleaser and perfect for lunch, a light dinner and spring and summer potlucks, Fourth of July picnics, Memorial Day, Labor Day cookouts and backyard BBQs.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredient list for this healthy pasta salad is fairly simple and easy to customize. Depending on the pasta and cheese you use, you can keep this pasta salad recipe completely gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, dairy-free, low carb, keto and paleo-friendly.
- Dried pasta: Any gluten-free or grain free pasta brand you like. We love these grain-free pastas from Jovial and 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 a high-protein, low carb keto option, there’s this brand or use your favorite low carb pasta you like.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: Cut in half
- Onion: Diced.
- Zucchini : Chopped. You can also use cucumbers instead.
- Olives: Chopped.
- Fresh herbs: We used basil and parsley.
- Kale: Optional for some extra greens.
- Radishes: Thinly sliced
- Vegan Feta: We like Violife Vegan Feta. You can omit or use your favorite feta if not dairy-free.
- Salt and pepper: To Taste.
For the homemade Italian dressing
- Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dairy-free Parmesan cheese – grated. We like Violife.
- 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.
- Garlic clove: Minced
- Sea salt
- Italian seasoning
- Black pepper to taste
- Red pepper chili flakes, optional
How To Make this Summer Pasta Salad
- Cook the 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 the Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta then toss together with 1/2 of the dressing. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl and add remaining dressing. Toss well and add salt and black pepper to taste. Chill in fridge until ready to serve or enjoy immediately.
- Serve and enjoy: Chill in fridge until ready to serve or enjoy immediately.
Tips for Success
You really can’t go wrong with how straight-forward this salad recipe is but here are a few tricks we have to make the best summer pasta salad:
- Only cook the pasta al dente. This helps you avoid a soggy salad.
- Cook the pasta ahead of time and store in a large reusable container in the refrigerator to make this ahead.
- Wash and chop your vegetables 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 salad variations
Pasta salads are always a delicious crowd-pleaser and there are so many ways to dress them up:
- Add pesto: Swap the dressing for some pesto to make a delicious summer pesto pasta salad.
- Use a different pasta shape: Switch the fusilli pasta for elbow pasta and add some cheese and cream cheese to make this a creamy summer macaroni pasta salad.
- Swap the pasta for noodles: Use rice noodles or spaghetti noodles instead of fusilli pasta to make this a light and refreshing summer noodle salad or summer spaghetti salad.
Want more healthy summer pasta salad recipes? Check out our Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad, Broccoli Pasta Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad or our Tortellini 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 for success for the best summer pasta salad:
- 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:
Kale Salad with Avocado Caesar Dressing
This Summer Pasta Salad is an easy side dish perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, cook-outs and picnics. Made with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, olives, fresh basil, parsley and a zesty homemade vinaigrette. Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free with grain-free, low carb, keto and paleo-friendly options.
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp dairy-free grated Parmesan cheese , We like Violife.
- 1 tsp 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.
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste (I use sea salt or Himalayan pink)
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- black pepper to taste
- pinch red pepper chili flakes optional
- 8 ounces dried gluten-free pasta , use any gluten-free or grain free pasta brand you like. We love these grain-free pastas from Jovial and 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 a high-protein, low carb keto option, there's this brand or use your favorite low carb pasta you like.
- 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup black olives slices
- 1 medium zucchini chopped
- 1/2 red or white onion chopped
- 1/4 cup kale chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Place all the ingredients in a jar and shake well. You can also use your blender to emulsify ingredients instead.
- Cook, drain and dry pasta to al dente according to pasta instructions. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss together with 1/2 of the dressing. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl and add remaining dressing. Toss well and add salt and black pepper to taste.
Chill in fridge until ready to serve or enjoy immediately.
How To Store
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.
How to freeze
- 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.
