Gluten Free Zesty Ranch Pasta Salad

Our Gluten Free Zesty Ranch Pasta Salad is allergy friendly and makes a fantastic side dish or main dish. Bring this salad to your potlucks and BBQs, it's so creamy and flavorful, no one will know it's gluten free!

Makes 4 servings as a main dish, 6 servings as a side dish. Dressing recipe makes 1/2 cup dressing

Gluten free, dairy free; Free of: tree nuts, peanuts, soy

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free pasta salad, gluten free pasta salad, ranch pasta salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chill time 15

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 260kcal

Author Sarah Jane Parker

Ingredients

Pasta salad

3-4 ounces Jovial gluten free fusilli pasta
Olive oil and salt for the pasta cooking water
1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 2 cups chopped zucchini)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (I used multi-colored ones)
1 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
¼ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon cajun/creole spice (we use this as an all purpose seasoning on almost everything)

Zesty ranch

⅓ cup soy-free mayo (vegan if you need it egg free, too)
1-2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon brown mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
⅛ teaspoon dried dill weed
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Pasta Salad

Fill a 4 quart saucepan 3/4 the way full of water. Add a splash of olive oil and a dash of salt and heat over medium heat until boiling. This will be for cooking the pasta.
While the water for the pasta is heating up, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet pan lightly with oil and set aside.
Chop your zucchini with the skin on and place into a large bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl.
Add the olive oil, pressed garlic, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the bowl and toss the vegetables with the oil and seasonings.
Spread the zucchini and tomatoes on the cookie sheet and roast in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes. You want the vegetables softened a bit but not too soft.
Allow the vegetables to cool on the pan.
When your water comes to a boil, add your gluten free rotini and cook for 12 minutes until al dente.
Drain the pasta and rinse the pasta in cool water for a minute or 2 to reduce the temperature of the pasta. Toss with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
When the roasted vegetables have cooled down for about 15-20 minutes, stir the pasta together with the vegetables, the zesty ranch (recipe below), and the cajun/creole spice in a large bowl.
Either chill for later or serve immediately at room temperature.
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Dairy Free Zesty Ranch

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the zesty ranch.
You can add a little more mayo or reduce the water to make it thicker. Or add a little more water or less mayo to make it thinner, depending on your preference.
Add the entire batch of zesty ranch to the pasta salad, or use it on salads or for dipping vegetables.
If you make extra ranch or don't use all of it in the pasta salad, store the extra ranch in a jar or airtight container for up to 7 days.

Nutrition