Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Lincoln and I saw the live-action Aladdin movie in theaters this past weekend and it was FABULOUS! My favorite part was the addition of so much comedy into the screenplay – I was 100% THAT PERSON laughing out loud in the theater. No regrets. I want to keep talking about how much I loved the actor who played Aladdin (those dimples!) how funny Will Smith was (that parade scene!) and how fab the musical numbers were (the choreography!) but I’ll spare you. Instead, I’ll spin you a tale of the incredible Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe I also whipped up this weekend…then ate every last drop of all by myself.

Wish I had a genie to poof that fact from existence, but I couldn’t help it even a little bit – this pasta salad is phenomenal! My fork kept going back for more and more (and more and more)!

One of the most popular recipes on IGE in the summertime for six years running is my Mediterranean Orzo Salad. The photos are horrible (for some reason I thought it’d be a good idea to slap a scoop of it next to burnt chicken) but it’s almost impossible to find gluten free orzo to take new photos. That said, knowing it’s a popular and perfect side dish for summer – July 4th! Pool parties! BBQs! Potlucks! – I decided to revamp the recipe by using a readily available gluten free pasta and pack in a few more mixins. Because when it comes to salads – the more mixins, the better.

This easy pasta salad recipe is CRAVEABLE and like I said, perfect for any summer occasion. Chop, boil, toss, and serve – let’s do this!

How to Make This Recipe

Start by making the lemon dressing – it is deliciously bright and tangy! To a jar with a tight fitting lid add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons), 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small clove garlic that’s been pressed or minced, a pinch of dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously to combine then set aside.

Next, to a large bowl add:

• 1 can marinated artichoke hearts that have been roughly chopped
• 1-1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 small red onion that’s been very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives that have been sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoons drained capers

Lastly, add 6oz dry gluten free rotini pasta that’s been cooked, drained, and rinsed under cold running water until cool. I usually use Barilla gluten free pasta for my pasta salads. It seems to mimic regular pasta the most!

Finally, drizzle the lemon dressing on top then toss to combine.

Serving Tip

Cooked gluten free pasta doesn’t stay quite as soft as regular pasta after being refrigerated so I recommend you serve this at room temperature right after dressing, or refrigerate for no longer than a few hours before serving. That said, I ate plenty of this pasta salad straight outta the fridge and it was DIVINE. However you eat it, I hope you love this fresh and delicious Mediterranean Pasta Salad! Enjoy!

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

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gluten freevegetarian

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Description

Mediterranean Pasta Salad is a fresh and flavorful pasta salad recipe! This delicious and easy side dish will be a hit at parties and potlucks.

Ingredients

serves a crowd

• 6oz dry gluten free rotini pasta
• 15oz can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
• 1-1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 Tablespoons gluten free capers
• For the Lemon Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (~2 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
  • pinch dried oregano
  • salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine ingredients for lemon dressing in a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake vigorously to combine and set aside. Can be done several days ahead of time.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain then rinse under cold water until cool. Add remaining ingredients to a large bowl then add cooled pasta and dressing, and then toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Cooked gluten free pasta can turn hard in the refrigerator so I recommend serving this pasta salad immediately after assembling. To save time, you can make the dressing and/or add the mixins into a bowl ahead of time so all you have to do is cook the pasta before assembling.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

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