Pasta Salad

A low-FODMAP pasta salad with gluten-free pasta, cucumber, cherry tomato, red pepper, and feta in a garlic-infused Italian dressing made without onion or garlic bulb.

Prep 15 min

Cook 10 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 250g (about 9 oz) dry gluten-free short pasta, such as corn and rice fusilli or penne (choose a corn/rice blend, not a legume-based one)
• 1 continental (English) cucumber, about 200g, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
• 250g cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (keep to about 45g, roughly 3 tomatoes, per serving)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, about 150g, seeded and diced (red capsicum is low FODMAP at 43g, about 1/3 cup, per serving)
• 150g feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (40g per serving is the low FODMAP cap)
• Green tops of 3 to 4 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced, in place of red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Italian dressing

• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (low FODMAP at about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the gluten-free pasta and cook to just past al dente, following the package time (gluten-free pasta softens more once cooled).
2. Drain and rinse under cold water until fully cool, then shake off the excess water. Rinsing stops the cooking and washes off surface starch so the pieces do not clump.

Make the dressing

1. In a small jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic-infused oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, oregano, dried basil, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper.
2. Seal and shake, or whisk, until the dressing looks cloudy and combined. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar.

Assemble

1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, red bell pepper, and scallion green tops.
2. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat evenly.
3. Add the feta and the fresh basil or parsley, if using, and fold through gently so the cheese holds its shape. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Tips & Substitutions

• Pick a corn and rice pasta. Corn/rice gluten-free pastas are low FODMAP at a normal serving. Skip chickpea, lentil, or edamame pastas, which carry a galactan and fructan load that adds up quickly.
• Keep feta to 40g per serving. Feta is low FODMAP at that amount, so weigh it if you are portioning for a crowd. Larger servings raise the lactose.
• Watch the tomato and pepper amounts. Cherry tomatoes stay low at about 45g (3 tomatoes) per serving, and red bell pepper at 43g (about 1/3 cup). Green bell pepper gives more room at 75g if you want a bigger portion.
• Use scallion green tops, not red onion. The green parts of scallions (and leek greens) give an allium note without the fructans in the white bulb.
• Make it vegan or dairy-free. Leave out the feta or swap in cubed marinated firm tofu. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes on any substitute.
• Dress it close to serving. Gluten-free pasta soaks up dressing as it sits, so hold back a spoonful of the dressing to loosen the salad again before it goes to the table.

Why This Works

• Infused oil carries garlic flavor. Fructans are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil gives you the taste without the FODMAPs that come from the clove.
• Bottled Italian dressing is the usual trap. Most jarred dressings list onion and garlic near the top, so making the dressing from scratch is what keeps this salad low FODMAP.
• Produce is portioned, not just picked. Tomato, red pepper, and feta each have serving caps, so the recipe fixes the amounts rather than leaving them open.
• The right pasta matters. Corn and rice keep the base low FODMAP, while legume-based pastas would push it high even at a modest serving.

Storage

Keep the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta firms up when chilled, so let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes and stir in a splash of olive oil or a little reserved dressing before serving leftovers. This salad does not freeze well, since the cucumber and tomato turn watery once thawed.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.