This healthy, veggie-loaded pasta salad recipe is perfect for summertime! This pasta salad is gluten-free, simple to whip up, and comforting on a hot summer day.
One thing I love about summertime is the food that comes with it! Lots of grilling, light and fresh meals, and of course, pasta salad.
However, traditional pasta salads are loaded with poor quality starch, lots of dairy, and often little veggies. This is why I always set out to create my own favorites (like this dairy-free, gluten-free macaroni salad!).
This way, regardless of where I show up, I’ll have something to eat. This particular pasta salad recipe makes a tasty addition to any barbeque or a super speedy, delicious dinner recipe.
Made with chickpea noodles, this pasta salad recipe is loaded with fiber and filling all on its own. However, I do like to top it with some chicken if I’m using it as a full meal.
Are Chickpeas Paleo?
No… and yes. While not technically a grain, very few in the paleo community believe that chickpeas are paleo because they are so starch dense – though you will have some people say they are.
Thus, this pasta salad is not paleo, but it is dairy-free and gluten-free.
Homemade Dressing
The dressing for this pasta salad is perfect because you probably already have the ingredients in your cupboard!
It’s really easy to whip together and the oil gives a dose of healthy fats. Plus, the salad dressing uses only honey to sweeten it up. It does, however, contain a lot of flavor! You can use fresh or dried herbs for the salad dressing and it always tastes delicious.
Tip: if using fresh herbs, mince them really well and add just a bit extra than the recipe says ?
Veggie-Loaded Salads
While I’m not one to sit and munch on a spinach salad anymore, I do love having lots of veggies for my major meals. And one of the reasons that this pasta salad recipe is so perfect is that it’s loaded with color!
More color means more nutrients.
Ingredients In The Gluten-Free Pasta Salad
- 4 cups chickpea pasta, cooked
- ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 large carrot, spiralized (or diced!)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
- ½ Tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
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Veggie Chickpea Pasta Salad I Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 cups chickpea noodles cooked
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 carrot large, spiralized
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tbsp parsley dried
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbs raw honey
Instructions
- Cook the chickpea noodles according to package directions. When they're finished, strain the water and rinse under cool water for one minute. Then, toss in 1 tablespoon of oil
- While noodles are cooking, prep the veggies.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles, veggies and dressing. Mix well.
- Place the bowl in the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours for the flavors to mix.
