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This gluten free Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad is the ultimate summer side dish. It reminds me of supermarket deli counter salad, with a creamy sun dried tomato dressing. This gluten free pasta salad is great hot or cold, perfect for picnics and packed lunches.
Once thing I miss since being diagnosed with coeliac disease is the supermarket salad counters were you could just grab a tub and help yourself.
Nowadays they’re a cross-contamination nightmare! But I can still remember the taste of my favourite gluten free pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes.
Which is why I’ve recreated my own gluten free sun dried tomato pasta salad we can all enjoy. No more missing out on a gluten free diet!
With a creamy crème fraîche and mayonnaise dressing, this gluten free pasta salad is great cold or hot. Check out my tips for the best pasta below if you’re eating it cold.
And why not team it up with other classics like my Gluten Free Tuna Pasta Salad, my easy Potato Salad and my Gluten Free Greek Salad for a whole summer spread?
Ingredients
For this gluten free pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes you’ll only need a few simple ingredients:
- Gluten Free Pasta: I used the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Free From Casarecce in this recipe. I also recommend the Napolina gluten free fusilli and the Garofalo gluten free pastas.
- Low Fat Crème Fraîche: You can use full-fat if you prefer, or even cream cheese.
- Mayonnaise: Again, full fat or low fat mayonnaise are both fine.
- Sun Dried Tomato Paste: Mixing this into the sauce is what takes the flavours of this gluten free pasta salad to the next level.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: You’ll also need some chopped sun dried tomatoes. Either buy them pre-chopped or chop up whole ones from a jar.
- Fresh Basil: You can omit this if you don’t like basil, but I love adding it to the sauce.
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method, but here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes is.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then cook the pasta as per the pack instructions.
This is usually around 8-10 minutes, depending on the brand. Once cooked, drain the pasta off.
While the pasta is cooking, mix the crème fraîche, mayo, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and basil in a large bowl with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
Mix the drained pasta into the sauce, stir well and serve warm or cold, sprinkled with some extra fresh basil leaves.
Variations
Here are some ideas as to how you can change up this sun dried tomato pasta salad:
- Pesto: Add a tablespoon or two of pesto to the sauce for a sun dried tomato pesto pasta salad. Red or green pesto can work well.
- Olives: Add a handful or two of pitted green or black olives for a salty addition to the tomato pasta salad.
- Chicken: Want to add some extra protein? Stir some shredded roast chicken in with the pasta for a chicken and tomato pasta salad.
- Cheesy: Add some chunks of goats cheese or some mozzarella pearls for a cheesy addition to this sun dried tomato pasta salad.
- Veggies: Mix in some halved cherry tomatoes and chopped fresh spinach to get some extra veg in your gluten free pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs about this easy gluten free pasta salad recipe – if you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!
Cooking gluten free pasta is a bit different to cooking normal pasta – get it wrong and you end up with sludge! My top tips for cooking gluten free pasta are:
1) Always bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the pasta, and make sure it’s nice and salty.
2) Once you add the pasta try to get it to the boil again as quickly as possible. Stir it once or twice until it’s boiling to ensure it doesn’t stick.
3) As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it. If you leave it in the saucepan of water it will eventually disintegrate!
Gluten free pasta is a bit less forgiving than normal pasta when eaten cold. If you buy the cheaper supermarket pasta I find it goes very hard when cold. For the best cold pasta salad, use a brown rice pasta, or buy a more expensive brand like Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference, the Napolina gluten free fusilli and the Garofalo gluten free pastas if you want to eat this cold.
If you want to make this gluten free pasta salad ahead of time, or you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days. I wouldn’t recommend reheating or freezing this gluten free pasta salad.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 300 g gluten free pasta
- 100 g low fat crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sun-dried tomato paste
- 6 chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then cook the pasta as per the pack instructions. This is usually around 8-10 minutes, depending on the brand. Once cooked, drain the pasta off.
- While the pasta is cooking, mix the crème fraîche, mayo, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and basil in a large bowl with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
- Mix the drained pasta into the sauce, stir well and serve warm or cold, sprinkled with some extra fresh basil leaves.
Video
Notes
- Storing: Check out the Frequently Asked Questions below this recipe card for instructions on storing this pasta salad and making ahead of time.
- Step-by-Step Photos: Scroll up for some handy photos showing you exactly how to make this gluten free sun dried tomato pasta salad recipe, as well as handy recipe tips.
- Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* rating and tell all your gluten free friends about this Pasta Salad!
Nutrition
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